(413b) Energy Production From Municipal Waste Plastics Using Thermal Degradation

Abstract

Municipal
waste plastics are creating environmental problem all over the world. One of
the major factors is the amount of green house gas (GHG's) emission released
from waste plastic recycling process. 5-600 kg of CO₂ isproduced
from 1 ton waste plastic recycling period based on treatment plants. Waste
plastics are not biodegradable; it can remain for long time into environment producing
methane gas. Every day plastic use is increasing in all sectors. To avoid
environmental problems of waste plastics some country and big cities ban or
restricted the use of plastic products. Doing so will give rise to many
economical and commercial problems. Thermal degradation of waste plastics converts
into useful energy is one well known solution to this problem. The thermal
degradation process developed is a very simple yet sophisticated process where
the waste plastics are heated up to 370 ºC to produce hydrocarbon liquid fuel.
Analysis of the produced fuel using instrument Gas chromatography (GC/MS)
showed hydrocarbon range between C₃ ? C₂₇. This
translates that the fuel contains wide range of hydrocarbons that can provide
high energy or it can be further processed (broken down into shorter separate
groups) to produce various categories of fuels. This fuel is low in emission
and can be operated with existing motors and generators. The developed technology
will minimize the environment pollution problems simultaneously boost up energy
sector by utilizing the waste plastics into high energy content fuel.