Scale-Up of PureCycle Solvent Dissolution Recycling Process

PureCycle uses a patented, ground-breaking recycling process to separate virtually all color, odor, and contaminants from polypropylene waste feedstock to transform it into Ultra-Pure Recycled (UPR) resin.

This presentation will outline the evolution of the PureCycle process from the initial concept to commercial reality. A benchtop pressure cell was used to develop the fundamental polymer solubility data that supports the overall design concept. The main unit operations for the process were developed using a lab-scale batch system. Successful operation of the pilot scale system demonstrated that the purification process can be executed continuously. The commercial scale implementation uses a modular design that will enable rapid expansion of the process to multiple sites. The key challenges and successes at each stage of development will be discussed.

At every scale, the purification process has been demonstrated to produce recycled plastic with a color and clarity equivalent to virgin material. Analysis of the purified pellets has also confirmed the ability of the process to remove several substances of interest typically introduced to recycled plastic during the use phase. Purified plastic has also been used in blending studies to demonstrate its equivalence to virgin plastic in several product applications.

This process helps close the loop on the reuse of recycled plastics while making recycled polypropylene more accessible at scale to companies desiring to use a sustainable recycled resin. PureCycle’s UPR resin is a like-virgin material that is easily colorable, and its production is projected to consume 79% less energy and produce 35% less carbon emissions than new polypropylene manufacturing.