A Report: B.Tech Student MNIT, Jaipur Under The Guidance of
A Report: B.Tech Student MNIT, Jaipur Under The Guidance of
A Report: B.Tech Student MNIT, Jaipur Under The Guidance of
ON
SUSHANT GIRI
B.Tech Student MNIT, Jaipur
Under the guidance of
Dr. P. Mondal
Associate Professor
SUSHANT GIRI
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CONTENTS
Topic Page No.
i. Aim 4
1. Introduction 4-5
2. Plastic Waste’s market analysis 5-6
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i. AIM
1. INTRODUCTION
Only 14 of India’s 35 regional pollution boards filed information on
plastic waste generation in 2017-18, according to the latest report of the
Central Pollution Control Board. Thus, the CPCB estimate of plastic
waste generated in India in 2017-18--660,787.85 tones, enough to fill
66,079 trucks at 10 tones a truck--does not reflect the situation in more
than 60 percent of India’s states and union territories. In 2016-17 too,
CPCB received these figures from only 25 regional pollution boards.
The total plastic waste generation figure for that year was estimated at
1.6 million tons, or 160,000 truckfulls. The CPCB has approached the
National Green Tribunal to enforce the implementation of plastic waste
management rules by non-compliant states. On March 12, 2019, the
NGT ordered all of them to ensure that reports are furnished to the
CPCB by April 30, 2019. Failure is to be punished with a penalty of Rs
1 crore per month, to be paid to the CPCB, the NGT said.
In the pyrolysis process (heating in an oxygen free atmosphere), the
organic components of the material are decomposed generating liquid
and gaseous products, which can be useful as fuels and/or sources of
chemicals. The inorganic materials (fillers, metals) remain practically
unaltered and free of the binding organic matter; therefore, metals could
be separated and the remaining solid may be reused (additive, filler,
pigment) or as a last resort, it would be a minimum waste to be land
filled. Pyrolysis is an especially appropriate recycling technique for
waste streams containing different plastics and other materials, for
which mechanical recycling is not feasible.
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The pyrolysis of virgin and waste plastics has been intensively studied in
the last years. Several reactor geometries and experimental
configurations have been proved, from micro-pyrolysers and thermo
gravimetric analyses (TGA) used for analytical pyrolysis studies to
medium and large scale plants, mainly fluidized bed units, focused on
industrial implementation. Despite the fact that batch and semi-batch
reactors can suffer from temperature gradients due to the low thermal
conductivity and high viscosity of plastic wastes, they have also been
used to a great extent in lab-scale applications, since they are usually
easier to design and operate. Besides, they enable to work with large
samples and with great particle sizes, which are closer conditions to
those of potential industrial applications.
On the other hand, most of the above mentioned studies have been
carried out with individual plastics or with simple mixtures of very few
plastics, which do not resemble complex real plastic wastes. . There are
almost no pyrolysis studies, which include EPS, PUR/PU and HDPE in
the plastic samples, since these three plastics may cause several
operating problems such as corrosion or pipeline obstructions. In this
study, the results obtained by pyrolysis of plastics, which includes EPS,
PUR/PU and HDPE is presented. A more thorough characterization of
pyrolysis products than that usually found in the literature is included,
which is essential information to establish the potential applications of
pyrolysis products.
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The data indicate that the demand for plastics is increasing all the time.
In Europe alone, in 2014 this value amounted to 47.8 million tones.
Five European countries accounts for 2/3 of the consumption of plastic,
which are: Germany, Italy, France, the United Kingdom and Spain.
These numbers are reflected in the extensive use of plastics in
many areas: as packaging, construction, agriculture, automotive and
electronics industry, and many products like furniture, etc.
Figure 2.1. Plastic waste production in Europe and in the world for years
2004–2014[2]
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seen that lower calorific values are obtained for both the particulate
solid fuels (18-23 MJ / kg), and the impregnated (8-11 MJ
/ Kg). In contrast, a much higher calorific value is characterized by
alternative liquid fuels (30-36 MJ / kg). Post-consumer plastics are
among the waste with a high calorific value. Particularly interesting
polymers in terms of calorific value are polyolefin’s, which can have
up to 47 MJ / kg, so that they can successfully compete with coal, coke
or pulverized coal.
Figure 3.1- Steps for generating money from plastic waste [2]
Two trends dominate regarding to the disposal of plastic waste. The first
is the landfill, and the second combustion. None of these typical
solutions allows for complete utilization of the energy contained in this
material. The production of solid alternative fuels from mixed waste is
energy intensive process which makes it very expensive. In turn,
the processing of waste in cement kilns does not allow full and
swift recovery of their energy, and what is more, causing huge
emissions dioxin, furans, nitrogen oxides and other
substances. Harmful emissions into the atmosphere from the
combustion of municipal waste causes huge degradation of the
environment and constitutes a threat to the flora and fauna. In this
situation, the best solution may be installations for depolymerization
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of plastic waste, enabling purification of the natural environment,
maximum recovery and utilization of the energy contained in plastics.
4. Types of plastics
4.1 Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET) Introduced by J. Rex
Whinfield and James T. Dickson in 1940, this plastic is one of the most
commonly used on the planet. Interestingly enough, it took another 30
years before it was used for crystal-clear beverage bottles, such as the
ones produced by Coca-Cola and Pepsi.
PETE plastics make up 96% of all plastic bottles and containers in the
United States, yet only 25% of these products are recycled. By being
mindful and making sure to recycle code 1 plastics, you’re helping to
ensure a cleaner environment and less landfill pollution.
4.2 High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) In 1953, Karl Ziegler and
Erhard Holzkamp used catalysts and low pressure to create high-density
polyethylene. It was first used for pipes in storm sewers, drains, and
culverts. Today, this plastic is used for a wide variety of products.
HDPE is the most commonly recycled plastic because it will not break
under exposure to extreme heat or cold. According to the EPA, 12% of
all HDPE products created are recycled in a year. This is a very small
dent in the planet’s carbon footprint.
4.3 Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) PVC is one of the oldest synthetic
materials in industrial production. It was actually discovered on accident
twice; once in 1838 by French physicist Henri Victor Regnault and again
in 1872 by German chemist Eugen Baumann. On both occasions, these
men found it inside vinyl chloride flasks left exposed to sunlight.
PVC is one of the least recycled materials; generally less than 1% of
PVC plastic is recycled each year. It has been called the “poison plastic”
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because it contains numerous toxins and is harmful to our health and the
environment.
4.4 Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) LDPE was the first
polyethylene to be produced, making it the grandfather of the material. It
has less mass than HDPE, which is why it’s considered a separate
material for recycling.
Packaging and containers made from LDPE make up about 56% of all
plastic waste, 75% of which comes from residential households.
Fortunately, many recycling programs are evolving to handle these
products. This means less LDPE will end up in landfills and negatively
affect the environment.
4.5 Polypropylene (PP) J. Paul Hogan and Robert L. Banks of Phillips
Petroleum Company discovered polypropylene in 1951. At the time,
they were simply trying to convert propylene into gasoline, but instead
discovered a new catalytic process for making plastic.
Only about 3% of polypropylene products are recycled in the US, but
interestingly enough, 325 million pounds of non-bottle plastics were
collected for recycling over a year. In other words, a lot of this plastic is
created, but only a small fraction is actually recycled.
4.6 Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS) In 1839, German apothecary
Eduard Simon accidentally came across polystyrene while preparing
medication. He isolated a substance from natural resin and didn’t realize
what he had discovered. It took German chemist Hermann Staudinger to
research this polymer and expand on its uses. Since polystyrene is
lightweight and easy to form into plastic materials, it also breaks
effortlessly, making it more harmful to the environment. Beaches all
over the world are littered with pieces of polystyrene, endangering the
health of marine animals. Polystyrene accounts for about 35% of US
landfill materials.
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4.7 Miscellaneous Plastics The remaining plastics include:
polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene,
fiberglass, and nylon. Of course, there are many differences in the
plastics classified as miscellaneous by recycling programs.
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6. Polyurethane (PUR and PU)
Polyurethane is a polymer composed of organic units joined
by carbamate (urethane) links. While most polyurethanes
are thermosetting polymers that do not melt when heated, thermoplastic
polyurethanes are also available.
Polyurethane polymers are traditionally and most commonly formed by
reacting a di- or tri poly-isocyanate with a polyol. Since polyurethanes
contain two types of monomers, which polymerize one after the other,
they are classed as alternating copolymers. Both the isocyanates and
polyols used to make polyurethanes contain, on average, two or
more functional groups per molecule.
Polyurethanes are used in the manufacture of high-resilience foam
seating, rigid foam insulation panels, microcellular
foam seals and gaskets, durable elastomeric wheels and tires (such
as roller coaster, escalator, shopping cart, elevator,
and skateboard wheels), automotive suspension bushings, electrical
potting compounds, high performance adhesives, surface coatings and
surface sealants, synthetic fibers (e.g., Spandex), carpet underlay, hard-
plastic parts (e.g., for electronic instruments).
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7. High density polyethylene (HDPE)
High density polyethylene plastic is most commonly known and referred
to as HDPE sheet plastic. This thermoplastic is made from a string of
ethylene molecules (hence, the poly part of polyethylene), and is known
for being both lightweight and strong. With more and more companies
embracing sustainability initiatives, HDPE sheet popularity has
skyrocketed as it can cut down on the material used to produce and
package products due to its weight and strength.
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All the plastic materials were used in pellet size (≈3 mm) for the
pyrolysis experiments, and were weighted precisely. The pyrolysis
experiments were carried out using an unstirred stainless steel
1.436 dm3 reactor in batch operation at atmospheric pressure. In a
typical run, 25-35g of the samples were placed into the reactor and
nitrogen was passed through at a constant rate of 200ml/min to maintain
the inert atmosphere inside the reactor; the system was heated to a
temperature of 500°C for about 1.5 hour.
During each run the vapours leaving the reactor flowed to a series of
running water cooled gas–liquid separators where the condensed liquids
were collected. The uncondensed products were passed through an pipe
which were transported outside the laboratory which if we want can be
afterwards tested by gas chromatography. The amount of solids
(products in the reactor after pyrolysis) and liquids obtained were
weighed, and the pyrolysis yields were calculated as weight percentage
with respect to the amount of raw material pyrolysed. Gas yields were as
a general rule calculated by difference of the sum of the oil and solid
from that of the raw material used in the reactor.
Extraction efficiency of reactor was computed using following equation:
%E = C Oil x 100
C Raw material
Where C Oil and C Raw material denote the masses of Oil extracted and the
raw material pyrolysed initially.
9. Operating cost
Operating cost is also one of the most important parameters in the
Pyrolysis process because it effects the application of any type of energy
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source material . The operating cost includes material (mainly raw
material) cost, electrical energy cost, labor, maintenance, and other
costs. Thus, in this study the operating cost was calculated with raw
material plastic and electrical energy costs. So both energy and raw
material plastic consumption costs are taken into account as major cost
items. Calculation of operating cost is expressed as:
Operating cost = X× Energyconsumption + Y× Raw materialconsumption
Where Energyconsumption is consumption quantiy per ‘T’ hour for a single
batch and and Raw materialconsumption is the quantity of raw material
plastic consumed in one single batch. Unit prices, X given for the Indian
Market, 2019, are: electrical energy price Rs. 3.5/kWh, and for Y the
prices are as follows as of 2019; for Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is Rs.
0.2/g, for Polyurethane Foam (PUR and PU) is Rs. 0.34/g and for High
density polyethylene (HDPE) is Rs. 0.95/g material.
Substance Temperature Duration Feed Flow rate Oil Yield Resid Yield Gases Yield
(°C) (hr) (g) of of oil -ue of of
nitrogen Resid gases
(ml/min) -ue
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Figure 11.2.1 Schematic diagram of redwood viscometer
In case of Redwood Viscometer, the kinematic viscosity (n) of liquid
and time t required to pass 50 cc are correlated by the equation by
V=At- B/t
Where,
v= kinematic viscosity in strokes
T= time in seconds to collect 50 cc of oil
For
T=40s to 85s A=0.264 and B=190
T=85s to 2000s A=0.247 and B=65
The kinematic Viscosities of Polyurethane Foam (PUR and PU) at 36°C
and High density polyethylene (HDPE) at 60°C were found to be 15.157
strokes and 27.839 strokes respectively.
Cloud point and pour point were calculated with the help of cloud point
and pour point apparatus, for Expanded polystyrene (EPS) which came
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out to be 2°C and -19°C respectively, and for Polyurethane Foam (PUR
and PU) cloud point and pour point values comes out to be 3°C and -
17°C respectively.
12. Conclusions
Earth is a living organism and an ever expanding tapestry, People need
energy for their survivable varying from food energy to nuclear energies,
we have already polluted almost every resource of energy with plastic
and other hazardous material. In these times plastic as a source of energy
can be a tremendous break through, it will not only solve our problem of
deposing the plastic in open grounds, save the planet from further global
warming but will also provide a source of energy for future generations
and people can shift from fossil fuels to these plastic generated fuels
thus skipping the further manipulation of environment by emission of
hazardous gases. The pyrolysis process for plastic has been found to be
mainly temperature and time dependent. At the optimum conditions , the
maximum yields for Oils for a raw material feed for one batch
comprising of 13g of Expanded polystyrene (EPS), 37g of Polyurethane
Foam (PUR and PU) and 30 g of High density polyethylene (HDPE)
were found to be 79%, 37 % and 46% respectively .In these times plastic
as a source of energy can be a tremendous break through, it will not only
solve our problem of deposing the plastic in open grounds, save the
planet from further global warming but will also provide a source of
energy for future generations and people can shift from fossil fuels to
these plastic generated fuels thus skipping the further manipulation of
environment by emission of hazardous gases.
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13. References
1 .A. López,I. de Marco,B.M. Caballero,M.F. Laresgoiti,A. Adrados.
Influence of time and temperature on pyrolysis of plastic wastes in a
semi-batch reactor Chemical Engineering Journal, Elsevier, 1
September 2011
3. Alyssa mertes promo Expert February 8th, 2017, Updates 14th 2019
Complete Recycling LLC, “Plastic Recycling and Resin Identification
Codes”
4. Scranton Products, “Different Types of Plastic and SPI Codes Used to
Classify Them” Miller, Clay, Ways 2 Go Green, “Plastic Recycling &
Plastic Identification Codes” march 2016 .
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