Abstract
This study provides an in-depth evaluation of a pyrolysis process designed for the valorization of baby diaper waste from the rejected fraction of municipal solid waste treatment facilities. The diapers were separated, identified, and classified into distinct fractions/layers, each subjected to Thermogravimetric Analysis to determine the optimal temperature range for operation. This study identified that hydrogen and methane production is maximized at 575 °C. At this temperature, yields reach up to 7.4 mmol of hydrogen and 6.3 mmol of methane, with a total of 23 mmol of non-condensable gases per gram of diaper waste. The temperature of 525 °C optimized the production of lighter liquid fractions. This temperature yielded compounds with boiling points similar to heavy naphtha and comprised over 63 % of the liquid products. The solid residue resulting from pyrolysis was a partially amorphous carbonaceous material, with a maximum surface area of 9.7 m2/g achieved at 575 °C, which is considered low. The analysis is completed with a study of the degradation of the used diapers by TGA/MS-FTIR and the determination of the effective activation energy as a function of conversion. This study highlights the significant potential of pyrolysis technology for treating diaper waste, which generates several potentially usable or valuable products, including hydrogen, methane, light liquid compounds, and carbonaceous material.
Published Version
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