Abstract
Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.
Highlights
Waste management systems and energy production systems will have to undergo changes due to energy crises and the threat of global climate change
This paper presents a simplified assessment of the feedstock recycling process of waste polyolefins, in which the products of their thermal degradation are used for electricity generation
In the previous article [40], an exergy analysis was conducted in the case the process of thermal degradation of the blend of plastics that consisted of PE and PP
Summary
Waste management systems and energy production systems will have to undergo changes due to energy crises and the threat of global climate change. It is believed that reuse, recycling (by different technologies), and incineration (with heat recovery) can lead to good results and should be regarded as primary methods in waste management It is essential, that environmental strategies in which scrap polymers are considered an energy source be connected with the larger energy systems worldwide. The proposed technologies and reactors are still far from perfect, and their profitability is weak With these shortcomings in mind, we consider that new technologies (and reactors) should have the following features: Marek Stelmachowski: Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach (a) The process should be carried out without catalysts due to difficulties and the cost of the their recovery. If the required product should to be a fuel-like mixture of hydrocarbons the yield of liquid product has to be high
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