Parametric studies on fractionation column design for the separation of plastic waste pyrolysis oil into valuable fuels

Abstract

The increased global consumption of plastics prompts concerns about disposal methods and management. The castoff plastics (of any kind) majorly end up in landfills or are incinerated or disposed of into the oceans. However, these methods are not sustainable in the long run and harm the ecosystem. A better approach to tackle these wastes is the need of the hour, as the climate change crisis negatively impacts the environment. In this work, a process is ideated and implemented in Aspen Plus® V12.0, which involves the simulation of a fractionation column with a feed that is obtained by the pyrolysis of the waste plastic to yield an array of distillate cuts consisting of different hydrocarbon mixtures. Analysis of the fractionation column performance with sieve and bubble-cap tray configurations and the effect of tray efficiency, temperature, pressure, and other factors on the composition of the hydrocarbon mixture in different product streams were studied and outlined with the equilibrium tray and rate-based calculation mode. A techno-economic analysis of the process was also performed, and the relevant comparative analyses were illustrated and outlined.