Plastic waste-derived fuel in diesel engine for 4 kW power generation supporting smart grid stabilization

The growing challenge of plastic waste pollution, coupled with the limited efficiency of conventional waste management techniques in Nigeria, drives the exploration of thermal and catalytic pyrolysis. These methods present an alternative, more efficient solution for plastic waste conversion into valuable hydrocarbons, with the catalyst improving product yield and quality. However, commercial zeolites presently used are often expensive and require complex synthesis procedures, thus limiting their widespread use in industrial applications. This study investigates the thermal and catalytic pyrolysis of waste plastic bags from polythene and Styrofoam food packaging made from polystyrene into liquid fuel using Zeolite X synthesized from clay sourced locally from konno-boue in Khana local government area of Rivers State. The study commenced with the synthesis of Zeolite X through pretreatment the kaolin clay and calcination processes. The synthesized Zeolite X catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to confirm its structural integrity and catalytic potential. The catalytic and thermal pyrolysis of polythene and polystyrene was conducted in a fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor, with temperatures ranging from 300 °C to 600 °C. Parameters such as the catalyst-to-plastic ratio and reaction temperatures were varied to optimize the product yield. The products obtained include: liquid oil, solid char, and gases, with their resultant yields specified. Results indicated that thermal pyrolysis in the absence of catalyst yielded 66.5% liquid fuel, while catalytic pyrolysis produced a lower yield of 28 % liquid but significantly increased the gas output to 61 %. This enhanced gas production with Zeolite X is attributed to the catalyst's role in breaking down larger hydrocarbon chains more effectively. The liquid fuel product obtained from the catalytic pyrolysis of polythene and polystyrene shows that catalyst to feed stock ratio of 1:4 was effective. This increased the yield of gas from 7.0 % to 61 %. The temperature range for catalytic pyrolysis was 200 °C to 280 °C, while thermal pyrolysis required higher temperatures of 300 °C to 395 °C, highlighting the energy savings afforded by catalytic processes. Further analysis using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography (GC) Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) indicated the fuel quality, with a higher content of light hydrocarbons such as alkanes and alkenes in catalytic pyrolysis, suitable for use as an alternative fuel. The locally sourced Zeolite X catalyst demonstrated strong potential for improving the efficiency and selectivity of the pyrolysis process, making it a viable solution for plastic waste management and fuel production.

Influence of temperature and alumina catalyst on pyrolysis of corncob

Cotton stalk pyrolysis catalyzed by magnesium chloride was carried out in a fixed bed reactor in a temperature range of 493–553 K. The feedstock characteristics, product distribution, pyrolysis oil composition, and solid residue composition were analyzed. The presence of MgCl2 significantly changed the product distribution of the pyrolysis oil and oils with only two targeted chemicals successfully collected for the purpose of chemical production. The effects of catalyst loading and pyrolysis temperature on pyrolysis behaviour for the furfural and acetic acid production were studied systematically. The furfural and acetic acid concentration in pyrolysis oil increased in the presence of magnesium chloride in our investigated temperature range. The furfural and acetic acid contents in water‐free pyrolysis oil are about 54 % and 28 % when the pyrolysis temperature is 553 K. The results of solid product analysis showed that 85 % of hemicellulose was decomposed, while cellulose and lignin were relatively stable. This study makes it possible to produce chemicals from biomass material through a multi‐step pyrolysis process.

Conversion of mixed waste plastic into fuel for diesel engines through pyrolysis process: A review

Plastic waste poses a significant environmental challenge. To address this issue, the pyrolysis process offers a promising solution to convert plastic waste into valuable products. This study investigated the pyrolysis of plastic waste sourced from a Hat Yai municipal landfill, aiming to optimize process conditions and characterize the resulting products. The plastic waste was classified into three primary types: polyethylene terephthalate (PET) (7 wt %), polypropylene (PP) (23 wt %), and polyethylene (PE) (70 wt %). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the waste decomposed completely within the temperature range of 520-600 °C. To optimize pyrolysis conditions, experiments were conducted on both unwashed and water-washed plastic waste, varying particle size, catalyst type, and loading. Nickel- and cobalt-based zeolite catalysts (Ni/HZSM-5 and Co/HZSM-5) were employed to enhance the pyrolysis process. The results indicated that medium-sized, water-washed plastic waste, pyrolyzed at 560 °C with 5 wt % of 5 wt % Co/HZSM-5 catalyst, yielded the highest pyrolysis oil (47.42 ± 1.00 wt %) and a high heating value (HHV) of 38.06 ± 0.67 MJ/kg. To further optimize the process, central composite design (CCD) and response surface methodology (RSM) were utilized to investigate the effects of the temperature and catalyst loading on the pyrolysis oil yield and HHV. Optimal conditions were determined for both unwashed and washed plastic waste. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of the pyrolysis oil from both optimum conditions revealed a high proportion of hydrocarbon compounds similar to fossil fuels, including gasoline, jet fuel, and diesel. This study successfully optimized the catalytic pyrolysis of plastic waste, resulting in significant improvement in oil yield and product quality. The use of water-washed plastic waste and 5% Co/HZSM-5 catalyst proved to be effective in enhancing the pyrolysis process. These findings provide valuable insights into the sustainable management of plastic waste and the production of valuable resources.

The purpose ofthis study is to review the existing literature about chemical recycling of plastic waste and its potential as fuel for diesel engines. This is a review covering on the field of converting waste plastics into liquid hydrocarbon fuels for diesel engines. Disposal and recycling of waste plastics have become an incremental problem and environmental threat with increasing demand for plastics. One of the effective measures is by converting waste plastic into combustible hydrocarbon liquid as an alternative fuel for running diesel engines. Continued research efforts have been taken by researchers to convert waste plastic in to combustible pyrolysis oil as alternate fuel for diesel engines. An existing literature focuses on the study of chemical structure of the waste plastic pyrolysis compared with diesel oil. Converting waste plastics into fuel oil by different catalysts in catalytic pyrolysis process also reviewed in this paper. The methodology with subsequent hydro treating and hydrocracking of waste plastic pyrolysis oil can reduce unsaturated hydrocarbon bonds which would improve the combustion performance in diesel engines as an alternate fuel.

Experimental investigation on single cylinder four stroke tri-charged diesel engine using pyrolysis oil at different proportions

Characterisation of waste derived intermediate pyrolysis oils for use as diesel engine fuels

Experimental investigation to identify the type of waste plastic pyrolysis oil suitable for conversion to diesel engine fuel

Waste plastic can be transformed to oil by the pyrolysis and it may be applicable as a fuel for diesel engines. The pyrolysis oil property varies depending on the raw waste plastic and the pyrolysis condition, which is different from that of diesel and gasoline. Considering the thermal efficiency, the running stability and the reliability, diesel engines are the most promising energy converter to generate electricity by using the pyrolysis oil. In this research, plastics from municipal wastes were converted into oil through the pyrolysis and the catalytic reforming process in a commercial facility. Compared with diesel fuel, the raw pyrolysis oil showed slightly lower kinematic viscosity than the minimum level of diesel fuel and almost the same heating value. Its carbon class differed from diesel, gasoline and kerosene and is mainly composed of naphethenes and olefins which have poor self-ignition quality. A single cylinder direct injection diesel engine was used for the test to show the compatibility of the pyrolysis oil to diesel fuel. The pyrolysis oil was blended with diesel fuel with different mixing ratios. The full load performance, the exhaust emission and the thermal efficiency were investigated from the view point of the compatibility to diesel based on the US EPA regulation mode.

Background/Objectives: The composition of palm oil fronds that has a potential to produce bio oil is examined and the bio oil yields produced from pyrolysis process is optimized in Response Surface Method (RSM). The chemical components found in bio oil are identified. Methods/Statistical Analysis: Lignocellulosic biomass like palm oil fronds contains 28.36% cellulose, 19.89% hemicellulose and 22.83% lignin. The high percentage of cellulose in this biomass will give higher fraction of bio oil produced. Parameters that have been investigated in this research for the optimization are reaction temperature, reaction time and flow rate of nitrogen gas. Pyrolysis process was done in the fixed bed reactor with Central Composite Design (CCD) in RSM was used for optimization of process parameters. Findings: The optimal conditions was found at reaction temperature of 500°C, reaction time of 60 min and flow rate of nitrogen gas for 2 l/min which produced highest amount of bio oil for 19.68% g of bio oil/g of biomass feed. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis was done and shows the presence of functional group of phenol, alcohol, carboxylic acid, ketones, quinones, aldehydes, alkenes, alkanes and aromatic groups in the bio oil. Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis shows that 26 chemical components present in the bio oil. Application/Improvements: Demands for fossil fuel as a source of energy is increasing every year since industry's revolution era. With this scenario, many countries in the world started to find any possible alternative source of energy to ensure the sufficient of energy supply. Bio oil is the best alternatives to replace the source of energy supply in transportation sector.

When improperly disposed of, plastic waste endangers the environment and living organisms, including humans. Converting plastic waste into high-value fuels stands as an efficient solution. The present review critically analyzes the current status of literature concerning liquid fuel production from plastic waste by pyrolysis, characterization of plastic waste pyrolysis oil, and its utilization in internal combustion engines. The suitability of plastic waste pyrolysis oils for internal combustion engines is assessed based on their molecular composition and properties, an aspect that has been largely neglected in the existing review articles in this thematic area. The current review also summarized the influence of pyrolysis process parameters and catalysts on the plastic pyrolysis oil yield and composition. Also, various methods are proposed to improve the quality of plastic pyrolysis oil. This review examines the impact of neat plastic pyrolysis oil on combustion, performance, and emissions in unmodified diesel engines and presents strategies for its effective utilization. Also, the challenges associated with using plastic waste pyrolysis oil in engines and the approaches to overcome those challenges are presented. The review concludes by providing an outlook on unsolved problems for the commercial use and consumer acceptability of plastic pyrolysis oil for diesel engine applications.

Plastics are cheap, lightweight, and durable and can be easily molded into many different products, shapes, and sizes, hence their wide applications globally, leading to increased production and use. Plastic consumption and production have been growing since its first production in the 1950s. About 4% of global oil and gas production is being used as feedstock for plastics, and 3–4% is used to provide energy for their manufacture. Plastics have a wide range of applications because they are versatile and relatively cheap. This study presents an in-depth analysis of plastic solid waste (PSW). Plastic wastes can be technically used for oil production because the calorific value of the plastics is quite comparable to that of oil, making this option an attractive alternative. Oil can be produced from plastic wastes via thermal degradation and catalytic degradation, while gasification can be used to produce syngas. Plastic pyrolysis can be used to address the twin problem of plastic waste disposal and depletion of fossil fuel reserves. The demand for plastics has continued to rise since their first production in the 1950s due to their multipurpose, lightness, inexpensiveness, and durable nature. There are four main avenues available for plastic solid waste treatment, namely, reextrusion as a primary treatment, mechanical treatment as secondary measures, chemical treatment as a tertiary measure, and energy recovery as a quaternary measure. The pyrolysis oil has properties that are close to clean fuel and is, therefore, a substitute to fresh fossil fuel for power generation, transport, and other applications. The study showed that plastic wastes pyrolysis offers an alternative avenue for plastic waste disposal and an alternative source of fossil fuel to reduce the total demand of virgin oil. Through plastic pyrolysis, plastic wastes are thermally converted to fuel by degrading long-chain polymers into small complex molecules in the absence of oxygen, making it a technically and economically feasible process for waste plastic recycling. The process is advantageous because presorting is not required, and the plastic waste can be directly fed without pretreatment prior to the process. Products of plastic pyrolysis are pyrolysis oil, a hydrocarbon-rich gas, with a heating value of 25–45 MJ/kg, which makes it ideal for process energy recovery. Hence, the pyrolysis gas can be fed back to the process to extract the energy for the process-heating purpose, which substantially reduces the reliance on external heating sources.

Pyrolysis process in a fixed bed reactor was performed to derive pyrolytic oil from groundnut shell. Experiments were conducted with different operating parameters to establish optimum conditions with respect to maximum pyrolytic oil yield. Pyrolysis process was carried out without catalyst (thermal pyrolysis) and with catalyst (catalytic pyrolysis). The Kaolin is used as a catalyst for this study. The maximum pyrolytic oil yield (39%wt) was obtained at 450°C temperature for 1.18- 2.36 mm of particle size and heating rate of 60°C/min. The properties of pyrolytic oil obtained by thermal and catalytic pyrolysis were characterized through Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques to identify the functional groups and chemical components present in the pyrolytic oil. The study found that catalytic pyrolysis produce more pyrolytic oil yield and improve the pH value, viscosity and calorific value of the pyrolytic oil as compared to thermal pyrolysis.

In an attempt to produce fuel from plastic waste, a cylindrical fixed-bed pyrolysis reactor with a capacity of 0.01053 m3 was designed and fabricated. The pyrolytic fuel produced serves as a substitute to fossil fuel. A thermal degradation process, known as fixed-bed pyrolysis, was employed to obtain the pyrolytic fuel from the plastic waste. The operating pressure and the design pressure of the pyrolysis reactor are 25.16 MPa and 28.93 MPa, respectively. The performance testing of the reactor shows that the pyrolytic fuel has higher calorific value, flash point, cetane rating, and density of 39.5 MJ kg−1, 72.5 °C, 40.5, and 804.0 kg m−3, respectively. The corresponding values for the fossil fuel (diesel) are 44.8 MJ kg−1, 68.0 °C, 48.0, and 820.0 kg m−3, respectively. It was confirmed through the performance testing that the reactor was properly designed and can, therefore, be reliably used to produce pyrolytic fuel, which can be made use of as a good alternative to fossil fuel.