Yield Of Liquid Fraction Research Articles

Identification of suitable catalyst among HZSM-5, HY and γ-Al2O3 to obtain upgraded pyrolysis oil with augmented liquid oil yield

This study examines catalytic ability of various zeolite materials in converting discarded tire pyrolyzed oil by employing a moderate sized pyrolysis plant of a 10 L working volume. The study revealed that the yield of liquid fractions using γ-Al2O3 was greater than that of HZSM-5 and HY, while the yield of condensates were limited in the absence of catalyst. The tire waste pyrolysis oil catalytcially enhanced by alumina catalyst analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy exhibited the stretching bands corresponding to aromatic and non-aromatic compounds. The GC MS analysis revealed that the cyclic unsaturated fragment percentages in liquids were decreased by the catalysts to 53.9% with HY, 59.0% with γ-Al2O3, and 62.2% with HZSM-5, which in turn was converted into aromatic chemicals. Nitrogen adsorption desorption analysis revealed that γ-Al2O3 has an enhanced surface area of 635 m2/g which improved its catalytic performance. The cracked liquid oil had viscosity (10.36 cSt), values of pour and flash temperatures of −2.2 °C and 41 °C respectively, analogous to petroleum diesel. The upgraded pyrolysis oil (10%) is blended with gasoline (90%), and emission analysis was performed. Moreover, liquid oil needs post treatment (refining) for its use as energy source in transportation application. The novelty of this research is in its comparative analysis of multiple catalysts under controlled conditions using a small pilot-scale pyrolysis reactor, which provides insights into optimizing the pyrolysis process for industrial applications.

Co‐Pyrolysis of a Binary Blend of Solid Biowastes in a Fixed‐Bed Reactor for Bio‐Oil and Carbon Adsorbent Production

AbstractThe essential objective of this work was to co‐pyrolyze a binary mixture of date and cherry seeds in a fixed‐bed reactor. The experimental variables influencing the output of products, such as the pyrolysis temperature, pyrolysis duration, particle size, and heating rate, were optimized. The maximum liquid fraction yield (55.55 % with a bio‐oil yield of 29.70 %) was attained at 500 °C for 60 min at a heating rate of 40 °C min−1 and a particle size of 0.25 mm. The Fourier transform infrared and gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry results revealed that the bio‐oil was predominantly composed of oxygenated hydrocarbons, primarily higher acids (52.05 %), esters (23.67 %), and phenols (13 %). Biochar was converted into activated carbon, which possessed a Brunaer‐Emmett‐Teller surface area of 1055.55 m2g−1. The amorphous structure of this carbon was confirmed by field emission‐scanning electron microscopy and X‐ray diffraction measurements.

Towards integrated sustainable biofuel and chemical production: An application of banana pseudostem ash in the production of biodiesel and recovery of lignin from bamboo leaves

This study investigated an integrated approach to the biowaste transformation and valorization of byproducts. Biochar obtained from the banana pseudostem was calcined to synthesize a heterogeneous catalyst and sustainably prepare a highly alkaline solution. The ash was utilized directly as a heterogeneous catalyst in biodiesel production from waste cooking oil. At the same time, an alkaline solution prepared from the ash was used for delignification and recovery of lignin from bamboo leaves by the hydrothermal reaction. Techniques like Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) were applied to characterized the catalyst. The alkaline solution was analyzed with Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). The Response surface methodology (RSM) technique was considered for the optimization of different parameters in the transesterification and hydrothermal reaction. Under the optimized condition, waste cooking oil (WCO) to Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) conversion was 97.56 ± 0.11%, and lignin recovery was 43.20 ± 0.45%. While at the best operating pyrolysis temperature, the liquid fraction yield from the banana pseudostem (500 °C) was 38.10 ± 0.31 wt%. This integrated study approach encourages the inexpensive, sustainable, and environment-friendly pathway for synthesizing catalysts and preparing a highly alkaline solution for the valorization of biowaste into biofuel and biochemicals.

The production of bio-based fuels and carbon catalysts from chicken waste

From an environmental and economic perspective, converting harmful waste materials into value-added products is very important. This work explores using an equal mixture of chicken waste (CW) and chicken bones (CBs) as a raw material for creating more valuable products. The CW (chicken skin and fat) were de-fatted, and their solid residue leftover was blended with CBs and utilized as a pyrolysis feedstock to create bio-oil (BO) and bio-char (BC). The waste blend was thermally pyrolyzed over a range of temperatures (400–600 °C) and periods (30–150 min) numerous range of heating rates (5–20 °C/min). The highest yield of liquid fractions (61.60%) was achieved at 500 °C for 120 min at a 10 °C/min rate of heating. The BO content of the liquid fraction amounted to 25.225%. According to the FTIR outcomes, the produced BO is a complex mixture of many organic compounds, including carboxylic acids, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and hydrocarbons (alkanes, alkenes, cyclic compounds, etc.). The fuel characteristics of the synthetic BO were similar to those reported for numerous samples of BO in the literature. It also offered its suitability as a synthetic fuel for engines and a probable source of chemical feedstock. The BC leftover after the pyrolysis of the waste mixture was exploited as catalyst support. It was impregnated with different ratios (10–50%) of KOH. The typical sample (40K/BC) was identified by SABET, FE-SEM, EDX, XRD, and FTIR spectroscopy. The efficiency and performance of the 40K/BC catalyst for transesterification of a blend of chicken fat and waste cooking oil to biodiesel (BD) were explored under diverse operating conditions. The highest BD yield (94.88%) was obtained in 90 min at 60 °C reaction temperature using a 4.0 wt% 40K/BC catalyst and 9:1methanol: lipid blend molar ratio. Additionally, the developed catalyst (40K/BC) demonstrated sustained activity after five cycles of recycling and reusing with a BD yield of >84.0%. The BD characteristics met the requirements of ASTM D6751 and EN 14,214. The ester content in the BD amounted to 96.36% based on 1HNMR analysis.

Optimisation of process parameters using response surface methodology to improve the liquid fraction yield from pyrolysis of water hyacinth.

The water hyacinth has been identified as a persistent threat to the pillars of sustainability, resulting in an increased demand for cost-effective mitigation measures. Existing control measures such as chemical and mechanical methods have proved ineffective and expensive, although their use in a biorefinery is deemed sustainable. The study focused on using the response surface methodology of Design-Expert to optimise process parameters, emphasising temperature and particle size, to improve the liquid fraction yield from the pyrolysis of water hyacinths. The experiment was conducted in the temperature range of 273.22 and 676.78°C, with a particle size range of 380 and 2620µm, and subjected to a heating rate of 30°C/min and a nitrogen flow rate of 25l/min. The results suggest that an increase in temperature and particle size led to a rise in the liquid fraction and a decrease in char. The liquid fraction increased from 24.36 wt.% at 273.22°C to 48.45 wt.% at 575°C and reduced to 25.56 wt.% at 626.78°C. Char decreased from 58.21 to 33.84 wt.% at 626.78°C. Given this, the quadratic model was found fit for optimisation. Statistical analysis of variance showed good agreement between actual data and the predicted model. This study argues that the valorisation of water hyacinths, if accompanied by policies and strategies, can trigger comprehensive socio-economic and environmental benefits by implementing optimum conditions to generate an improved liquid fraction that tends to influence its commercialisation. It is envisaged that the study's findings will inform policy discussions and formulation.

CATALYTIC PYROLYSIS OF POLYPROPYLENE PLASTIC FROM MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES INTO GASOLINE FRACTION COMPOUNDS USING THE MIXED NICKEL (Ni) AND CHROME (Cr) METALS AS THE CATALYST

Plastic wastes which come from municipal solid wastes, have been identi􀂿 ed as the worldwideenvironmental problem in the last decades. Chemical recycling is one of the alternative methods to solvesuch problem. Inorder to obtai appropriate liquid fuels, polypropylene plastic waste was degraded thermallyand catalytically in the presence of natural zeolite incorporated with chromium (Cr) and nickel (Ni) metals.The reaction was conducted in a 􀂿 xed bed reactor in the temperature range of 400-500°C. The dependenciesof process temperature and effect of catalyst on yield of the fuel fractions were determined and comparedto commercial gasoline fractions. The current study shows that the major product of thermal degradation(pyrolysis) and catalytic degradation is liquid (gasoline) fraction and the highest products obtained attemperature 450°C is approximately 77.84%. The use of chromium and nickel metals on activated naturalzeolite as a bi-functional catalyst enhance the yield of liquid fractions and the acidity of the catalysts. The liquid product obtained in this process was analyzed using GC for its composition. Synthesized catalysts, activated natural zeolite and natural zeolite were characterized by means of nitrogen physisorption (BET), porosity, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and acidity. Based on the obtained results, the catalyst containing 6% of chromium and 4% of nickel on activated natural zeolite is a good catalyst for conversion of polypropylene plastic wastes to liquid (gasoline) fuels. Catalytic conversion using such catalysts may applicable as an alternative method for recycling plastic wastes to more valuable commodities such as fuel oils.

Characterization of liquid fraction obtained from pyrolysis of post-consumer mixed plastic waste: A comparing between measured and calculated parameters

In this study, thermal pyrolysis of a real mixture of plastic wastes collected from municipal solid waste of Granada (Spain) was performed to obtain a liquid oil. The goals of the present study were: 1) identify the optimal conditions to obtain maximum yields of the liquid fraction, 2) experimentally measure basic characteristic parameters of pyrolytic oils, 3) use correlations or equations used in the hydrocarbon industry to estimate the measured properties, 4) make a comparison between the measured and calculated properties by predictive mathematical expressions, 5) develop new correlations for estimating pyrolytic oil properties. As main results, the optimal temperature to obtain maximum yield of liquid fraction was 500 °C. The physical and chemical properties of pyrolytic oils changed as temperature increased due to the presence of hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions. Also, the approximation of the chromatography data allowed to determine, by simulated distillation, the potential fuel yields that will be obtained if processed as synthetic crude in an atmospheric tower and a vacuum tower. Finally, two novel modified equations were proposed to estimate the specific gravity and refractive index parameter for pyrolytic oils.

Oil Recovery from Dry Grind Ethanol Plant Coproducts Using Ethanol

Corn ethanol bio-refineries are seeking economic processing strategies for recovering oil from their coproducts. The addition of ethanol can be an efficient method to recover the oil from the coproducts as the industry has available ethanol. This study considered the effects of ethanol on oil recovery from distillers’ dried grains with solubles (DDGS) and oil partitioning from whole stillage (WS) on a laboratory scale. Ethanol was added with original and heavier fraction DDGS in different temperatures (room temperature ~20 °C, 30 °C, 40 °C, and 50 °C) and solids loadings (20%, 30%, and 40%), and their effects on oil recovery were evaluated. The whole stillage was incubated with ethanol at room temperature (~20 °C) and 50 °C separately to analyze WS’s oil distribution in the liquid and solid phases. The amount of recovered oil from the original and heavier fractions of DDGS varies from 25–45% and 45–70%, respectively, with an increment of temperature. Increasing solids loadings up to 30% had no effect on oil recovery from either DDGS sample. Ethanol treatment in WS resulted in 8–10% higher wet yield of liquid fraction and 17–20% of oil increase in liquid fraction than the control treatment. It is also notable that temperature positively impacted oil partitioning from WS. The results showed that ethanol could improve oil recovery from DDGS and oil partition in WS by varying different process conditions. This outcome is beneficial to ethanol plants to increase corn oil yield using their existing setup and in-situ product.

Catalytic co-pyrolysis of oil sludge with HDPE to obtain paraffinic products over HUSY zeolites prepared by dealumination and desilication

Oil sludge is a waste from the oil industry with a complex composition and its treatment is still a challenge. In addition, polyolefin waste is becoming a problem due to its accumulation and slow degradation. In this study, catalytic co-pyrolysis was used to treat oil sludge and high density polyethylene (HDPE) at 450 °C and at an atmospheric pressure for 15 min to generate paraffin-rich oily products. Y zeolites were obtained by dealumination and desilication processes which were characterized by XRD, N2 adsorption, FTIR, 29Si and 27Al NMR, TG and NH3 TPD. Pristine and modified zeolites were evaluated in the co-pyrolysis in order to assess their performances through the quality of the obtained pyrolytic oil (GC–MS and SimDis). The modificated zeolites presented higher mesoporosity than the original solid as so lower total acidity. Amidst the tested catalysts, Mod-Si-10 and Mod-Al presented the best performances showing high yield of liquid fraction, rich in parafinic light hydrocarbons, probably due to their moderate acidity and improved mesoporosity. Consequently, these two zeolites presented outstanding catalytic characteristics alongside high selectivity to paraffinic hydrocarbons in the diesel fraction from co-pyrolisis of the oil sludge waste with HDPE.

Co-pyrolysis and synergistic effect analysis of biomass sawdust and polystyrene mixtures for production of high-quality bio-oils

Usage of traditional biomass raises serious concerns regarding its sustainability due to the inefficient combustion in household stoves and potential over-usage if the intention is to replace fossil fuels in power plants. Co-pyrolysis of biomass feedstock with different waste materials, especially plastics, might be a promising alternative for sustainable usage of enhanced biofuels. Even more, co-pyrolysis can help to integrate waste management schemes into the power production sector. Plastics materials have properties similar to those of fossil fuels in terms of heating value and the absence of oxygenated compounds; therefore, they could significantly improve the properties of biomass products, especially bio-oils. Especially interesting for this method is polystyrene (PS) since it yields a high share of liquid fraction, which is the most valuable pyrolytic product. In this work, co-pyrolysis was performed for a mixture of waste biomass sawdust (oak, poplar and fir wood) and waste polystyrene from dairy product packaging. Pyrolysis was carried out for sawdust and polystyrene alone, and their respective fuel blends (PS/SD 25−75%, PS/SD 50−50%, PS/SD 75−25%) from room temperature to 600°C with a retention time of half an hour. The highest yield of liquid fraction was noticed for mixtures with 75 % of PS, while the lowest one was for blends with 25 % of PS, with a yield of 83.86 % and 62.33 %, respectively. Additionally, the mass spectrometric analysis was carried out to determine the chemical composition of the obtained oil.

A lab scale waste to energy conversion study for pyrolysis of plastic with and without catalyst: Engine emissions testing study

Plastics in many forms have been regarded as one of the most polluting material in the modern world. Therefore, a study has been conducted to check the effectiveness of catalyst-fly ash and zeolite on the production of biofuel from plastics as an attempt to contribute in the reduction of plastic waste pollution to the environment. A lab scale plastic pyrolysis plant has been constructed and feed particle size of 3 ± 1.5 cm2 were used as raw materials. The samples were tested in the pyrolysis plant at about 500 ± 30 °C with and without the presence of catalyst. The catalyst loading ratio of 1:10 catalyst to feed is applied. The result shows that plastic pyrolysis (bottle) without any catalysts have the highest liquid fraction yield with an average yield of 24% while those with catalyst has lower yield (16–22%). Carry bags with zeolite catalyst yield liquid fraction of 22% at a conversion rate of 47%. The inclusion of catalyst has lowered the yield but has produce oil yield of superior quality compared with the samples without catalyst. Engine characteristics study showed that blend fuel D80PO20 (80:20 diesel: plastic pyrolytic oil) have shown similar cylinder pressure during combustion with diesel. Higher brake thermal efficiency and lower brake specific energy consumption were also observed from the engine testing using the blend fuel. The blend fuel has lower hydrocarbon emissions while oxides of nitrogen reduces by 19% and 26% compared to pure diesel and PPO respectively.

Clariant's new ReforMax 330 LDP Plus catalyst increases significantly energy and production efficiency at OCI's ammonia plant

Plastics in many forms have been regarded as one of the most polluting material in the modern world. Therefore, a study has been conducted to check the effectiveness of catalyst-fly ash and zeolite on the production of biofuel from plastics as an attempt to contribute in the reduction of plastic waste pollution to the environment. A lab scale plastic pyrolysis plant has been constructed and feed particle size of 3 ± 1.5 cm2 were used as raw materials. The samples were tested in the pyrolysis plant at about 500 ± 30 °C with and without the presence of catalyst. The catalyst loading ratio of 1:10 catalyst to feed is applied. The result shows that plastic pyrolysis (bottle) without any catalysts have the highest liquid fraction yield with an average yield of 24% while those with catalyst has lower yield (16–22%). Carry bags with zeolite catalyst yield liquid fraction of 22% at a conversion rate of 47%. The inclusion of catalyst has lowered the yield but has produce oil yield of superior quality compared with the samples without catalyst. Engine characteristics study showed that blend fuel D80PO20 (80:20 diesel: plastic pyrolytic oil) have shown similar cylinder pressure during combustion with diesel. Higher brake thermal efficiency and lower brake specific energy consumption were also observed from the engine testing using the blend fuel. The blend fuel has lower hydrocarbon emissions while oxides of nitrogen reduces by 19% and 26% compared to pure diesel and PPO respectively.

Used Lubricating Oil Processing for Energy Recovery. I. Applied pyrolysis

Applied pyrolysis is used in this work as a treatment technique for hydrocarbon fraction recovery of used lubricating oils (ULO) with the aim of its further energetic valorisation. Applied pyrolysis bring also the advantage of a better management of metallic compounds that will be concentrated in the solid residue. In this work, technical parameters have been evaluated to establish their influence on the process evolution with the aim of identifying the adequate parameters for obtaining the maximum liquid fraction. It was found that, for an equilibrated energy balance, the final pyrolysis temperature should not exceed 460�C and the main parameter that affect the pyrolysis oil yield and its physical-chemical properties is the heating rate in the thermal range of decomposition. Activated Zeolites (HZSM-5 type) and Na2CO3 were used as catalysts. The catalysed pyrolysis tests were performed using direct contact between ULO and catalyst, the materials being mixed before processing. Experimental results showed that in non-catalysed pyrolysis an increasing heating rate is slightly reducing the yield of liquid fraction. On the other hand, by using catalysts, the liquid fraction is decreasing. Thus, the highest liquid ratio (81 wt.%) was obtained when the Na2CO3 is used and the process is run under a heating rate of 3-5�C/min. But then, the zeolite HZSM-5 is leading to the highest overall conversion, 95 wt.% at 15-17�C/min, and is positively influence the formation of gas fractions.

Used Lubricating Oil Processing for Energy Recovery. I. Applied pyrolysis

Applied pyrolysis is used in this work as a treatment technique for hydrocarbon fraction recovery of used lubricating oils (ULO) with the aim of its further energetic valorisation. Applied pyrolysis bring also the advantage of a better management of metallic compounds that will be concentrated in the solid residue. In this work, technical parameters have been evaluated to establish their influence on the process evolution with the aim of identifying the adequate parameters for obtaining the maximum liquid fraction. It was found that, for an equilibrated energy balance, the final pyrolysis temperature should not exceed 460°C and the main parameter that affect the pyrolysis oil yield and its physical-chemical properties is the heating rate in the thermal range of decomposition. Activated Zeolites (HZSM-5 type) and Na2CO3 were used as catalysts. The catalysed pyrolysis tests were performed using direct contact between ULO and catalyst, the materials being mixed before processing. Experimental results showed that in non-catalysed pyrolysis an increasing heating rate is slightly reducing the yield of liquid fraction. On the other hand, by using catalysts, the liquid fraction is decreasing. Thus, the highest liquid ratio (81 wt.%) was obtained when the Na2CO3 is used and the process is run under a heating rate of 3-5°C/min. But then, the zeolite HZSM-5 is leading to the highest overall conversion, 95 wt.% at 15-17°C/min, and is positively influence the formation of gas fractions. Keywords: Used lubricating oil, pyrolysis, environment, energy

Effect of the temperature on the spent coffee grounds torrefaction process in a continuous pilot-scale reactor

Several studies in Literature have analyzed the torrefaction treatment process of biomass in batch reactors. Nevertheless, in order to check the industrial applicability of a process, it is more interesting to carry out torrefaction tests in continuous pilot plant reactors. Thus, the present study reports the results of continuous semi-industrial scale (500 kg/h) torrefaction experiments employing spent coffee grounds (SCG) as a feedstock in a horizontal rotary reactor. Torrefaction tests were carried out at three different temperatures (210 °C, 235 °C, and 260 °C) for 90 min, in order to evaluate the yields of solid, liquid (water and tar) and gaseous products and their composition. In particular, the effectiveness of the decarbonization and deoxygenation processes was investigated, analyzing the carbon and oxygen distribution. Within the temperature range, torrefaction yielded solid of 55.2–85.8 wt% with an increase of the higher heating value (HHV) of 5.1–15.4% compared to the raw material. Liquid fraction yield was in the range of 11.3–34.3 wt%, with a moisture content of 73.7–91.9% and HHV between 18.8 and 23.4 MJ/kg on dry basis. Gas fraction represented 2.9–10.5 wt% of the raw biomass withHHVbetween 1.95 and 3.55 MJ/Nm3. Acids (mainly acetic acid) were the major compounds in the tar fraction, accounted up to 68 wt%, while CO2 was the main product of the deoxygenation reactions in the gaseous fraction (76.6–86.9 vol%). From the perspective of mass yield and energy density enhancement, 260 °C was considered to be the optimal temperature for torrefaction of SCG.

Preparation of bio-oil derived from catalytic upgrading of biomass vacuum pyrolysis vapor over metal-loaded HZSM-5 zeolites

The Fe-, Co-, Cu-loaded HZSM-5 zeolites were prepared via impregnation method. The upgrading by catalyst on biomass pyrolysis vapors was conducted over modified zeolites to investigate their catalytic upgrading performance and anti-coking performance. The Brønsted acid sites amount on Cu-,Co-loaded HZSM-5 decreased sharply, while that of Lewis both increased. The yield of liquid fraction and refined bio-oil over metal loaded ZSM-5 catalysts decreased, while that of char almost kept constant. The physical property of refined bio-oil was promoted in terms of pH value, dynamic viscosity and higher heating value (HHV). FT-IR analysis revealed that the chemical structure of refined bio-oil obtained over Fe-, Co-, Cu-loaded HZSM-5 zeolites was highly similar. The yield of monocyclic aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbon over Fe-,Co-loaded HZSM-5 were boosted by around 2.5 times compared with original ZSM-5 zeolites. Data analysis revealed that Cu/HZSM-5 presented the worst deoxygenation ability. The anti-coking capability of Fe/HZSM-5 was obviously better, i.e., the coke content showed an approximate decrease of 38%. Thus, this study provided an efficient Fe/HZSM-5 catalysts for preparation of bio-oil derived from catalytic upgrading of biomass pyrolysis vapor.

Using Separate Kinetic Models to Predict Liquid, Gas, and Coke Yields in Heavy Oil Hydrocracking

A kinetic model based on distillation curves for predicting the liquid fractions composition (residue, vacuum gas oil, middle distillates, and naphtha) in heavy crude oil hydrocracking was developed, whereby the yield of each liquid fraction can be calculated. The experiments were carried out in a 1.8 L batch reactor at reaction temperature of 360–400 °C, hydrogen pressure of 3.9 MPa, and reaction times of 2–5 h, using a heavy crude oil as feed and mineral catalyst. This kinetic model was combined with another one based on SARA, gas, and coke composition, and with both models the yield of the different liquid fractions, gas, and coke can be predicted with good accuracy. Based on the values of the reaction rate coefficients, it was determined that some reaction pathways do not occur at low temperature. The average absolute error between experimental and calculated composition was lower than 3.3% indicating the high accuracy of the proposed kinetic model.

Optimization of the pyrolysis process of a plastic waste to obtain a liquid fuel using different mathematical models

This study examines the possibility of using plastic film waste presented in municipal solid waste as a fuel. There is a large amount of this waste that is currently not treated and ends up in landfills aggravating the global problem of marine and land pollution. A pyrolysis process was performed on this plastic waste to obtain a liquid fuel. For this, an experimental design was carried out, varying the operating conditions. The physical and chemical characteristics of the fuel, such as liquid fraction yield and higher calorific value, were determined and a statistical analysis has been carried out using polynomial and neural fuzzy models. In all the adjustments an r2 greater than 0.95 was obtained and the neural fuzzy model fit the experimental data better than the polynomial model. The optimum operating conditions for the production of this oil are: a temperature of 500 °C, a residence time of 120 min, and 20 °C/min of heating rate.

Reverse engineering of plastic waste into useful fuel products

This paper’s twofold aims are: to assess the potential of converting plastic waste into useful fuels in both continuous and batch pyrolysis reactors using an appropriate technology and to investigate the effect of silica-alumina catalyst on the yield and quality of pyrolytic liquid oil. The plastic waste used (HDPE, PP and PS) were obtained from Kiteezi landfill site, Kampala (Uganda). In a further step, the properties of the liquid fuel obtained from pyrolysis were also compared with commercial transportation fuel to ascertain its suitability on diesel engines.The fuel qualities were analysed using ASTM standard test methods At a degradation temperature of 450 °C, thermal pyrolysis in a batch reactor resulted in the highest yield of liquid fractions. The liquid yield of HDPE, PP and PS was found to be 80%, 82.6% and 80% by mass, respectively. In contrast, silica-alumina catalyst to feedstock ratio of 1:10 was the most effective in terms of gaseous fraction production. The gaseous fractions were: 60 wt% for the mixture, followed by HDPE (59.63 wt%), PS (59.07 wt%) and PP (49.33 wt%). A catalyst/polymer ratio of 1:10 greatly reduced the degradation temperature. The degradation temperature for HDPE, PP and PS was reduced by about 33%, 23% and 17%, respectively. The liquid oils from HDPE and PP had densities of 0.796 g/cm3 and 0.786 g/cm3; kinematic viscosities of 2.373 mm2/s and 2.115 mm2/s, dynamic viscosities of 1.889 mPas and 1.856 mPas; boiling point ranges of 119–364 °C and 148–355 °C; and cetane indices of 46 and 63, respectively. The characteristics of HDPE and PP pyrolytic sample oils are similar to conventional transportation fuel.

Effect of Ionic Liquid 1-Butyl-3-Methyl-Imidazolium Dihydrogen Phosphate Pretreatment on Pyrolysis of Lignin

In order to improve the yield of liquid fraction and phenolics content during lignin pyrolysis, an effective method of lignin pyrolysis through the pretreatment of lignin by an acidic ionic liquid 1-butyl-3- methyl-imidazolium dihydrogen phosphate ([Bmim]H2PO4) at low temperature is investigated in this study. It is found that [Bmim]H2PO4 pretreatment increases the total yield of liquid products of lignin pyrolysis compared to that of original lignin. The [Bmim]H2PO4 pretreatment temperature significantly impacts the behaviors of the lignin pyrolysis. In the temperature range of 50 to 150°C, the yield of the overall liquid product obtained by pyrolysis of the sample pretreated at 50°C is the highest. After pretreatment, the [Bmim]H2PO4 can be efficiently recovered, but the structure and stability of the [Bmim]H2PO4 have been changed. The FTIR analysis shows that the ionic liquid [Bmim]H2PO4 pretreatment can break hydrogen bonds, ether linkages and ester bonds in lignin.