Catalytic degradation of waste plastic into fuel range hydrocarbons

Abstract

This process involves catalytic degradation of waste plastic into fuel range hydrocarbon i.e. petrol, diesel and kerosene etc. A catalytic cracking process in which waste plastic were melted and cracked in the absence of oxygen and at very high temperature, the resulting gases were cooled by condensation and resulting crude oil was recovered. From this crude oil various products petrol, diesel and kerosene etc. can be obtained by distillation. This process mainly consists of four units (1) reacting vessel or reaction chamber (2) condensation unit (3) receiving unit (4) distillation unit. More specifically the degradation of waste plastic except polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) over two commercial grade cracking catalysts, containing 20% and 40% ultra stable Y zeolite, respectively, was studied in a semi-batch reactor. Also the effect of polymer catalyst ratio was studied on the formation of liquid hydrocarbons. The best results were obtained when polymer catalyst ratio was 4:1 and after this ratio the liquid yield decreases. Furthermore alternate method for disposal of waste plastic is also studied. And the results of this process are found to be better than other alternate methods which are used for the disposal of waste plastic.