Catalytic conversion of polyethylene to liquid fuel and solid wax using the (CaOH2)

ABSTRACT

The objective of the work is the catalytic conversion of waste plastics into fuel oil and solid wax using Ca(OH)2 and the design of pyrolysis reactor. Plastic wastes such as, polypropylene, low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, polystyrene are the most frequently used in everyday activities and disposed of to the environment after service. There are a number of methods by which plastic wastes can be managed such as incineration, recycling, land filling, thermal and catalytic cracking. But this work focuses on catalytic cracking of waste plastic to change them into usable resources, because in this method the emission of hazardous gases to the environment is insignificant. This means we can change all the waste in to useful resources. The results obtained from this research work shows that liquid fuel as well as solid wax can be obtain from waste polyethylene. Though we are unable to collect liquid oil, it is not that it is not possible but rather this happens as a result of some faults which we can’t control at this point because of limited time and resources. From the quantity of solid wax obtained we can deduce that as we increase the catalyst weight, the wax yield decreased this implies that more of condensable and incondensable gases are formed. In conclusion, this work will serve as starting point for further research, little adjustment in design of the reactor and incorporation of some auxiliary equipment like stream of nitrogen into the system to increase the pressure build-up will help in accomplishing the objective. 

Contents

DECLARATIONi

CERTIFICATIONii

DEDICATIONiii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTiv

ABSTRACTv

LIST OF TABLEviii

CHAPTER ONE1

1.0 Introduction1

1.1 Background information2

1.2 Problem statement5

1.3Aim and objectives5

1.3.1Aim5

1.3.2Objectives5

1.4Justification5

1.5Scope and limitation6

1.5.1Scope6

1.5.2 Limitation6

CHAPTER TWO7

LITERATURE REVIEW7

1.0SOLID WASTE7

2.1 POLYMERS8

2.1.1 CLASSIFICATION OF POLYMERS8

2.1.2 POLYETHYLENE WASTE9

2.1.3 PLASTIC WASTE10

2.2 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT12

2.3 PYROLYSIS13

2.4 POLYMERS AS FUELS22

2.5 BATCH/SEMI BATCH CATALYTIC PYROLYSIS STUDIES23

2.6 CATALYST CONTACT MODE25

2.7 PYROLYSIS REACTOR TYPES25

2.8 PYROLYSIS REACTOR DESIGN26

CHAPTER THREE30

3.0 material and methods30

3.1 materials and equipment30

3.3.0 Method33

CHAPTER FOUR36

4.0 RESULTS36

CHAPTER FIVE42

5.0 DISCUSSION OF RESULT42

CHAPTER SIX45

6.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMENDATION45

6.1 Conclusion:45

6.2 Recommendations:45

Reference47