How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[Asad Farooqui]

CLAY catalyst

I finished my batch today using fullers earth. It came out perfectly but I cant say that it was any better than bentonite.

Hello IMBD;
I would like to know the boiling range liquid fuel range of both theClays .
I guess you will get more of the furnace oil/kerosene range fuel .

[imakebiodiesel]

I have not had time to separate the fractions in the recent test samples but I intend to do so. My feeling is that the recent fuels, processed by both my own catalyst in gas phase and clay in liquid phase, contain much more light fractions. This suits my purposes as it is easy to separate the petrol/ white spirit part and what will be left is mostly a kerosene type heating oil. My guess is the latest samples are 25% diesel, 50% kerosene and 25%petrol but proper tests will be needed to confirm this.
It is likely that the petrol/white spirit fraction will be very low octane and may need upgrading to be used as a motor fuel. I consulted a friend who is involved in motor racing and he suggested adding 10% toluene to raise the octane rating and adding Castrol Valvemaster Plus to provide lubrication and valve protection. Once I get enough petrol separated I will try this.

[Asad Farooqui]

fractions

I have not had time to separate the fractions in the recent test samples but I intend to do so. My feeling is that the recent fuels, processed by both my own catalyst in gas phase and clay in liquid phase, contain much more light fractions. This suits my purposes as it is easy to separate the petrol/ white spirit part and what will be left is mostly a kerosene type heating oil. My guess is the latest samples are 25% diesel, 50% kerosene and 25%petrol but proper tests will be needed to confirm this.
It is likely that the petrol/white spirit fraction will be very low octane and may need upgrading to be used as a motor fuel. I consulted a friend who is involved in motor racing and he suggested adding 10% toluene to raise the octane rating and adding Castrol Valvemaster Plus to provide lubrication and valve protection. Once I get enough petrol separated I will try this.

Hello IMBD;
1) Clays are known to yield more of heavier fraction than lighter gasoline type fractions.
I think so you will get liquid fractions in the following manner .

Gasoline = Upto BP-160 celcius = 10-15%
Kerosene+ Furnace OIL = BP 161-300 celcius = 70-75%
Diesel range = BP 301-350 celcius = 10-15%


2) Adding toluene & castrol Valvemaster is an interesting experiment .
I would like to share your experience about it .

[jonathan]

plastic waste

hello l find this scrubber is it good for pete and pvc plastic pyrolysis if no can someone explain why it is used . l want something to clean the toxins if it posibble because in my country theres a lot of water bottles thanks

[Beyond Biodiesel]

hello l find this scrubber is it good for pete and pvc plastic pyrolysis if no can someone explain why it is used . l want something to clean the toxins if it posibble because in my country theres a lot of water bottles thanks

The scrubber would come after the last condenser, and should work fine for removing some, if not most, of the non-condensible contaminants. However, others here are just running the outlet after the final condenser back into the flame that is used to heat the retort, which should consume any non-condensible contaminants.

[imakebiodiesel]

Jonathan, you mentioned two plastics Pete and Pvc which are not usually pyrolysed because of the toxic and acidic contaminants. A scrubber, usually filled with a strong alkali solution, will deal with acidic products to some extent but Pvc can also produce dioxins from the chlorine content and this will not be affected by the scrubber. Dioxins are not soluble in water and are potent poisons which are incredibly persistent ( in soil they take 10 -15 years to reduce their toxicity by half.) They are absorbed by oils and fats, including human fats, so be very careful if you are going to experiment with pyrolysis of pvc.

[imakebiodiesel]

Jonathan, Im not sure what part of the world you live in but in my country the price for waste PETE has recently topped 1000 euro per ton. It would make more sense to collect, bale and resell waste water bottles than to turn them into fuel.

[jonathan]

plastic

l live in europe malta we have most pete water bootles thats why l want to pyrolysis of pete can someone post a pic how can l make 100 % scrubberor filter thanks and what type fuels can l produce from pete thanks

[jonathan]

plastic waste

and pls lmakebiodisiel can u explain me what u mean alkali l can use soda or lime or what l can use and if l burn the gas after last condenser and bubbler the toxins of pete will be removes ?

[imakebiodiesel]

This is an area where none of us have much experience. The plastics that easily pyrolyse into relatively simple fuels are polythene. polypropylene. and polystyrene. I have attempted to pyrolize a mixture containing PET and it was a disaster. Only a small proportion of the plastic converted into fuel.. The fuel was black and acidic, and therefore useless and the residue was also black, sticky and very acidic. My mild steel retort was damaged, as was my condenser. If I had used a scrubber containing a strong solution of sodium hydroxide I might have been able to reduce the acidity of the uncondensable gases but that would not have helped the quality of the fuel.
My advice, for what its worth, is to gain experience with the three plastics PE, PP and PS that pyrolize easily before trying to tackle the two more difficult and dangerous plastics PETE and PVC.

[thissideup]

a quick link to identifying plastics.
http://www.raincoasteducation.org/pd...er.pdf?ID=1021

[jonathan]

plastic waste

thanks to everyone specialy for imakebiodisiel ok my friend l work on that kind of plastics if someone can help me what tempreture is better for gasoline distillation and can someone try to heat with the same gas of plastics thanks to all

[Audro]

Dear Jonathan , I don‘t understand ,why you want to pirolise PET. It is very complicate process ,because you must eliminate Chlor from PET. But if you have large amount of used PET ,you can sell it (in the Europe, used , not sorted PET price is about 450 EUR/t)

[jonathan]

plastic waste

thanks my friend l ask for pete pyrolysis because if l want l collect large amount but for now l am going to forget it l am going to use pp ps pe only for now. l wish to know if l burn the gas after the bubbler there is enough gas to keep the burn light constant . and do you know what tempreture is better to condensate gasoline

[Beyond Biodiesel]

and do you know what tempreture is better to condensate gasoline

Gasoline is a range of hydrocarbons from roughly 32f to 165f (0-73C). So, quenching with water will get lots of it, but adding an ice bath to your condensing stream is best to get all of it. Here are pics of my condenser stream.
Insulated ice bath

Ice bath before insulation was added

three water condensers