How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[rozier56]

Dont see any reflux tower in the design? Reflux should be directly above the retort?
The condenser looks rather small !!
The temps that you are cooking at appear to be too high, you should be operating around 320*c at the retort and slightly higher at the reflux zone.
What heating space is there for the burner system?I.E. GAP BETWEEN RETORT AND THE HEATED AREA/FIREWALL?

[rozier56]

mt rozier

Merry Christmas to all. Hope your system builds work out.

[kedigen]

I protract the outlet pipe in this way? How many meters should I do?

[kedigen]

I'm not near the system. these pictures. Installation time is taken. sight glass is where I said. burner is a little big. 240-1600 kW (double tap). 300 mbar Riello brand. reactor is 4.4 cubic meters. There were 400 kg of plastic waste while testing. 350c to 40 min in the system did looking at www.eco-promservice.r site. no reflux. as you say, may be the heat? or what I can do to fix it?

[Excalibur]

Are the parts correctly marked in your photo below?

Where is the sight glass I saw in your videos?
How much burner heat is being applied in kilowatts or flame temperature? It might be that the plastic is becoming superheated.
There is no apparent reflux capability which can also cause the problem.

[kedigen]

Kedigen
You have given such little details so please post more information about your equipment. A schematic diagram with dimensions is recommended so helpers can diagnose. What is the heat supplied by? Where are temperature probes placed?
Is the machine in the pictures, the same as the one on your Youtube videos??

photos and videos are owned by my system. temperature probe is on the cover of the reactor. temperature 380-430 C is set. is made by heating natural gas burner. reactor 330 cm in height. 130cm diameter. 6mm thickness 304 chrome. around the fire brick. output of the small box is the catalyst box. We put cooked clay as catalyst. then there is a heat exchanger. Except me paraffin, liquid will be all kinds would suffice. part of surveillance is among the first storage tank with heat exchanger. video in blue and glazed.

[Excalibur]

Here is some photo`s about my machine, still not finished. But almost ready for the first run.
All feedback welcome.

You've been busy! Nice flanges.

[Excalibur]

Hello Everyone
I did this day test. I used waste plastic polyethylene. results for paraffin wax ... I used cooked clay come. but still came in paraffin. Please urgent help.

Kedigen
You have given such little details so please post more information about your equipment. A schematic diagram with dimensions is recommended so helpers can diagnose. What is the heat supplied by? Where are temperature probes placed?
Is the machine in the pictures, the same as the one on your Youtube videos??

[VAST]

Here is some photo`s about my machine, still not finished. But almost ready for the first run.

All feedback welcome.

IMG_20141221_091406.jpg IMG_20141223_185244.jpg IMG_20141223_185302.jpg IMG_20141221_155052.jpg

[kedigen]

Hello Everyone
I did this day test. I used waste plastic polyethylene. results for paraffin wax ... I used cooked clay come. but still came in paraffin. Please urgent help.
videos:
http://youtu.be/1xaq_oKcIqs
http://youtu.be/kOscVDOy96A

[Excalibur]

I lit it up from the rear window with heavily diffused LED. It was looking real good, no glare but I never got the chance to test it.

There was water in the diesel, I know because I drained it off. Higher would evap more of the water but it's a compromise. More light fractions are lost too. So, yes Col you are spot on correct, it's about maximizing the diesel make.

[Col]

moisture / water in diesel fuel

As you may have read, I'm not stripping all the heat from the condensate stream so I can maintain the diesel tank temperature, currently targeting 60°C.

Excalibur - on your blog you show a photo of the sight glasses with moisture on them. You mention you thought it was due to water in the feedstock. If you are targeting 60C in your diesel catchment tank are you confident there is no water in your resulting diesel fuel? I would have thought targeting 110-120C in this condenser would send all the water downstream to the next condenser resulting in good, dry diesel fuel. You would lose anything with a boiling point lower than or around 100C, and I think you are trying to keep some of that are you? to offset a relatively higher retort / reflux temp, allowing more heavier molecules through. More light and more heavy chains combining to your desired viscosity?

[Col]

Thanks Excalibur and Wheels.
Ex-if you lit it up with LEDs are you thinking you would light it up from the front and not need a rear window or light it up through the rear window (you would be looking directly into the LEDs). Another option would be to locate the rear window on the side instead and light it up from there.

[wheels]

Hi Excalibur
How are your borosilicate sight lenses holding up? I am about to order 4 for my plant.
Which O-rings proved best? Silicon, Viton or Nitrile. I would guess Viton?
Thanks
Col

Warning!!! DO NOT use them in the Retort!!! Just in case you are considering that Col, the Retort will be far too hot for any kind of Seal to withstand. I do not know of any material that would provide a seal against glass, that would also withstand that kind of temperature and contact with the nasties inside the Retort without melting.

[Excalibur]

Col, yes they are so good to have. All the O-rings I bought have held up at the temperatures I'm subjecting them to. As you may have read, I'm not stripping all the heat from the condensate stream so I can maintain the diesel tank temperature, currently targeting 60°C. At a guess the o-rings might see 120°C but probably less as the glass is perhaps 50mm away from the actual diesel stream. Best plan periodic cleaning as splash does dirty the glass. Recently I planned to trial external LED diffused light to illuminate the port and it was looking good but my refractory burnt out and I haven't rebuilt yet.