How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[fox32]

Greetings Syed772

It looks to me that you have skiped a major part of this thread, everyone is willing to help here, but before anyone can givu you their help you must prove that you have done your homework and know what are you doing.

For this you must read the entire thread (at least firt 80-100 pages) then you will know why your design isn't going to work proper.

There are lots of pictures of designs around the forum, you just need to spare some 2-3 hours and read the thread. After that, you'l know pretty much ewerything you could learn from reading.

Good luck with your work, and stay safe!

- Wood and charcoal are not reliable sources of power since it is hard to control the temperature with wood and charcoal. Better use GPL, oil/diesel burner etc.

- The reflux must be placed on top of the retort. (read the forum).
- You could use catalyst between retort and condenser. (again, read the forum).
- You can use the gas to heat the retort, but not as a primary heater.

- The ash and dust as far as i know remain in the reactor.


Let us know how the feeder is going for you, i find it to be a tricky business.

[syed722]

How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

Thanks for all

I want to install 1000 lts/day plant.

I need Help, Can anyone give me drawing of the plant along with dimensions.

turnplasticwasteintodieselfuel11_zpscea091cb.jpg Photo by syed722 | Photobucket

[syed722]

Thanks, syed722, for posting your drawing of your pyrolysis unit. Here are my comments:
1) You do not show any insulation on the reactor. I find 4" (10cm) of good quality insulation is needed around the reactor for efficiency.
2) The pipe between the temperature gauge and the safety relief valve looks like it is open, there seems to be no use for it.
3) There is something on the other side of the safety relief valve that looks like a 12" flanged port for loading and/or clean-out of the retort, but it is not labeled.
4) The "feeder" just looks like a non-valved funnel. It suggests a screw feeder for continuous operation.
5) Your heat source on the bottom is not defined. Do you plan to heat with electricity, gas, oil or solid fuels?
6) Where is your reflux?
7) While I like cyclones, I am not sure what the point is of your cyclone, nor the piping that comes and goes from-to it.
8) I was trying to understand your "hot gas to retort" pipe was about, but now I get that it is your flu burner, it would be best to run that from the bubbler or reservoir.
9) Why would you want a bypass to go straight to your bubbler?
10) Dumping all of your condensate into your bubbler is a primitive way of collecting your condensate. You may want to build in a fractionation system so that you can collect and separate valuable fractions, like: motor oil, hydraulic oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, gasoline (petrol), and keep all of that mess out of the water, so that you do not end up with an unusable emulsified mess at the end.

Thank You,

For giving suggestions

1) I will insulate reactor with 4” insulation
2) Ok I will remove that pipe.
3) Clean-out should be at top or bottom? Can I fix loader at top and Clean-out At Bottom.?
4) I will change Feeder to Screw Feeder.
5) I want to heat source with wood and charcoal.
Can I used gas which is coming from Bubbler to heat Source is it possible (to reduce wood and charcoal)?
6) I will fix Reflux in between Condensate and Bubbler.
7) I want to use Cyclone to collect ash and dust. And with the help of pipe I will remove ASH and DUST.
8) I want to used Synthetic Gas which coming out from Bubbler to heat up Reactor.
9) In some web I have seen that there is no Condensation process so, I bypass it straight to bubbler.
10) Ok

[curlyrocks]

curlyrocks, I did a little research on the Toxic byproducts of the pyrolysis of Brominated plastics.

Conclusion:
Since Bromine is hyrdophobic, then the bubbler will not remove it from the vapor stream of a pyrolysis unit that is processing brominated plastics; however, since it is a lipophile, then it will go readily into solution with the hydrocarbon vapor stream and precipitate out in the condensates. Nonetheless, since Bromine compounds tend to suppress fire, then its presence in the condensates is likely to reduce its value as a fuel.

Thx for the info. It has helped tremendously in deciding what I need to do. I am no longer planning on condensing the gas for liquid use at a latter time but am now more interested in using the gas directly to power a generator, which will provide heat to my system and later my home.

Seeing the info about how it was used as an anti-knocking agent in engines was very interesting. What I'm thinking right now is that I can put PCB's (Printed Circuit boards, not the chemical PCB's) into a reactor with other cleaner sources of plastic like old bottles will dilute the amount of bromine but it will still be present which may help reduce engine knocking. As much as a fire retardant may lower the overall energy value of a fuel, the ability to let the fuel burn slower is very good for internal combustion engines.

Also I'm thinking that any lead left on the PCB's from soder may also bind with the bromine which again will reduce engine knocking.

But the thing is that the Bromine is not good for the environment. There probably won't be anything too poisonous made from it, at least not in any major amounts, but it is a major cause of the depleting O3 layer.

[Beyond Biodiesel]

I was wondering what will happen or what should I do regarding Brominated flame retardant found in most computer plastics. Will it be an issue or what kind of damage can it cause the environment. I am already taking precautions regarding mercury and other dangerous chemicals and am seperating them out before this stage but I was wondering what to do about the flame retardants found in the plastic.

curlyrocks, I did a little research on the Toxic byproducts of the pyrolysis of Brominated plastics.

Conclusion:
Since Bromine is hyrdophobic, then the bubbler will not remove it from the vapor stream of a pyrolysis unit that is processing brominated plastics; however, since it is a lipophile, then it will go readily into solution with the hydrocarbon vapor stream and precipitate out in the condensates. Nonetheless, since Bromine compounds tend to suppress fire, then its presence in the condensates is likely to reduce its value as a fuel.

[Excalibur]

turnplasticwasteintodieselfuel_zps8505cd1b.jpg Photo by syed722 | Photobucket

Hello All

I have design one Plant.

Can anyone help me in finalizing the design?

I'm guessing that the design is fired by retort gases and the vertical pipe above the reactor is the flue stack. The sheer volume of heat required would make the flue necessary to duct away spent gases.

The level of feed hopper suggests that the reactor level will be somewhat below half so I thought the upper part might work as the reflux.

Condensers need to handle removing the heat from the vapor stream so if your condenser was bypassed, the bubbler would overheat very quickly. A large system will generate a large amount of continuous heat, so capacity for heating needs to be balanced with effective cooling efficiency.

The design has no provision for separating lighter fractions from the primary fuel.

[wpage]

A very interesting project...

The point of local laws in residential locations could be a issue. With recyling as popular as its become. Some restrictions may apply where attempted.

[curlyrocks]

Hello
Thanks for sharing information.

Well I want to know little more about the effects and problems occurs by the process.

Is it Eco-friendly to Environment?

I want to know when we heat plastic its convert to vapor, When it converts to vapor is there any bad smell release from it?

I want to install such plant in residential area is there any side effect?

You're going to want to use propane or some kind of burner at the end of your system to burn off the final gas. As flammable as a lot of it is relying on it to burn its self off (essentially flaring) is not enough to ensure that the main off gas is CO2. Improper flaring of oil byproducts have caused a number of people around the world to get sick from benzine's and other noxious hydrocarbons.

Depending what you're using for a feed stock you may also need water, acid or basic bubblers to remove any Cl, Bromine, sulfur or any other non-carbon elements that may be present.

Other than that you should bee good to run this in a residential area but you will have to check with your local laws 1st.

[Beyond Biodiesel]

Thanks, syed722, for posting your drawing of your pyrolysis unit. Here are my comments:
1) You do not show any insulation on the reactor. I find 4" (10cm) of good quality insulation is needed around the reactor for efficiency.
2) The pipe between the temperature gauge and the safety relief valve looks like it is open, there seems to be no use for it.
3) There is something on the other side of the safety relief valve that looks like a 12" flanged port for loading and/or clean-out of the retort, but it is not labeled.
4) The "feeder" just looks like a non-valved funnel. It suggests a screw feeder for continuous operation.
5) Your heat source on the bottom is not defined. Do you plan to heat with electricity, gas, oil or solid fuels?
6) Where is your reflux?
7) While I like cyclones, I am not sure what the point is of your cyclone, nor the piping that comes and goes from-to it.
8) I was trying to understand your "hot gas to retort" pipe was about, but now I get that it is your flu burner, it would be best to run that from the bubbler or reservoir.
9) Why would you want a bypass to go straight to your bubbler?
10) Dumping all of your condensate into your bubbler is a primitive way of collecting your condensate. You may want to build in a fractionation system so that you can collect and separate valuable fractions, like: motor oil, hydraulic oil, diesel fuel, kerosene, gasoline (petrol), and keep all of that mess out of the water, so that you do not end up with an unusable emulsified mess at the end.

[AAS]

turnplasticwasteintodieselfuel_zps8505cd1b.jpg Photo by syed722 | Photobucket

Hello All

I have design one Plant.

Can anyone help me in finalizing the design?

Interesting… however your bubbler before your fuel collection seems like an possible problem. You may collect some of your fuel from your bubbler, but I think condenser then tank and only then bubbler should be the way, your present setup may cause back pressure. Rather add one ideally two traps(tanks) between the condenser and bubbler.

Regards

[syed722]

How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

turnplasticwasteintodieselfuel_zps8505cd1b.jpg Photo by syed722 | Photobucket

Hello All

I have design one Plant.

Can anyone help me in finalizing the design?

[Excalibur]

The process is a good form of recycling waste material into usable fuel which would otherwise fill dumpsites or pollute land and waterways. With proper controls and good practices, the effects can be contained or eliminated.

Yes, if you were to sniff the vapor, you'd declare the smell as very bad but this vapor gets condensed into liquid and any non-condensable gases are best incinerated. Otherwise I thought those gases could be captured and stored for later use. Either way don't simply vent the gases to atmosphere.

As for side effects, much of the dangers can be controlled with good engineering of the equipment. A pyrolysis plant has the potential to become a large fireball if a leak met an ignition source with oxygen. Then a situation would get out of control with no way of stopping it. I suggest position the unit well away from buildings.

[Beyond Biodiesel]

Welcome, syed722, if you stay away from cracking halogenated hydrocarbons, and you develop an efficient condenser system, and use a water bubbler and a burner to burn anything that makes it past your bubbler, then the exhaust should be only CO2.

On the other hand heating any flammable hydrocarbon up to 400c in sufficient quantities to make it useful for fuel making, then that is going to be a potentially hazardous situation with the possibility of fire or explosion.

[syed722]

How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

Hello
Thanks for sharing information.

Well I want to know little more about the effects and problems occurs by the process.

Is it Eco-friendly to Environment?

I want to know when we heat plastic its convert to vapor, When it converts to vapor is there any bad smell release from it?

I want to install such plant in residential area is there any side effect?

[Beyond Biodiesel]

@Beyond biodiesel:

Thanks for the information about the band heaters.

I looked on google for band heaters but it seems they only have small ones for extruders. I think i need a very big one for a 1000 liter reactor.(big diameter)

If i use a band heater then i have the perfect insulation in a store nearby.

I will be done for about €200. its white and used by proffesionals who make chimneys.

We used this on the injection moulding machines. the barrel was around 200celsius and after insulation you could put your hands on this.

Next week my plans are to ask my brother to make a nice 3d drawing of my ideas of the installation. Find some nice parts on the internet with the prices and share this here so we can discuss this.

I found band heaters that were designed to fit around a 200L drum. Often band heaters can be linked back to front to make them go around a larger diameter. Any size can be ordered though from the makers.

Hi everyone

I'm new to this site but have been checking out this thread for a while now, I too am interested in recovering liquid fuel like gasoline or desile from plastics, but I am also currently interested in recovering copper from computer components and was thinking this would be a great way to dispose of the plastic waste that will accumulate.

I was wondering what will happen or what should I do regarding Brominated flame retardant found in most computer plastics. Will it be an issue or what kind of damage can it cause the environment. I am already taking precautions regarding mercury and other dangerous chemicals and am seperating them out before this stage but I was wondering what to do about the flame retardants found in the plastic.

Welcome curlyrocks, I have not looked into the pyrolysis of Brominated plastics, so I am not sure what you will end up with, but other haulogenated hydrocarbons tend to produce toxic byproducts, and poor quality fuels.

Here are some pics of the beginnings of my unit. Unfortunately I missed Jetijs presentation of what plastics yield and types. I would be very interested in seeing it. If its at all possible I would appreciate it very much. I own a metal recycling facility just outside of Ottawa Ontario Canada. Anyone from this area should be able to figure out who I am just by looking at my user name but if you would like to email me that's fine too. My email is ed.carron@yahoo.ca the pictures you are looking at are of a prototype unit. Once I have experimented enough I will be using a 1000 lbs propane tank stood up. I plan to heat it with 4-6 gun burners from furnaces and use the oil produced as fuel. I would like to know if anyone near me is attempting these projects as I have almost 60 acres of equipment to harvest parts from and literally 1000's of tons of steel to work with. Anyway a big thanks to everyone on here who contributes and keep up the excellent work. [ATTACH]14181[/ATTACH]
Ed[ATTACH]14181[/ATTACH]

Welcome, EdCarron, nice work, decent flange, very good. Your retort should work great as long as you get your heating and insulation right, then condensers, and a water trap, and you are good to go.