How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[Babataku]

Hi faraway,

According to your pic, are you using an ordinary Steel drum of 200Ltrs? If so thats extremely dangerous, you need some thick steel material for your tank, minimum 3mm thickness. anything lighter will give in after a few runs, maybe the 1st one!!!

And your drain Valves, can they handle the Temps? Otherwise you will get some leaks and possibly a fire.

You need to think through your design and put safety first. As it is you might be courting trouble.

[faraway]

just Ask

Hi
nice work my friend,
could i ask about my idea, could i use immersion heater to heat oil to 400 c for cracking? what about safety issue? qp53.jpg

[mtrans]

AAS
great job and "mashine",I think your pressure gauge is too too close,put it away and put some relief/safety valve.Inside pressure gauge has solder that melt on 280c.

[AAS]

Dear ndsunil

I think the total reaction using 30Kw to start will need about 6 hours to melt and heat everything, ignoring latent melting phase(added an hour from 5 hours for melting and heat loss ) then about 4 to 5 hours, at present about roughly 12 hour run if everything works out okay

P = ?
m = 500kg
c = 2700 J kg-1 oC-1 (approximate)
θ = 400 - 25 = 400oC
t = 18 000 seconds(5hours)

We assume,
all the electrical energy supplied = heat energy absorbed by the water
Pt = mcθ
(p) 18 000 = (500)(2700)(400)
P = 30 000w or 30kw

Regards

all the electrical energy supplied = heat energy absorbed by the plastic
Just a typo sorry, water is around 4500 J kg-1 oC-1

[ndsunil]

Dear ndsunil

I think the total reaction using 30Kw to start will need about 6 hours to melt and heat everything, ignoring latent melting phase(added an hour from 5 hours for melting and heat loss ) then about 4 to 5 hours, at present about roughly 12 hour run if everything works out okay

P = ?
m = 500kg
c = 2700 J kg-1 oC-1 (approximate)
θ = 400 - 25 = 400oC
t = 18 000 seconds(5hours)

We assume,
all the electrical energy supplied = heat energy absorbed by the water
Pt = mcθ
(p) 18 000 = (500)(2700)(400)
P = 30 000w or 30kw

Regards

Dear AAS ,
Very good . You have done your home work well .
Latent heat for melting is very small . ie. 0.000303 KWH per kg.
So the calculations at your end is ok.Looking at your the pictures of your prototype it reflects that you can taken a lot of pains in building the machine .I wish you a good luck
Regards
NDSUNIL

[Beyond Biodiesel]

Wow, look at you go! I recall someone mentioning galvalised material was not a good idea? The pipes going from the retort to the condenser look galvanised. Does anyone still see this as a problem? (tried the search function to find the notes but couldn't find any reference to galvanis(/z)ed)
What diameter is your reflux pipe? What a beast!
Looks like you're about to have some fun!
Col

Galvanized pipe when heated to oxidation of the magnesium coating produces magnesium oxide, which is carcinogenic, if inhaled. So, Galvanized pipe is fine up to a few hundred c, but at 400c is likely to oxidize. So, in the retort black iron pipe is better, and stainless steel pipe is best.

[AAS]

Post production fuel will be purified using a pabiodiesel 120 inverted centrifuge.

I looked everywhere for a centrifuge that is affordable in SA, could simply not find one, had to import one from the USA, difficult to obtain a centrifuge in SA.

[AAS]

Welcome and very nice work!!

Wow, 30 -45kw!! How much can you get kw for? I looked at it when I first started and normal rates were 33c per kw.

Have you a schematic of the condensers? I'm always looking to learn, especially how to improve efficiency or recover heat.

Wishing you best of luck and watching progress with interest.

Thanks for sharing!

HI excalibur

My calculations are rough and in Rand which is about R11 to a dollar at present:

In SA the cost for a kw per hour is around R1 the cost of diesel is about R12 at present per Litre.( due to our very weak currency!)

Thus R35 per hour for the oven x 12 hours = R420 per run.

Raw material costs is about R1,50 per kg of shredded mixed PE and PP x 500kg = R750

Catalyst about R100 per run

Labour excluded at present.

Yield approximate 350litre per run.


750+420+100= R1270

R1270/ 350 = R3.62 per Litre compared to R12 at pump excluding labor.

This means assuming we think in dollars about 30 to 40 cents cost of production and diesel costs about 1 dollar per litre

Was thinking of using a generator and own fuel, but do not think with electricity prices at present it is worth that investment.

I might be a bit off, think the electricity is now R1,50 per KW/h but still doable about 15cents per KW US dollar

[AAS]

Wow, look at you go! I recall someone mentioning galvalised material was not a good idea? The pipes going from the retort to the condenser look galvanised. Does anyone still see this as a problem? (tried the search function to find the notes but couldn't find any reference to galvanis(/z)ed)
What diameter is your reflux pipe? What a beast!
Looks like you're about to have some fun!
Col

No the pipes are s/s, the couplings are galvanized and will be replaced after initial couple of testing rounds.

[AAS]

Wonderful job ... How much that you have calculated to complete the reaction ?
This time shall decide your KW inputs . Any way a great and nice job .

Dear ndsunil

I think the total reaction using 30Kw to start will need about 6 hours to melt and heat everything, ignoring latent melting phase(added an hour from 5 hours for melting and heat loss ) then about 4 to 5 hours, at present about roughly 12 hour run if everything works out okay

P = ?
m = 500kg
c = 2700 J kg-1 oC-1 (approximate)
θ = 400 - 25 = 400oC
t = 18 000 seconds(5hours)

We assume,
all the electrical energy supplied = heat energy absorbed by the water
Pt = mcθ
(p) 18 000 = (500)(2700)(400)
P = 30 000w or 30kw

Regards

[AAS]

new project

Hi guys

The first condenser is straight forward. straight copper pipes with water around it.
I will add a picture of a schematic of the second condenser. The first condenser reduces most of the heat, the second causes precipitation (like a car driving in mist) the small molecules hit the metal, then another molecule hits that molecule an perhaps now combined they can precipitate out in liquid form.

Using an small evaporative cooler to cool the water.

[rozier56]

Hi AAS,Welcome to the site. Great to to have a fellow South African.I am based in cape town and would be happy to touch base with you to discuss the project.I too am a long way down the line and have run various prototypes.
Contact Derek;0824756959.
e-mail;mtrozier56@gmail.com

[ndsunil]

Hi guys.
Been reading the blog for the last year or so, slowly building my plant, almost done. I'm from South Africa. I studies polymer science up to a masters degree in the in the early 2000's.

Added a view pics, will be running my first run in a week or so, will post results.

Kind Regards

Wonderful job ... How much that you have calculated to complete the reaction ?
This time shall decide your KW inputs . Any way a great and nice job .

[Col]

Aas

Wow, look at you go! I recall someone mentioning galvalised material was not a good idea? The pipes going from the retort to the condenser look galvanised. Does anyone still see this as a problem? (tried the search function to find the notes but couldn't find any reference to galvanis(/z)ed)
What diameter is your reflux pipe? What a beast!
Looks like you're about to have some fun!
Col

[Excalibur]

Welcome and very nice work!!

Wow, 30 -45kw!! How much can you get kw for? I looked at it when I first started and normal rates were 33c per kw.

Have you a schematic of the condensers? I'm always looking to learn, especially how to improve efficiency or recover heat.

Wishing you best of luck and watching progress with interest.

Thanks for sharing!