How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[jonathan]

condensor question

l build the retort reflux column and condensors when l have time lmake the bubbler and safty valve my question is this? l don't put any catalyst in condensors l meant they are closed with welding now. so can l test my system? or it doesn't work without catalyst in condenser? thanks

[Beyond Biodiesel]

The catalyst goes in either the retort (boiler) or the refluxing column before the first condenser, or both. You are not going to want to weld your condensers shut, because you are going to find you need to take everything apart to service it, or modify it from time to time. This is why tapered thread, or compression fittings are more common and useful in pyrolysis units.

[jonathan]

condensors

thanks my friend l weld them. l will try the system if its work l will modify them later l hope it work l will try clay pots

[Beyond Biodiesel]

thanks my friend l weld them. l will try the system if its work l will modify them later l hope it work l will try clay pots

Crushed clay pots will work as catalyst. Ash will work also as catalyst. Volcanic ash, tuffa, perlite, pumice, etc. will also work as catalyst.

[jonathan]

catalyst

thanks so much beyond biodiesel so did you try put clay pots in reflux and retort whats the different? did you make experiment ?

[Beyond Biodiesel]

I am still developing my WMO distillation apparatus, so I am not at all interested at this time in cat cracking. Although I know that just taking any hydrocarbon up to 800F (425c) will crack a significant amount of it.

I also have read that crushed terracota will work as a catalyst, as well as various volcanic ashes, diatomaceous earth, and even plane old ash from the fire place, or you can burn your coke that you remove from your pyrolysis unit, then use that ash as catalyst.

The take home message is, most of us are backyard enthusiasts, so we do not have to obsess over catalysts. There are a wide range of materials that can be used to crack our plastics back into fuel, so use what you have available to you.

[jonathan]

catalyst

thanks my friend when l finished my bubbler l try what you say thanks alot

[rozier56]

Find it difficult to believe normal ash would work,as ash is inert,cannot add any catalyst properties.

[laciiino]

Hi Thank you for this info. As far as I know numbers 2, 4 and 5 work just fine, number 6 should also work fine.




I don't know about that, it needs to be tested.



Hi, we usually pour off the fuel as the reactor is running, the fuel is hot at this time and if there is wax in it, it is dissolved. But as soon as the poured off liquid fuel cools down, you can see some wax forming. The wax can then be easily separated from the fuel using a coarse filter. There are methods on how to elliminate the wax from forming, but I don't know anything more about that.

Hi, Jetijs, first of all, thank you for all you posted here.
I´m working in a company with injection machines and we are using lots of PP and PE plastics. And each month we´r scraping tons of material. I wanted to ask, if PC ABS plastic is also OK for this proces (its the main plastic we use). Thanks

[Beyond Biodiesel]

thanks my friend when l finished my bubbler l try what you say thanks alot

Keep us posted on your results, because every report here helps us all learn.

Find it difficult to believe normal ash would work,as ash is inert,cannot add any catalyst properties.

Almost any porous material will work as a surface catalyst. And, if you watch more carefully a recently posted link to a video of a university in England doing exactly what we are doing the narrator said that they found better results by recycling the ash from their process as catalyst.

It will be in one of these three links:

The European Bioenergy Research Institute at Aston University
Pyrolysis

Scientists turn rubbish into oil & gas - full report by Mark Gough

The European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI) Pyroformer

Hi, Jetijs, first of all, thank you for all you posted here.
I´m working in a company with injection machines and we are using lots of PP and PE plastics. And each month we´r scraping tons of material. I wanted to ask, if PC ABS plastic is also OK for this proces (its the main plastic we use). Thanks

If you mean PVC, then no. Same with ABS. They are halogenated hydrocarbons, so if you pyrolyze them, then you are likely to kill yourself and anyone withing 50 feet of your pyrolysis unit, unless you go to great lengths to capture, contain and neutralize the HCL and HFL gases that are released. Even if you do, the oils that result from cracking these halogenated hydrocarbons is only going to cause seal damage in most diesel engine IPs. So, stay away from any halogenated hydrocarbons such as: PVC. ABS and PTFE

[jonathan]

catalyst

thanks beyond biodiesel for that upload files l will do a video when l was ready l wish to do the bubbler right now and test my system but l am so busy one of my family had cancer l am helping them so thanks again for every help

[dieter]

Newby

I am from South Africa and has followed this post for some time now.
There is a hell of a lot of HDPE & LPPE pipes lying around at the irrigation farms.
I would like to start with converting to diesel. I also look at using Gasifier's to run a Landcruiser engine to suply power. I have two Unimogs and can use the PTO to drive shreaders, chippers etc. There is also a hell of a lot of sawdust, wood chips etc.
The Idea would be to make wood pellets for running the Land Cruiser engine and then also wood logs to sell to the Kruger Park ad Barbeque wood.
All self sustainable.
It is a dream but I have the time.

[lowriderzzz]

where should exactly I put my thermo probe ?

I wonder is there a major difference in where i install my thermo probes/thermo couples.

Can you give me your opinion according to the picture regarding the reflux/catalyst column and the condenser too.

Which spot is most appropriate for the column ? - On top of the cap or on the side.

What about condenser ? - on straight top, or more close to where the vapours enter or after they are turned into liquid ?

Here is the pic

[Beyond Biodiesel]

thanks beyond biodiesel for that upload files l will do a video when l was ready l wish to do the bubbler right now and test my system but l am so busy one of my family had cancer l am helping them so thanks again for every help

Sorry to hear about he health issues of a family member. We all do what we have to to make it through life, and family makes it all happen.

I am from South Africa and has followed this post for some time now.
There is a hell of a lot of HDPE & LPPE pipes lying around at the irrigation farms.
I would like to start with converting to diesel. I also look at using Gasifier's to run a Landcruiser engine to suply power. I have two Unimogs and can use the PTO to drive shreaders, chippers etc. There is also a hell of a lot of sawdust, wood chips etc.
The Idea would be to make wood pellets for running the Land Cruiser engine and then also wood logs to sell to the Kruger Park ad Barbeque wood.
All self sustainable.
It is a dream but I have the time.

Good to meet you dieter. It sounds like you have a lot of resources on hand, so it is a worthy project.

I too have lots of wood available. In fact a guy just dropped off 4 truck loads for free. So, I am very interested in a wood gas project. I do plan to utilize the uncondensable gasses to power a gasoline generator that I have to power my pyrolysis unit, but first I plan to run the wood-gas stream through my pyrolysis and condenser system to extract out all of the condensebles, which is what tends to fowl engines running on wood-gas.

On thermocouple placement, lowriderzzz, I have thermocouples everywhere on my pyrolysis unit. Each electric heater has one thermocouple associated with it, and I have three heaters per boiler and/or heated trap. I also have a thermocouple that goes through a compression fitting down through the lid into the fluid stream.

I still think you are asking for trouble trying to condense your fluid stream with water immediately after leaving the boiler at 800F (425c). What you will end up doing is pulling heat out of your boiler so that you will have trouble getting it to the cracking temperature and/or you will be boiling your condenser water, while coking and/or waxing your condenser line.

Each of my traps represent 100c drops from the boiler; and the distance between my boiler and my water condenser is about 9 feet (3M) of piping, trapping and insulation, so that my delta T across that 9 feet (3M) is not that dramatic.

[lowriderzzz]

On thermocouple placement, lowriderzzz, I have thermocouples everywhere on my pyrolysis unit. Each electric heater has one thermocouple associated with it, and I have three heaters per boiler and/or heated trap. I also have a thermocouple that goes through a compression fitting down through the lid into the fluid stream.

I still think you are asking for trouble trying to condense your fluid stream with water immediately after leaving the boiler at 800F (425c). What you will end up doing is pulling heat out of your boiler so that you will have trouble getting it to the cracking temperature and/or you will be boiling your condenser water, while coking and/or waxing your condenser line.

Each of my traps represent 100c drops from the boiler; and the distance between my boiler and my water condenser is about 9 feet (3M) of piping, trapping and insulation, so that my delta T across that 9 feet (3M) is not that dramatic.

I understand your concern, but I tried to imitate imakebiodiesel design from THIS video with what i have around.

Anyway where is best to fit the K type thermo couple for the reflux, since i have only one for now for it and the other will go for the boiler. Eventually will buy more for the condenser when I move on to building my bigger unit. (this one is experimental only)