Generation of Polly-fuel for Future
Abstract
In today's world, the extensive usage of plastic has surged due to rapid urbanization, population growth, and changes in human lifestyle. This escalating plastic consumption has led to a pressing need for effective solutions to manage the mounting plastic waste. Pyrolysis, categorized as a tertiary recycling method, presents a prospective remedy by disintegrating organic polymers under elevated temperatures without the presence of oxygen. This process produces synthetic gases, oils, and solid remnants as its outcomes. This experimental study aims to recycle plastic waste into fuel, introducing the concept of "Polyfuel," a fuel derived from plastics. Specifically, we focus on converting HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) waste into liquid fuel resembling diesel through catalytic cracking under thermal conditions in the temperature range of 400-450°C. The experimental setup consists of a 3-liter balloon flask serving as the reactor, with a beaker employed to collect the liquid fuel. The process employs a glass condenser to condense the vapors generated during the operation. Results show that at a reaction temperature of 400-450°C, 430 cc of gasoline was extracted from 800 grams of waste plastics. The collected Polyfuel was subjected to laboratory tests to assess its properties, and the analysis revealed that its characteristics closely match those of Diesel. Notably, the Density @150°C measures 0.7825 gm/ml, Moisture content is 200 mg/kg (ppm), and the Flash point is below 10°C.
