Catalytic Upgrading of Pyrolysis Condensables from Postconsumer Polyolefins Using HZSM-5

Brown, Jessica L.; Radhakrishnan, Harish; Coffman, Isabel; Tumu, Khairun; Curtzwiler, Greg; Vorst, Keith; Smith, Ryan G.; Bai, Xianglan; Daugaard, Tannon J.

doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c03813

Catalytic Upgrading of Pyrolysis Condensables from Postconsumer Polyolefins Using HZSM-5

Journal Article · Tue Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2024 · Energy and Fuels

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c03813· OSTI ID:2510458

^[1]; ^[1]; Coffman, Isabel ^[1]; Tumu, Khairun ^[1]; ^[1]; ^[1]; Smith, Ryan G. ^[1]; ^[1]; Daugaard, Tannon J. ^[1]

Iowa State University, Ames, IA (United States)

The conversion of plastic wastes to monomeric olefins is an attractive means for achieving a plastic circular economy. In our study, a fluidized bed reactor converts post-consumer waste high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) to mostly condensed pyrolysis waxes and some oils, preventing carbon loss to gases. The pyrolysis condensables were upgraded to light olefins (C₂–C₅) at carbon yields greater than 76 wt % using the HZSM-5 zeolite catalyst at a post pyrolysis process that employed a micropyrolyzer. These results were comparable to olefin monomer yields from direct ex situ catalytic pyrolysis of the original waste plastics without condensing the vapors, highlighting the potential applicability of this approach in plastic waste recycling. Our results suggest that a centralized catalytic upgrading facility fed by pyrolysis condensables sourced from distributed thermochemical processing plants is a promising pathway to a circular economy. Such an approach enables utilization of available catalytic cracking infrastructure while focusing on setting up distributed thermochemical processing plants close to material recovery facilities. As a result, the energy-dense pyrolysis waxes are more suitable for transportation, contributing to the overall scalability and economic viability of the proposed distributed approach.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

Grant/Contract Number:: EE0009285

OSTI ID:: 2510458

Journal Information:: Energy and Fuels, Journal Name: Energy and Fuels Journal Issue: 21 Vol. 38; ISSN 0887-0624

Publisher:: American Chemical Society (ACS)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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