Technology

Recycling plants receive raw end-of-life or contaminated plastic waste from municipal recovery facilities and recycling factories. It is delivered in a form that can be readily managed. The feedstock is subjected to a pre-treatment to remove some components and meet the quality control standards to feed the plant. This process removes metals, heavier plastics and materials, as well as humidity left in the plastic, keeps the type of plastics that can be processed (LDPE, HDPE, PS, PP). The pre-treated feedstock (plastic waste) is heated in the absence of oxygen until it melts and the polymer molecules break down to form a rich saturated hydrocarbon vapour. The condensable gases are converted to hydrocarbon products while the non-condensable gases are collected separately and combusted to process energy. The atmospheric distillation columns receive the hydrocarbon vapour and according to molecular weight separates it into raw diesel (bottom), light oil (middle) and synthetic gas components (top). Naphtha and diesel are stored and sold to the petrochemical industry to convert it back into virgin plastic, oil, or in transportation fuels. Synthetic gas is used to make the plant run.

Source: Plastic Energy > Technology > Patented Techology