Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach

Marek Stelmachowski

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach

Marek Stelmachowski

Published in International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 6, Issue 5)

Received: 5 July 2017 Accepted: 25 July 2017 Published: 26 September 2017

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Abstract

Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.

Published in	International Journal of Materials Science and Applications (Volume 6, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
Page(s)	250-259
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Waste Plastics, Exergy, Feedstock Recycling, Fuel from Waste, Electrical Power from Waste

References

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Marek Stelmachowski. (2017). Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 6(5), 250-259. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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ACS Style

Marek Stelmachowski. Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2017, 6(5), 250-259. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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AMA Style

Marek Stelmachowski. Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2017;6(5):250-259. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14,
  author = {Marek Stelmachowski},
  title = {Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {6},
  number = {5},
  pages = {250-259},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  abstract = {Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.},
 year = {2017}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach
AU  - Marek Stelmachowski
Y1  - 2017/09/26
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 250
EP  - 259
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
AB  - Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.
VL  - 6
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Marek Stelmachowski

Department of Safety Engineering, Faculty of Process and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Lodz, Poland

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Plain Text BibTeX RIS

APA Style

Marek Stelmachowski. (2017). Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. International Journal of Materials Science and Applications, 6(5), 250-259. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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ACS Style

Marek Stelmachowski. Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. Int. J. Mater. Sci. Appl. 2017, 6(5), 250-259. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

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AMA Style

Marek Stelmachowski. Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach. Int J Mater Sci Appl. 2017;6(5):250-259. doi: 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

Copy | Download

@article{10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14,
  author = {Marek Stelmachowski},
  title = {Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach},
  journal = {International Journal of Materials Science and Applications},
  volume = {6},
  number = {5},
  pages = {250-259},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijmsa.20170605.14},
  abstract = {Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.},
 year = {2017}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Feedstock Recycling of Plastics Waste for Electricity or Fuel: An Exergy Approach
AU  - Marek Stelmachowski
Y1  - 2017/09/26
PY  - 2017
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
T2  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JF  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
JO  - International Journal of Materials Science and Applications
SP  - 250
EP  - 259
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2327-2643
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14
AB  - Waste plastics contribute to many environmental and social problems due to the loss of natural resources, environmental pollution, depletion of landfill space, and the various demands of an environmentally oriented society. The consumption of plastics waste increases annually, particularly in developing countries. Feedstock recycling of scrap polymers by thermal and chemical methods is well known and environmentally acceptable. However, new technologies for waste utilization as well as the methods that would enable an objective and broad assessment of these processes are strongly needed. Selecting the best method for thermal processing of waste polymers can be done based on a thermodynamic analysis of the process. In the paper, the process of thermal degradation of waste plastics (that is carried out in the new type of a tubular reactor with molten metal) is described and evaluated from the therodynamic poin of view. Depending on the final product (a fuel-like mixture or electricity), the calculated exergy efficiency of the proposed method ranged from 79% to 82%. These results mean that feedstock recycling of this type of waste by thermal degradation is a beneficial process from an energetic and ecological perspective as compared to other processes, particularly incineration.
VL  - 6
IS  - 5
ER  -

Copy | Download