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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Bio-oils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #298783
Title: Fuels from pyrolysis of waste plastic

Author
item SHARMA, BRAJENDRA - University Of Illinois
item Moser, Bryan
item RAJAGOPALAN, NANDAKISHORE - University Of Illinois

Submitted to: American Chemical Society National Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/8/2013
Publication Date: 9/8/2013
Citation: Sharma, B.K., Moser, B.R., Rajagopalan, N. 2013. Fuels from pyrolysis of waste plastic [abstract]. American Chemical Society National Meeting, September 8-12, 2013, Indianapolis, IN.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A large quantity of carbon containing materials, such as waste plastic, used tires, food waste, and biomass end up in landfills. These materials represent a rich energy source that is currently untapped or underutilized. Municipal solid waste is comprised of 12% waste plastic, but only a small fraction of this is recovered. In this study, we will demonstrate the application of the pyrolysis process in converting some of the non-recyclable/hard-to-recycle plastics, such as waste plastic grocery bags, to crude oil. Distillation of this crude oil provides gasoline, diesel #1, diesel #2, and vacuum gas oil-like fractions. The analysis of diesel fractions reveals that the diesel#2 is similar to petro-diesel, meets all fuel specifications after the addition of antioxidants, has high energy content, and may be a suitable substitute or blend component for petro-diesel.