High energy content liquid hydrocarbon fuel from mixture of polypropylene and polystyrene waste plastics using thermal cracking and activated carbon..

Author(s): Moinuddin Sarker*, Mohammad Mamunor Rashid

Abstract

In this current society, petroleum is a big factor to meet the world’s energy demand. According to statistics, the consumption of petroleum is much higher than its production rate. Furthermore, countries around the world spend large amounts of money each year to import fossil fuel, which can cause major deflation in a countries economy. Many alternative proposals have been made to overcome the petroleum issue. Alternate energy sources have been developed based on reliable sources to reduce the demand of petroleum, but these sources require vast amount of land and financial complication. Research based on conversion of waste plastic into high energy content liquid fuel has the potential to overcome the world’s energy demand. Unlike fossil fuel, the source of waste plastic is virtually unlimited. Nearly 48 million tons of waste plastic is generated in the US alone. From this amount 65% is landfill, 25% is incineration and 10% is for recycling purpose. Waste plastic is not biodegradable it can remain for a long period in land fill. Incineration and recycle process crating toxic gas and affecting greenhouse gas. The presence of these waste plastic on landfill causes variety of environmental and health problems. Natural State Research Inc has developed unique technology that will remove these waste plastics from landfill and convert them into high energy content liquid hydrocarbon fuel. Preliminary test have shown that waste plastic converted into fuel burns cleaner than the current commercial fuels and it can be produced a lower cost due to its primary source being waste plastic. The present technology has already shown the capability to produce this fuel from waste plastics in a laboratory scale and plans to move on into pilot and commercialization plant.

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