Research Journal of Engineering Sciences ___________________________________________ ISSN 2278 – 9472

Vol. 3(7), 17-21, July (2014) Res. J. Engineering Sci.

Feasibility Study of Conversion of selected Plastic in to Synthetic Fuel

(Synthetic Diesel) – A Review
Dohare Devendra1 and Nagori Kaustubh2
1
Department of Civil Engineering, S.G.S.I.T.S. College, Indore, MP, INDIA
2
(Civil) Environmental Engineering Dept., S.G.S.I.T.S. College, Indore, MP, INDIA
Available online at: www.isca.in, www.isca.me
Received 20th March 2014, revised 26th May 2014, accepted 23rd July 2014
Abstract
Plastic has become an important part of our daily life. Due to its wide applications e.g. strength, durability, lighter weight and
flexibility, consumption and production of plastic has been rising very rapidly. But plastics are non biodegradable in nature
hence its disposal has become a major problem because it cannot be dispose off directly into the environment. So, researchers
are working on new technologies to treat the plastic waste. One of very common process is pyrolysis. Batch reactor is used in
pyrolysis process in which temperature ranges between 350 to 5000C in atmospheric pressure. The aim of the study is to convert
the mixed plastic waste into crude oil which can be use as hydrocarbons fuel. In the present paper waste plastic pyrolysis oil
and its blend with diesel has been introduced as an alternative fuel. Waste plastic oil (W.P.O.) was tested as a fuel in a D.I.
diesel engine and it is observed that the engine could operate with 100% waste plastic oil and can be used as fuel in diesel
engines.

Keywords: Pyrolysis, Alternative fuel, mixed waste plastics, oil/waxes, waste plastic oil and Diesel engine.

Introduction conversion rate of fuel from plastic waste pyrolysis process is in

favored.
Generation of plastic waste in the world is increasing
continuously due to Industrial growth and changed in Pyrolysis System involved, Thermal processing in complete
consumption and production patterns. Rapid urbanization and absence of oxygen (at low temperature). Pyrolysis also referred to
economic development have been resultant as increment in plastic as destructive distillation or carbonization. It is the process of
consumption in Asia pacific and other developing regions. Due to thermal decomposition of organic matter at high temperature
higher population growth rate waste plastic and its management (about 350 to 5000C) in an inert atmosphere or vacuum,
has become a major problem. Cities having low economic growth producing a mixture of combustible Carbon monoxide, Methane,
are also participating as larger producer of waste plastic in the Hydrogen, Ethane gases, pyroligenous liquid, chemical and
form of plastic packaging material, poly shopping bags, P.E.T. Charcoal. Thermal treatment involves conversion of waste in to
bottles and other house hold items containing major percentage of gaseous, liquid and solid conversion products with concurrent or
plastic material. So it is necessary to find the alternative ways for subsequence release of heat energy. To improve the quality of
the disposal of mixed waste plastic. After so many research and crude oil from waste plastic pyrolysis so many studies have been
studies it has been found that properties of crude oil derived from carried out by researchers. Objective of this study is to introduce a
waste plastic are similar to the existing hydrocarbons and can be suitable catalyst into the process to yield the efficiency of product.
use in diesel engines or for energy production. These catalysts are mainly used in petrochemical industries. The
experimental setup on laboratory scale for the pyrolysis is mostly
Plastics are synthetic organic material and mainly produced by flow reactor; which consist of ‘liquid phase contact’ and ‘vapor
polymerization. Molecular mass of plastic is high and it is phase contact’. In liquid phase catalyst reacted with melted plastic
possible that to improve the quality and performance and to and acted as partially degraded oligomers; in vapor phase catalyst
reduce the cost plastic may contain other substances. Polymers of reacted with hydrocarbon vapors which are thermally degraded.
Plastic are much softened and can be extruded into required
shapes. Plastics are synthetic polymers that can be shaped by heat Composition and properties of Crude oil from waste plastic:
or pressure. There are two main types of plastics, which are Crude oil from waste plastic has made by mixed organic
Thermoplastic and Thermoses. Approximately 85 to 90% of compounds. When compared with diesel plastic oils sulphur
plastic from our daily life can be recycled or use for the content and calorific value is low. W.P.O. contents about 70-75%
production of synthetic fuel. In order to decrease the volume of liquid hydrocarbons which included petrol, diesel and kerosene,
non degradable plastic waste material and preserving valuable small amount of residue coke and L.P.G. Table 1 is showing the
petroleum resources Pyrolysis is one of the best methods. It is Properties of W.P.O. and Diesel.
also help full in environmental protection. Because of higher

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Vol. 3(7), 17-21, July (2014) Res. J. Engineering Sci.

In this paper Pawar Harshal1 et al. carried out study on pyrolysis Table-1
1
process for conversion of waste plastic into fuel in the absence of Properties of Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Oil and Diesel
oxygen. The process concluded that, Engine can run with full Sr. No Properties W.P.O. Diesel
efficiency by fuel made from waste plastic, Engine fuelled with 1 Colour Yellow Orange
W.P.O. shows thermal efficiency up to 75% of the rate rated power 2 Density(kg/m2) 793 850
and Brake thermal efficiency of the engine with retarded injection 3 Ash content (%) <1.01%wt 0.045
timing is found to be higher. Injection timing results the thermal 4 Calorific value(kJ/kg) 41,800 42,000
efficiency is 28.2% at full load for standard injection timing and 5 Kinematic viscosity 2.149 3.05
32.25% for the retarded injection timing of the waste plastic oil, @ 400C (cst)
shown in figure 1. 6 Cetane number 51 55
7 Flash point 0C 40 50
8 Fire point 0C 45 56
9 Carbon residue (%) 0.01%wt 0.20%
10 Sulphur content (%) <0.002 <0.035
11 Pour point 0C -4 3-15

In this paper Pouya Mohammadi2 et al. are investigating the

performance parameter for engine.
engine The literature consists of
calculations and formulation for brake power, brake mean
effective pressure, brake specific fuel consumption, brake
thermal efficiency and brake fuel conversion efficiency.

Figure-1
Variation of brake thermal efficiency with brake power

At full load the brake thermal efficiency decreases with increase

in E.G.R. (Exhaust gas recirculation) flow rate, shown in figure
2. The exhaust gas temperature for plastic oil is higher than
diesel and the NOx emission in waste plastic oil varies from 8.
8.56
to 14.63 g/ kWh without E.G.R. compared to 10.9710.97–8.2 g/kWh
with 20% E.G.R. The NOx emission reduces with increase in
E.G.R. percentage. Figure--3
Brake Power Vs speed at maxm load

Figure-2 Figure--4
Variation of exhaust gas temperature with load Brake mean effective pressure Vs Speed on maxm load

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As speed increases Break power will also increase. At In this paper sahu Omprakash3 et al. studied the fuel oil
maximum load and speed (2000 rpm) increasing order of break production from waste plastic. He shows the Structure of
power is 0.36, 1.26, 3.95 and 4.26% which is shown in Figure-3. polymer material and Effect of temperature on L.D.P.E., Fuel
Figure-4 is showing increase in Brake mean effective pressure oil etc.
that is 2.07, 2.95, 5.60 and 5.89% and decrease in fuel
consumption is shown in next Figure- whose percentages are Temperatures effect on Low density Polyethylene
1.3, 7.4, 8.5 and finally 9.1%. (L.D.P.E.)
Temperatures Effect on fuel oil: At different temperatures 1Kg
polyethylene was cracked in the reactor and variations in
reaction time are noted. At different temperatures production of
gases is also change. Figure-7 is showing gaseous change and
amount of residue left at that temperature. Here, at 1800C gases
and residues separation is starts and after 2050C production of
gases is 50.5 % and residue is 48.5%. At 2100C gaseous product
is about 52% and residue is 46.8%. At last at the temperature
2500C the residue is about 44.9% and gas production is 53%.

Figure-5
Brake specific fuel consumption Vs speed at maxm load

Figure-7
Temperature effect on gas production and residue Left

Figure 6
Brake thermal efficiency Vs speed at maxm load

It is clear from Figure-6 that Brake thermal efficiency (B.T.E.)

is nearly constant at all levels. On addition of 25 EPS/L of
Biodiesel B.T.E. is 8.4, at 50 EPS/L B.T.E. are 9.8 and at 75 Figure-8
EPS/L it enhanced by 10.4% respectively. Temperature effect on the oil production

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Figure-8 is showing production of crude oil at different Above 1350C weight percent of produced gas and residue left
temperatures. Oil production is increases with temperature were approx 32-36% and 60-65%. Rate of plastic cracking is
increment and after a certain temperature production of crude increases at high temperature hence gas production is also
oil keeps constant. increases and the amount of residue left is almost nil.

Temperatures effect on High density Polyethylene Conclusion

(H.D.P.E.) From the review of all above papers for the performance and
H.D.P.E.: Measured quantity (1Kg) of plastic material is heated emissions of W.P.O., it is concluded that the waste plastic
into the reactor with temperature variations and Crude oil Pyrolysis oil represents a good alternative fuel and therefore
produced during the process is collected. Residue left during the must be taken into consideration in the future for transport
reaction is also separated at the end of the process. Figure-9 is purpose. This plastic oil has compositions similar to the
showing temperatures effect on oil production from High existing primary hydrocarbons (i.e.-petrol, diesel and
density Polyethylene. In the starting oil production is increases gasoline). Possible these oil products can be use directly for
with temperature and after a certain temperature oil production energy generation or in a refinery for reprocessing. The study
became constant. of this papers conclude that prospects for using small or
medium scale pyrolysis processes to handle the waste plastics
appear good but more investigations are needed. Presences of
P.E.T. and P.V.C. in mixed plastic waste are also a matter of
concern. Contaminants and additives present in municipal
plastic waste have adverse effects on environment and they
should be removed before process

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into Diesel and Other Fuels, John Wiley and Sons, 785 of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 40-41, 347-363
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