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

Marek Stelmachowski

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijmsa.20170605.14

| Peer-Reviewed

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

Views: Downloads:

Download PDF

Share This Article

Twitter
Linked In
Facebook

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), 2017. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

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

References

[1]	AGUADO J., SERRANO D. P. ESCOLA M. J. Fuels from Waste Plastics by Thermal and Catalytic Processes: A Review. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 47 (21), 7982, 2008.
[2]	SCHEIRS J., KAMINSKI W., (editors), Feedstock Recycling and Pyrolysis of Waste Plastics: Converting Waste Plastics into Diesel and Other Fuels. Wiley Series in Polymer Sciences, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2006.
[3]	DEWULF J. P., LANGENHOV VAN H. Quantitative Assessment of Solid Waste Treatment Systems in the Industrial Ecology Perspective by Exergy Analysis. Env. Sci. Technol. 36, 1130, 2002.
[4]	WALL G., GONG M. On exergy and sustainable development – Part 1: Conditions and concepts. Exergy, an International Journal 1 (3), 128, 2001; Part 2 Indicators and Methods. Exergy, an International Journal 1 (4): 217, 2001.
[5]	SCIUBBA E. Extended exergy accounting applied to energy recovery from waste: The concept of total recycling Energy 28, 1315, 2003.
[6]	PETELA R. An approach to the exergy analysis of photosynthesis. Solar Energy 82, 311, 2008.
[7]	ROSEN M. Exergy conservation: An alternative to conserving the already conserved quantity energy Exergy, an International Journal 2, 59, 2002.
[8]	CONNELLY L., KOSHLAND C. P. Exergy and industrial ecology-Part 1: An exergy-based definition of consumption and a thermodynamic interpretation of ecosystem evolution. Exergy, An International Journal 1 (3), 146, 2001; Part 2. A non-dimensional analysis of means to reduce resource depletion, Exergy, an International Journal 1 (4), 234, 2001.
[9]	MEESTER DE B., DEWULF J., JANSSENS A., VAN LANGENHOVE H. An Improved Calculation of the Exergy of Natural Resources for Exergetic Life Cycle Assessment (ELCA). Environ. Sci. Technol 40, 6844, 2006.
[10]	JØRGENSEN S. E, NIELSEN S. N. Application of exergy as thermodynamic indicator in ecology. Energy 32, 673, 2007.
[11]	SZARGUT J Exergy analysis: technical and ecological applications. WIT-press. Southampton, Boston. 2005.
[12]	KOTAS T. J., The Exergy Method of Thermal Plant Analysis, Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, 1996, ISBN 0-89464-946-9.
[13]	SZARGUT J. Sequence method of determination of partial losses in thermal systems. Exergy, an International Journal 1 (2), 85, 2001.
[14]	ALJUNDI I. H . Energy and exergy analysis of a steam power plant in Jordan. Applied Thermal Engineering 29 (2-3), 324, 2009.
[15]	REDDY V. S., • KAUSHIK S. C., TYAGI S. K. Exergetic analysis and evaluation of coal-fired supercritical thermal power plant and natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant. Clean Techn Environ Policy 16, 489, 2014.
[16]	SENGUPTA S., DATTA A., DUTTAGUPTA S. Exergy analysis of a coal-based 210MW thermal power plant. Int J. Energy Res. 31,14, 2007.
[17]	NUWAN H. P., DE ALWIS S., MOHAMAD A. A., MEHROTRA A. K. Exergy Analysis of Direct and Indirect Combustion of Methanol by Utilizing Solar Energy or Waste Heat. Energy & Fuel 23 (3), 1723, 2009.
[18]	SOMM S. K., DATTA A. Thermodynamic irreversibilities and exergy balance in combustion processes. Progress in Energy and Combustion Science 34, 251, 2008.
[19]	BLEEKER M., GORTER S., KERSTEN S., VAN DER HAM L., VAN DEN BERG H., VERINGA H., Hydrogen production from pyrolysis oil using the steam-iron process: a process design study. Clean Techn Environ Policy 12, 125, 2010.
[20]	KLEMEŠ J. J., VARBANOV P. S. Efficient and clean production of fuels and biofuels: a summary. Clean Techn Environ Policy 14, 371, 2012.
[21]	BRAU J. F., MORANDIN M., BERNTSSON T., Hydrogen for oil refining via biomass indirect steam gasification: energy and environmental targets. Clean Techn Environ Policy 15, 501, 2013.
[22]	SHARIATI M. H. AND FARHADI F. Exergy Analysis of Waste Heat Recovery Section in Steam-Natural, Gas Reforming Process. Energy Fuels 29, 3322, 2015.
[23]	TOONSSEN R., WOUDSTRA N., VERKOOIJEN A. H. M. Exergy analysis of hydrogen production plants based on biomass gasification. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 33, 4074, 2008.
[24]	JURAŠČIK M., SUES A., PTASINSKI K. J., Exergy analysis of synthetic natural gas production method from biomass, Energy 35 880, 2010.
[25]	ZHANG X., SOLLI C., HERTWICH E. G., TIAN X., ZHANG S. Exergy Analysis of the Process for Dimethyl Ether Production through Biomass Steam Gasification. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 48, 10976, 2009.
[26]	MÍNGUEZ M., JIMÉNEZ Á., RODRÍGUEZ J., GONZÁLEZ C., LÓPEZ I., NIETO R. Analysis of energetic and exergetic efficiency, and environmental benefits of biomass integrated gasification combined cycle technology. Waste Manag Res 4, 401, 2013.
[27]	XYDIS G., NANAKI E., KORONEOS C. Exergy analysis of biogas production from a municipal solid waste landfill, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments 4, 20, 2013.
[28]	KEEDY J., PRYMAK E., MACKEN N., POURHASHEM G., SPATARI S., MULLEN CH. A., BOATENG A. A., Exergy Based Assessment of the Production and Conversion of Switchgrass, Equine Waste, and Forest Residue to Bio-Oil Using Fast Pyrolysis. Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 54, 529, 2015.
[29]	MEWS D., TOKARZ A. Concept of waste recovery, In “Strategies of waste energy use”, by Fratzscher W., 2000.
[30]	FRATZSCHER W., STEPHAN K. Waste Exergy utilisation – An appeal for an entropy based strategy. Int. J. Therm. Sci. 40, 311, 2001.
[31]	FRATZSCHER W., STEPHAN K. Waste energy usage and entropy economy, Energy 28, 1281, 2003.
[32]	SUTER P. A new guiding paradigm for waste disposal. Energy 28,1335, 2003.
[33]	LUORANEN M., SOUKKA R., DENAFAS G., HORTTANAINEN M. Comparison of energy and material recovery of household waste management from the environmental point of view – Case Kaunas, Lithuania. Applied Thermal Engineering 29, 938, 2010.
[34]	RENÓ GRILLO M. L., TORRES F. M., DA SILVA R. J., SANTOS SOARES J. J. C. , Motta Melo M. N. Exergy analyses in cement production applying waste fuel and mineralizer. Energy Conversion and Management 75, 98, 2013.
[35]	GUO S., XIAO Y., TIAN W., ZHANG Z., Energy and Exergy Analysis of a Novel efficient Combined Process by Hydrothermal, Degradation and Superheated Steam Drying of Degradable Organic Wastes. J. of Thermal Science 15 (3), 274, 2006.
[36]	TARIGHALESLAMI A. H., OMIDKHAH M. R., GHANNADZADEH A., HESAS R. H. Thermodynamic evaluation of distillation columns using exergy loss profiles: a case study on the crude oil atmospheric distillation column, Clean Techn Environ Policy, 14, 381, 2012.
[37]	NEWBOROUGH M., HIGHGATE P., VAUGHAN P. Thermal depolymerisation of scrap polymers. Applied Thermal Engineering 22 (17), 1875, 2002.
[38]	STELMACHOWSKI M. Conversion of waste rubber to the mixture of hydrocarbons in the reactor with molten metal. Energy Conversion and Management 50, 1739, 2009.
[39]	STELMACHOWSKI M. Thermal conversion of waste polyolefins to the mixture of hydrocarbons in the reactor with molten metal bed. Energy Conversion and Management 51, 2016, 2010.
[40]	STELMACHOWSKI M. Feedstock recycling of waste polymers by thermal cracking in molten metal: thermodynamic analysis. Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management 16, 211, 2014.
[41]	QUEROL E., GONZALEZ-REGUUERAL B., PEREZ-BENDITO J. Practical Approach to Exergy and Thermoeconomic Analyses of Industrial Processes, Chapter 2. Page 26, Series: SpringerBriefs in Energy, Springer. 2013.
[42]	DINCER I., ROSEN M. A. Exergy. Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development, Chapter 2, page 25. Second Edition, Elsevier, 2013.
[43]	HARVEY S. P., RICHTER H. J. (1994) Gas Turbine Cycles With Solid Oxide Fuel Cells—Part I: Improved Gas Turbine Power Plant Efficiency by Use of Recycled Exhaust Gases and Fuel Cell Technology, J. Energy Resour. Technol. 116(4):305–311.
[44]	BEDRINGÅS K. W., ERTESVÅG I. S., BYGGSTØYL S., MAGNUSSEN B. F., (1997) Exergy analysis of solid-oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) systems. Energy 22 (4), 305, 1997.
[45]	HOSSEINI S. E., WAHID M. A. Enhancement of exergy efficiency in combustion systems using flameless mode, Energy Conversion and Management 86, 1154, 2014.
[46]	JONES R., GOLDMEER J. MONETTI B. Addressing Gas Turbine. Fuel Flexibility, GER4601(06/09), site.ge-energy.com. 2011.
[47]	RAHM S., GOLDMEER J., MOLIERE M., ERANKI A. Addressing Gas Turbine. Fuel Flexibility, GER4601(06/09), site.ge-energy.com, paper was originally presented at the POWER-GEN Middle East conference in Manama, Bahrain on February 17–19, 2009.

Cite This Article

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

Copy | Download

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

Copy | Download

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

Author Information

Marek Stelmachowski

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

Download PDF

Sections

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

Copy | Download

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

Copy | Download

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