Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Microwave pyrolysis of Strange Things to do with a laminate wastes: Microwave Oven spinning out research innovation
Howard Chase Carlos Ludlow-Palafox

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Motivation for Recycling

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

70 Mtonnes/y of plastics produced in Europe, 58% of which is disposed of as post-consumer waste. Only 50% of the waste is recycled, the rest goes to landfill To landfill plastic wastes is simply not sustainable. It results in the complete loss of their energetic and chemical value and does not solve the problem; it merely transfers it to future generations.

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Recycling options

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

There are basically three methods to recycle plastics or plastic-containing wastes: Mechanical recycling: Remelting and remoulding of the plastics. Energy recovery by Incineration: Burning of the plastic in order to recover the energetic value of the waste. Feedstock recycling by Pyrolysis: Cleaving of the polymer molecules to small hydrocarbons in order to recover the energetic and chemical value of the waste.
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Comparison

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Mechanical recycling Expensive since it requires clean and sorted waste Not suitable for food packaging Incineration No need to sort the waste Difficult control of dangerous emissions Contribution to the greenhouse effect Chemical value lost Pyrolysis Reduction by a factor of 5 to 20 in the amounts of gaseous products compared to incineration Recovery of the chemical products within the plastic Can deal with unsorted waste
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The packaging laminates issue

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Aluminium foil (5 30 microns thick) laminated with paper and/or plastics e.g. TetraPak Used in drink cartons and other packaging Advantages: very low weight to volume ratio, long-life protection from UV light, aseptic nature, low transport costs 800,000 tonnes of drink cartons produced per annum

- Polyethylene - protects against outside moisture - Paper - for stability and strength - Polyethylene - adhesion layer - Aluminium foil - oxygen, flavour and light barrier - Polyethylene - adhesion layer - Polyethylene - seals in the liquid Overall composition 75% Paper, 20% Plastic & 5% Aluminium.

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Packaging laminates opportunity

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

In Europe Member states have to recycle 55% of packaging waste by 2008 (including 50% of metals and 22.5 % of plastics) Potential recovery of 40,000 tonnes/y of aluminium metal from drinks packaging alone Waste is already in specific locations waiting for someone to do something Current recycling processes incapable of recycling this waste

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Drink cartons life cycle Europe: 2005

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

800, 000 tonnes 40,000 tn Al

Country Germany Belgium Sweden United Kingdom EU Average 65% 68% 44% 1% 28%

280, 000 tonnes 30%

Carton Recycling Rate (2003)

70%

Solution needed
Aluminium: 14,000 tonnes
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Solution found

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Microwave induced pyrolysis is capable of recovering the aluminium from laminates waste and pyrolysing the plastic into hydrocarbon oils and gases

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Microwave heating

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Microwave radiation was developed intensively for radar during WWII and subsequently used for heating water-containing foodstuffs. Modern industrial microwave heating systems are used for a diversity of processes in the food industry, tempering and thawing, continuous baking, vacuum drying, pasteurisation and sterilisation Advantages over conventional surface heating include: Even distribution of heat Easy control over the temperature High temperatures and high heating rates Excellent efficiency in conversion electricity-heat Reliable and competitive with other heating methods
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Microwave Pyrolysis

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

The Enval process combines the advantages of microwave heating with the environmental benefits and commercial opportunities degraded using How are plastics thermallyarising from the pyrolysis wastes. microwaves when they are known to have a very

high transparency to this kind of radiation

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The use of carbon particles

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Particulate carbon is a very efficient receptor of microwave radiation Add plastic-containing waste to an agitated bed of carbon that is subjected to microwave radiation. Heat transfer between carbon and plastic induces pyrolysis Hot carbon maintains a chemically reducing environment with beneficial effect on the chemistry of the pyrolysis products alkanes and alkenes

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Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

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Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

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Envals project time line

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

1998 - 2001 Understanding of the physicochemical process. EPSRC funded

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Batch equipment

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Batch Equipment for Microwave Induced Pyrolysis

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Batch equipment

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

1- Microwave oven 2- Quartz reactor 3- Motor 4- Top feeder 5- N2 flowmeter

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6- Oil/wax main collection 7- Warm condensers 8- Cold trap (0C) 9- Cold trap (-72C) 10- Filter
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Batch pyrolysis results

Rate of degradation
40

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

30 Volume (ml)

20 500C 600C

10

0 0 100 200 Time (seconds) 300 400

Cumulative yield of products from HDPE pellets pyrolysis at 500 and 600C.

Mass balance
500C 600C
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Liquid/Solid 81% 79.1%

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Gases 19% 20.9%

Residues 0% 0%
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Results

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Distribution of degrees of polymerisation (oils/waxes)

Pyrolysis of HDPE pellets with a flow of 1 l/min of carrier gas.
6% 5% Mass fraction 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 61 65 69 Carbon number
0% 1 5 9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 Carbon number Mass fraction 3% 2% 1%

500C

4%

600C

7% 6% Mass fraction 5% 4% 3% 2% 1% 0% 1 5

700C

Temperature (C) 500 600 700

w 21.8 29 20.6

Mw (amu) 305 406 289

18

9 13 17 21 25 29 33 37 41 45 49 53 57 Carbon number

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Results

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Chemical composition of the products (oils/waxes)

Temperature (C) Linear Hydrocarbons Of which: Alkanes Alkenes Dialkenes 500 81.1 37 52.2 10.9 600 92.8 29.5 60.1 10.4 700 88 11.8 60 28.2

The rest is a mixture of many aliphatic and aromatic compounds including cyclohexene, benzene, toluene, ethyl-benzene and xylene.

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Envals project time line

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

1998 - 2001 Understanding of the physicochemical process.

2002 - 2004 Funding search to prove concept

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2002 - 2004
Invention disclosure Patent drafting and initial filing

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds (formely University Challenge Fund) 10k pathfinder Other small grants to keep project going Development of Business Plan

Victims of too commercial for research councils but too early for private investors

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Envals project time line

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

1998 - 2001 Understanding of the physicochemical process.

2002 - 2004 Funding search to prove concept

2005 June 2006 Building and testing prototype Enval Ltd. incorporated

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2005 June 2006

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Cambridge Enterprise Proof of Concept grant (DTI) Patent published Winners of 2005 Cambridge Entrepreneurs Business Plan Competition

Cambridge Enterprise Seed Funds investment Development of a continuous treatment prototype

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New reactor design

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Microwave applicator Feeding air lock Exit air lock Agitation system Microwave system

Continuous Equipment for Microwave Induced Pyrolysis

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New equipment

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Continuous Equipment for Microwave Induced Pyrolysis

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Recovered aluminium

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Aluminium from the Enval process

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Envals project time line

Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

1998 - 2001 Understanding of the physicochemical process.

2002 - 2004 Funding search to proof concept

2005 June 2006 Building and testing prototype Enval Ltd. incorporated

June 2006 Building and testing pilot plant. Trailer mounted unit that can be taken to depulping mills

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Department of Chemical Engineering University of Cambridge

Thank you!

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