TITLE OF THE INVENTION

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CONVERTING WASTE PLASTIC

MATERIALS INTO FUEL

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[001] The present invention relates to the field of processing waste material(s) into
new products, which have valuable and useful properties, in particular the present invention
10relates to an apparatus and a process for conversion of waste materials subjected to
pyrolysis reaction into different value-added fuels such as petrol, kerosene, and diesel etc.,

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[002] There is a steadily increasing demand for technology capable of converting
15discarded and waste plastic materials into useful products. This is due in large measure to
public concerns over potential environmental damage caused by the presence of these waste
materials.

[003] The total amount of plastic waste is increasing every year. However, most
20plastics cannot rapidly degrade in a landfill and thus, become a major waste in garbage.
Moreover, it is not environmentally friendly to dispose plastic waste by incineration, which
leads to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions and involves high capital and
maintenance cost. An alternative process to decompose plastic waste to generate energy and
useful gaseous products is gasification. However, a conventional gasification process
25releases tars, heavy metals, halogens and alkaline compounds etc., and causes
environmental problems.

[004] Plastic waste materials represent a valuable source of petroleum-based fuels.

Plastics have hydrocarbons which, when broken down into their substituent compounds, can
30be used as diesel fuel, gasoline, furnace oil, kerosene, or lower carbon-chain fuels such as
methane, butane and propane. The recycling of plastic materials to generate fuel is
important for reducing the dependency on obtaining petroleum using costly and
environmentally hazardous drilling and extraction means.

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 [005] Several attempts have been made to develop a process for recycling and
reusing a plastic waste without pollution, and for effectively utilizing the recycled plastics
as resources. As one of such process is decomposing a plastic waste by a reaction (a
5supercritical water reaction), which uses water in a supercritical region (supercritical water)
or water near the supercritical region (near supercritical water) as a reaction medium, to
thereby convert the plastic waste into oil and of collecting useful oil-like materials.

[006] However, these processes have been inefficient at generating higher quantity
10and quality on-specification petroleum products. They often require higher temperatures to
effectively crack the hydrocarbon substituents which, counterproductively, requires more
energy input than is generated. The aforesaid processes are not efficient and do not solve the
problems of waste plastic and problems of fuel shortage simultaneously.

15[007] There exists a need for a solution which economically and efficiently
converts plastic waste into high liquid fuels such as petrol, kerosene, and diesel without
producing much pollutants. The present invention provides an apparatus and process for
converting plastic waste subjected to pyrolysis reaction into high liquid fuels such as petrol,
kerosene, and diesel.
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OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[008] The prime object of the invention is to overcome the limitations of the prior
art.
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[009] Another object of the invention is to provide an economic and efficient
process for converting plastic waste subjected to pyrolysis reaction into fuel oils.

[010] Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for conducting the
30pyrolysis reaction for conversion of plastic waste into one or more fuels using a catalyst.

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 [011] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus that
is simple in design, cost effective and easy to operate.

[012] Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent
5from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,
illustrations and examples to disclose the aspects of the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

10[013] The present invention is directed to a process and apparatus which

economically and efficiently converts plastic waste subjected to pyrolysis reaction into
liquid fuels such as petrol, kerosene, and diesel without producing much pollutants.

[014] In the present invention, plastic waste is collected and heated in an oxygen
15less environment to generate liquid plastic waste material at a predefined temperature in a
reactor vessel (container), adding wood and charcoal in the plastic waste and further
subjecting to pyrolyis treatment using a catalyst. Thereafter, said liquid plastic waste
material is boiled and evaporated to obtain vapors. The plastic vapors produced are allowed
to go through a cooling pipe, wherein the vapors are cooled using a coolant to form liquid
20and vapors with shorter hydrocarbon lengths remain in the gaseous state. The liquid fuel is
collected in a reservoir through a bubbler containing water connected to the lower portion of
the cooling pipe and the remaining gas is burnt. The liquid fuel product is poured out
through a release valve.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[015] The present invention will be better understood after reading the following
detailed description of the presently preferred aspects thereof with reference to the
30appended drawings, in which:

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 Figure 1 illustrates a flow chart of the process for converting plastic waste to crude oil
according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

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[016] The following description describes various features and functions of the
apparatus and process with reference to the accompanying figures. In the figures, similar
symbols identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative
aspects of apparatus and process described herein are not meant to be limiting. It can be
10readily understood that certain aspects of the disclosed process can be arranged and
combined in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are contemplated
herein.

[017] The embodiments are chosen and described to provide the best illustration of
15the principles of the invention and its practical application, and to enable one of ordinary
skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

[018] Furthermore there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied

20theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the
following detailed description. It is further understood that the relational terms such as first,
second etc., if any, are used solely to distinguish one from another entity, item or action
without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between
such entities, items or actions.
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[019] The present invention is directed to an apparatus and process for converting
plastic waste subjected to pyrolysis reaction into fuel oils.

[020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the process (Figure

301) for conversion of plastic waste into liquid fuel(s), comprises the steps of-

a) collecting and shredding plastic waste into small pieces using a shredder;

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 b) heating plastic waste at a temperature ranging between 300- 350°C in a non-oxygen
environment to generate liquid plastic waste material in a reactor vessel (container);
c) mixing of wood and charcoal in the plastic waste;
d) subjecting said mixture to pyrolyis at a temperature ranging between 75 to 400°C
5 using a 5% Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and 1% activated carbon.
e) boiling and evaporating the vapours of liquid plastic waste material containing
traces of crude oil;
f) allowing the said plastic vapors to go through a cooling pipe;
g) cooling the vapors with the help of coolant to form liquid and vapors with shorter
10 hydrocarbon lengths remain in the gaseous state;
h) collecting the liquid fuel in a reservoir through a bubbler containing water connected
to the lower portion of the cooling pipe and gas is burnt ; and
i) pouring said liquid fuel product out through a release valve.

15[021] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the apparatus for
transforming the plastic waste to crude oil, comprises ;
 a reactor vessel (container)for subjecting the plastics to pyrolysis ; 
 a cooling chamber;
 at least one cooling pipe;
20  plurality of copper wires for transmission of electricity;
 a bubbler;
 a reservoir located on the lower portion of said cooling pipe; and
 a release valve associated to said reservoir.

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[022] The present invention also comprises of a temperature controller, pressure
gauge, temperature gauge, thermocouple inside the reactor vessel (container). In addition,
there is a multilayer insulator on the side walls of the reactor vessel (container) to keep the
container seal tight, and a heating element (coil) preferably made up of nichrome.
30

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 [023] The temperature inside the vessel (container) is maintained with the help of a
thermocouple and temperature controller, whereas the pressure inside the container is
controlled with the help of a pressure gauge.

5[024] The reactor vessel is preferably made of aluminium, whereas the top portion
of the vessel is made up of iron. Also, the cooling pipes are preferably made of stainless
steel.

[025] The end of cooling pipe moves through a bubbler containing water to capture
10the last liquid forms of fuel and leave only gas that is then burned. In case the cooling of the
cooling tube is sufficient, there is no fuel in the bubbler, otherwise, the water then captures
all the remaining fuel that floats above the water and later is separated.

[026] Although the embodiments herein are described with various specific
15embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the invention with
modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the
claims.

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 We Claim:
1) A process for conversion of plastic waste into liquid fuel(s), wherein the process
comprising-
5
 collecting plastic waste and shredding said waste into small pieces using a
shredder ;
 heating the plastic waste in a non-oxygen environment to generate a liquid
plastic waste material in a reactor vessel;
10  mixing wood and charcoal with said plastic waste;
 subjecting said mixture to pyrolyis at a predefined temperature using Zinc
Oxide (ZnO) and activated Carbon;
 boiling and evaporating the vapour of said liquid plastic waste material
containing traces of crude oil;
15  allowing plastic said vapors to go through a cooling pipe;
 cooling said vapors to form a liquid fuel;
 collecting said liquid fuel in a reservoir through a bubbler containing water;
and
 pouring said liquid fuel product out through a release valve.
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2) The process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said predefined temperature range for
conducting pyrolyis is between 75 to 400°C.

3) The process as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the percentage of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) and
25 activated carbon added during pyrolysis are 5% and 1% respectively.

4) An apparatus for transforming plastic waste to crude oil, wherein the apparatus
comprising-

30  a reactor vessel (container) subjecting the plastic waste to pyrolysis;

 a cooling chamber;
 at least one cooling pipe;
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  plurality of copper wires for transmission of electricity ;
 a bubbler;
 a reservoir located on the first portion of said cooling pipe; and
 a release valve associated to reservoir.
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5) The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the reactor vessel also comprises of a
thermocouple and temperature controller to maintain the temperature and a pressure
gauge to maintain the pressure inside the vessel.

10 6) The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the reactor vessel is preferably made
of aluminium; top cover of the vessel is made up of iron; the cooling pipe is
preferably made of stainless steel and the heater coil is preferably made of
Nichrome.

15 7) The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said predefined temperature range for
conducting pyrolyis is between 75 to 400°C.

8) The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the percentage of Zinc Oxide (ZnO)
and activated Carbon added during pyrolysis are 5% and 1% respectively.
20
9) The apparatus as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the apparatus consists of a multilayer
insulator for side walls of the vessel (container).

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 ABSTRACT

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CONVERTING WASTE PLASTIC

5 MATERIALS INTO FUEL

The present invention provides an apparatus and process for converting plastic waste
subjected to pyrolysis reaction into high liquid fuels such as petrol, kerosene, and diesel. In
the present invention, plastic waste is heated in a non-oxygen environment to generate a
10liquid plastic waste material at a predefined temperature in a reactor, mixing wood and
charcaol in the plastic waste and subjecting the same to pyrolyis using a catalyst. Thereafter,
said liquid plastic waste material is boiled and evaporated to convert it into vapors. The
plastic vapors produced are allowed to go through a cooling pipe wherein the vapors are
cooled to form liquid fuel. The liquid fuel is collected in a reservoir through a bubbler
15containing water connected to the lower portion of the cooling pipe. The liquid fuel product
is poured out through a release valve.

Figure 1.