Conversion of low-density polyethylene plastic waste into valuable fuels using fly ash as a catalyst

Abstract

Waste management of used plastic bags and fuel oil fly ash, which turn out to be one of the major causes of environmental pollution, is imperative to contribute toward sustainable development. In this study, waste low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic was pyrolyzed using a batch reactor along with a fuel oil fly ash catalyst, which is considered an efficient catalyst to transform heavy hydrocarbons into lighter hydrocarbons such as kerosene oil and diesel. A range of operating temperatures (450 °C, 500 °C, 550 °C, and 600 °C) and catalyst loadings (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) were investigated. Both aliphatic (saturated and unsaturated) and aromatic hydrocarbons were present in the oil product. The gross calorific value (GCV) of liquid oil was analyzed to assess the quality of fuel produced at different temperatures and catalyst loadings. The findings indicate that the conversion of this waste into oil through pyrolysis has the potential to be commercialized to address the environmental and energy crises. The liquid oil thus produced can be used for transportation fuel and industrial uses with minor post-processing and blending with conventional fuel such as diesel.