Published Online:May 2024
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Mechanical Engineering
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJME010524
Author Name:E C Nwadike, S E Abonyi, A A Okafor and Okoli C C
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Engineering
Download Format:PDF
Pages:11
The increasing amount of plastic waste generated globally has led to a growing demand for efficient and sustainable methods of disposal. Pyrolysis has emerged as a promising technology for converting plastic waste into fuel. This project has designed and fabricated a pyrolysis reactor to convert plastic waste into fuel oil. The reactor was designed to operate at a temperature range of 250-450 C with a residence time of 30-90 min. The reactor was fabricated using high-quality galvanized steel for the inner chamber and mild steel for the outer chamber to withstand the high temperatures and corrosive environment. The reactor was also equipped with a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) heating system, three condensers, and a collection system to recover the produced fuel. The heating system was designed to provide uniform heating across the reactor to ensure efficient pyrolysis. The performance of the reactor was evaluated by pyrolyzing LPDE type plastic waste; the parameters of pyrolysis reactors like temperature, mass of yield and time of yield were determined. The reactor’s high efficiency, low cost, and eco-friendliness make it a promising solution for managing plastic waste, while also providing an alternative source of fuel.
Polymers, also known as plastics, are a major class of materials and possess a very wide range of mechanical, physical, chemical and optical properties.The most common polymer used for industrial and commercial products nowadays is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE is one of the basic types under polyethylene (PE) polymer.