Microwave assisted pyrolysis
Plastic waste pre-treatment is currently performed to improve the efficiency of the plant processes by reducing the content of undesired materials (organic fraction, paper, cardboard, metal, glass, etc.) and agglomerating the material in densities up to 200-250 kg/m3, which will be key to obtain high-quality oils with high-yield and constant composition, as well as to ensure operational stability. To widen the types of plastic waste to be pre-treated, innovative modifications/adaptations to targeted waste streams will be made.
Pyrolysis offers an environmentally sound alternative to incineration and inefficient landfilling of plastics, producing as a result a liquid that can be refined into chemicals or fuels (condensable gas and volatiles are collected). It can handle legacy additives and harmful substances and stop the transfer of these substances into new products.
It is easy to upscale, design and adapt to operate with a wide range of feedstocks and it is considered a feasible and economical alternative to upcycle the chemicals behind low-value plastics coming from mixed plastics from different sources, nonmechanically recyclable.
The reaction tests will be conducted in an existing lab-scale microwave (MW) assisted pyrolysis set-up at CIRCE’s facilities. The industrial testing of the MW-assisted pyrolysis process will be performed at URBASER facilities. AZCATEC will be the partner in charge of the detailed engineering
