Production of Valuable Heavy Hydrocarbon Fuel Oil by Thermal Degradation Process of Post-Consumer Municipal Polystyrene (PS) Waste Plastic in Steel Reactor

Heavy hydrocarbon fuel oil production was conducted only Polystyrene (PS) waste plastic and temperature range was used for this experiment 200- 450 ℃ and thermal degradation process utilized. Fractional column temperature range was used for heavy fuel oil collection 340-365 ℃. Polystyrene waste plastic was used only this experiment and experiment was performed without catalyst in the batch process under laboratory fume hood. Produced fuel was analysis by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS) and FT-IR. GC/MS analysis result indicates that produced fuel hydrocarbon chian range C6 to C25 and FT-IR analysis result provided produced fuel functional group band energy which is reflect with calorific value. It was stated that proper selection of the process parameter and make it possible to control and limited grade fuels production product distribution such as valuable hydrocarbon fuel oil and other grade fuels fraction. Basic analysis of heavy hydrocarbon fuel oil GC/MS and FT-IR results described in the result and discussion section. Produced fuel sulphur was determined by ASTM test method and sulphur content was less then environmental protection agency (EPA) level. Fuel could be used for feed stock refinery or heavy equipment because produce fuel has hydrocarbon range is C6 to C25.


Introduction
Plastic materials are present in almost every area of daily life. However, the significant growth of p lastic consumption also led to increasing amounts of waste plastics. The disposal of plastic wastes is an important environmental problem all over the world. Eu rope is generating about 15 million tons of post consumer p lastic waste [1] while the United States alone generates more than 20 million tons of plastic wastes each year [2].
Recently, the degradation of polymers into liquid hydrocarbons has attracted much attention from the viewpoint of the utilization of waste plastics as an energy resource. There have been many reports on the conversion of plastics to fuels using solid acid catalysts; especially on polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) [3][4][5][6][7][8] So lid acid catalysts generally have been preferred for poly mer degradation because of their high cracking abilit ies [9][10].
Nowadays, plastics are one of the most used materials due to their characteristics.
The world production of plastics rose to a value of 169 MT in 2003, wh ile materials such as alumin iu m, very much used in many applications for years, only showed a world production of 28 MT in the same year [11]. This fact has caused the development of different techniques for the elimination of plastics, taking advantage of this type of material. Basically, four methods for the elimination of plastics can be distinguished: mechanical recycling, landfilling, incineration, and chemical recycling, [12][13][14] although they present several disadvantages. In one way, mechanical recycling (o r secondary recycling) can only be applied to thermoplastic materials; [13] in the case of landfilling, the space is limited and most of the p lastic wastes are resistant to environmental degradation; [13,14] incineration (or quaternary recycling) is an interesting alternative because of the energy production but less attractive fro m an environ mental point of v iew [12,14]. Finally, chemical recycling (or tertiary recycling) imp lies the conversion of poly mers into more valuable chemicals or fuels [12][13].
In this type of recycling method, pyrolysis is included as an interesting alternative for the elimination of plastics. The hydro-conversion process of heavy oil and residue is one of the main processes for converting a heavy carbonaceous feedstock to lower-boiling products. Generally heterogeneo us catalysts, such as sulfide of cobalt, molybdenum, or nickel supported by alumina or silica-alu mina, are used in the process. The constituents having higher molecu lar weight in heavy oil and residue deposit on the surface of the catalyst, block the pores of the catalyst, and then result in rapid decline of the hydrogenation activity [15]. Slu rry-phase hydro-cracking of heavy oil was first used in Germany as early as 1929 for hydrogenation of coal, and two units were successfully working during World War II, wh ich were switched to vacuum residue (VR) feed and operated until 1964 [16]. In today's world, research on slurry-phase hydro-cracking processes is very active. There are now mo re than 10 such technologies that is in pilot stage. Some of them have already had industrialized applicat ion.

Experimental Process
Polystyrene waste plastic collected fro m local restaurant and it was transparent food container and food particle was stuck with food container. PS waste plastic was washed with soap and cut into small pieces fo r liquefaction process. PS waste plastic cutting size was 2-3 inch and it was transfer into reactor chamber. Reactor inside sample was placed 500 gm. Reactor set up was properly under laboratory fume hood and it was make tighten properly every part (figure1). Distillat ion colu mn was set up for fuel collection properly. Distillat ion colu mn temperature profile was setup fuel grade wise such as gasoline grade fuel collection temperature was 40-65 ℃ , Naphtha Chemical grade temperature was 110-135℃, Kerosene grade fuel collection temperature was 180-205 ℃ , diesel fuel g rade temperature pro file was 260-285 ℃ and finally heavy fuel oil grade collection temperature was 340-365℃ . Reactor temperature profile was starting at 200℃ to finished temperature 450℃. After fin ished setup all temperature p rofile and setup every part for PS waste plastic to fract ional heavy fuel production then start electrical heating for liquefaction process. In this experiment was main goal heavy fuel o il collection fro m PS waste plastic. When heated up PS waste plastic fro m 200℃ to 450℃ gradually at rate 15 ℃ / 20 min. we noticed that when temperature close to 320℃ fuel vapor start to co me out. PS plastic melting point temperature is 260 ℃ and it has aromat ic group compound also. Temperature increasing gradually and PS waste plastic long chain hydrocarbon bond was break down and fro m as a short chain hydrocarbon compound. This experiment did not apply any extra chemical or catalyst only thermal degradation process was applied. Melted waste PS plastic was turn vapor when temperature was increased step by step and turn into liquid form at the end collected different grade fuel as temperature profile wise. Experimental process showed every step fuel collection, gas cleaning process and transfer light gas into Teflon bag. Whole process finished electricity input was 3.1 kWh. Fro m experimental process mass balance gasoline grade fuel collection 50g m (10%), naphtha chemical grade collection 100 g m (20%), kerosene grade fuel collection 120 gm (24%), diesel fuel co llect ion 130 g m (26%) and finally heavy fuel oil grade 40 g m (8%). Produced heavy fuel oil density is 0.93 g/ ml. Fro m this experiment light gas was created 20 g m (4%) sample and leftover residue was 40 gm (8%). Polystyrene (PP) waste plastic to heavy hydrocarbon fuel ( fig.3) table 2) according to their wave number and spectrum band following types of functional groups are appeared in the analysis. In the spectrum field we noticed that higher wave number are emerged in the in itial phase and middle index of the spectrum and in higher wave nu mber small and bulky both functional groups are available and in low wave number double bond and single bond functional groups are availab le such as methane group, cis and trans alkene etc. Hereafter wave nu mber 3608.40 cm -

Conclusions
Polystyrene waste plastic to heavy fuel production by thermal degradation and fractional co lu mn process was used and temperature range was for fractional distillat ion colu mn 340-365 ℃ . Produced fuel was analysis by GC/MS and FT-IR. Fro m GC/MS analysis result indicates that produced fuel has aro matic hydrocarbon chain range is C 6 to C 25 . FT-IR analysis result showed band energy value which is represent as calorific value into fuel and DSC result showed heat enthalpy value. Produced fuel has lots of benzene group compound such as Benzene, Ethylbenzene, Styrene, α-Methylstyrene and p-Terphenyl etc. This fuel has also combination of aliphatic and aro matic group. Fro m the experiment and analysis results, it can be shown that a very good conversion at temperature range 200-450 ℃ for liquefaction of polystyrene waste and maximizing the liquid yield products. Thus, thermal liquefaction of post consumer polystyrene plastic waste at high temperature can be used as the first stage for converting post-consumer plastics wastes into clean heavy fuel oil. By using this technology can be solve polystyrene waste plastic problem and landfill problems in the environ ment and it could be boost up alternative energy sector as well as foreign fuel o il dependency.