We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polyurethane Foam Waste Upcycling into an Efficient and Low Pollutant Gasification Syngas
Summary
Researchers modeled the gasification of polyurethane foam waste under various conditions, finding that optimized thermochemical treatment can convert this common polymer waste into hydrogen-rich syngas with low pollutant output, offering a viable energy recovery pathway for difficult-to-recycle plastic foam materials.
Waste treatment has attracted much attention and, in this regard, gasification processes offer an efficient thermochemical technique that can produce a syngas rich in hydrogen. This technique has been well developed for solid waste and biomass while investigations on gasification of polymeric foam are rare. Therefore, this study explores the treatment of polyurethane foam waste with different gasifying agents, based on thermodynamic modeling. The polymeric foam gasification was developed using the best model for estimating higher heating value (gross calorific value). As the results indicated, models based on both ultimate and proximate analyses had better performance in predicting higher heating value. As one of the main objectives and novelties, the steam and air gasification performance of flexible and rigid polyurethane foam wastes was investigated and compared from efficiency and CO2 emission viewpoints. Polyurethane foam gasification by steam resulted in higher hydrogen efficiency, led to lower energy efficiency and produced lower CO2 emissions compared to gasification by air. A hydrogen efficiency of 41.4% was obtained for gasification of waste flexible polyurethane foam by steam. An energy efficiency of 76.6% and CO2 emission of 7.43 g per mole of feedstock were attained for waste flexible polyurethane foam gasified by air.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Hydrogen production from plastic waste: A comprehensive simulation and machine learning study
Researchers used computer simulations and machine learning to optimize hydrogen production from polystyrene and polypropylene plastic waste through gasification. They found that increasing the gasification temperature up to 900 degrees Celsius significantly boosted hydrogen output, while higher pressures reduced production. The study demonstrates that converting plastic waste into hydrogen fuel could be an efficient way to address both energy needs and plastic pollution.
Novel robust upcycling approach for the manufacture of value-added polymers based on mixed (poly)urethane scraps
This study developed a novel process for recycling mixed polyurethane scraps into new value-added polymers. Upcycling thermoset plastics that are currently unrecyclable could prevent these materials from fragmenting into microplastics in the environment.
Valorization of floral foam waste via pyrolysis optimization for enhanced phenols recovery
Researchers optimized pyrolysis conditions for floral foam waste — a phenol formaldehyde foam that generates toxic microplastics — to maximize phenol recovery, finding that floral foam waste had 55.1% higher carbon content than biomass fractions and yielded high calorific value, demonstrating valorization potential for this problematic waste stream.
Fuel cell and electrolyzer using plastic waste directly as fuel
Researchers demonstrated an electrochemical cell that converts solid plastic waste directly into electricity or hydrogen gas without incineration or gasification, using an acidic solution to dissolve polyurethane at 100–200 °C and oxidize it at a porous carbon anode.
Catalytic hydrocracking of synthetic polymers into grid-compatible gas streams
Catalytic hydrocracking of common synthetic polymers including polyethylene and polypropylene was shown to produce methane-rich gas streams compatible with natural gas grids, offering a route to convert mixed plastic waste into clean energy.