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Design and Performance of a Two-Stage Fluidized Bed Reactor for Catalytic Pyrolysis of Mixed Plastic Waste
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A two-stage fluidized bed reactor using a custom Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst achieved 90% yield of pyrolysis oil and waxes from mixed PE, PP, PET, and PS waste at 400–453°C, producing hydrocarbon feedstocks suitable for the chemical industry. Catalytic pyrolysis as a chemical recycling route for mixed plastic waste is significant for microplastic pollution research because it offers a scalable end-of-life pathway that prevents plastic from fragmenting into environmental microplastics.
With global plastic production creating immense environmental pressure and conventional recycling methods facing limitations, advanced chemical recycling techniques are crucial. This paper presents details of the design, construction, and operation of two fluidized reactors: a laboratory-scale (LS) reactor and a large-scale laboratory reactor (LSLR) for the catalytic pyrolysis of mixed plastic waste. A waste stream simulating municipal collection, consisting of polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS), was processed using a custom Ni/γ-Al2O3 catalyst and an industrial G-0110 catalyst in a two-stage system. The large-scale reactor demonstrated high efficiency, achieving a 90% yield of valuable pyrolysis oil and waxes, a 2% yield of syngas, and an 8% yield of solid residue containing mainly carbon at operating temperatures between 400 and 453 °C. The resulting liquid and wax fractions contained a rich mixture of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons (such as styrene, indene, benzoic acid, toluene, and cumene), confirming their potential as a feedstock for the chemical industry. These results establish that two-stage catalytic pyrolysis in a fluidized bed reactor is a highly effective and promising technology for upcycling mixed plastic waste into valuable resources.
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