Mixed Plastics Waste to Ethylene and Propylene Feedstocks
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Pennsylvania ScholarlyCommons Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Senior Design Reports (CBE) Engineering 4-21-2020 Mixed Plastics Waste to Ethylene and Propylene Feedstocks Promise O. Adebayo-Ige University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Sarah M. Engelhardt University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Matthew C. Larson University of Pennsylvania, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.upenn.edu/cbe_sdr Part of the Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering Commons Adebayo-Ige, Promise O.; Engelhardt, Sarah M.; and Larson, Matthew C., "Mixed Plastics Waste to Ethylene and Propylene Feedstocks" (2020). Senior Design Reports (CBE). 127. https://repository.upenn.edu/cbe_sdr/127 This paper is posted at ScholarlyCommons. https://repository.upenn.edu/cbe_sdr/127 For more information, please contact [email protected]. Mixed Plastics Waste to Ethylene and Propylene Feedstocks Abstract Circular recycle of waste plastic holds significant environmental benefit in educingr the need for crude oil feed to produce plastic monomers and in addressing massive global accumulation of plastic waste. A two-stage cracking process is here explored for the reduction of long-chain polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) to ethylene and propylene. The reaction yields useful byproducts, such as liquid fuel used to sustain the high energy demands of the process, and pressurized steam. A feed of 70 MT/day of PE, PP, and PS is assumed to be treated first in a otarr y kiln pyrolysis reactor and secondly in a steam-cracking unit for the formation of short-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons. 41% of the feedstock by weight is converted to either ethylene or propylene. Due to the random nature of cracking, a pilot plant is deemed necessary to better understand this conversion. Heat integration is explored extensively throughout the cracking to employ other process products as fuel sources. A novel separation train and refrigeration cycle are then designed to isolate the two products of interest. The process is found not to be profitable, with an Internal Rate of Return of -4.74%, Net Present Value of - $18.8MM, and Return on Investment (ROI) in the third year of operation of -2.12%. However, a circular monomers facility holds significant aluev environmentally, and options are thus explored to potentially reduce the cost or make the process profitable. Disciplines Biochemical and Biomolecular Engineering | Chemical Engineering | Engineering This working paper is available at ScholarlyCommons: https://repository.upenn.edu/cbe_sdr/127 University of Pennsylvania, School of Engineering and Applied Science Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering 220 South 33rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19104 April 21, 2020 Dear Professor Bruce Vrana and Dr. Sean Holleran, The enclosed report contains a process design for converting consumer and industrial waste plastic into ethylene and propylene monomers. The process is fed 68.9 imperial tons of a mix of low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene. We initially aimed to follow a patent issued to Plastics Energy, but eventually decided to follow another pathway. In our design, the plastics are washed, dried, extruded, and are then pyrolyzed in two successive rotary kilns. Light gas product is then cracked in a steam cracker and is rapidly quenched to prevent further reactions. The resulting stream is then compressed and finally separated to in order to recover ethylene and propylene. The plant is designed to be built in Borneo, Indonesia. It is designed to operate on a continuous basis for 24 hours per day, 350 days per year, for fifteen years of total operation. The plant is comprised of five distinct process sections: upstream processing; pyrolysis; steam cracking, quenching, and compression; separations; and a refrigeration system. Ethylene is produced at a rate of 1410 lbs/hr, and a purity of 99.0% by mass, qualifying it to be sold as polymer grade ethylene. Propylene is produced at a rate of 1250 lbs/hr, and a purity of 95.7% by mass, qualifying it to be sold as chemical grade propylene. Each product is sold for $0.69/lb. From an economic standpoint, this process is not profitable. The plant requires a total capital investment of $27.5 MM dollars to achieve the desired conversion of 68.9 tons of plastic waste per day. The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) is -4.47%. While we do not recommend investing in this particular process, we believe that the chemical recycling of plastic waste is a worthy area of research and development, and we offer some modifications and alternatives to our proposed process that may result in a profitable process. Thank you for your guidance throughout this project. Sincerely, ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ Promise Adebayo-Ige Sarah Engelhardt Matthew Larson [Page left intentionally blank] 2 Mixed Plastics Waste to Ethylene and Propylene Feedstocks Promise Adebayo-Ige | Sarah Engelhardt | Matthew Larson Project submitted to Dr. Sean Patrick Holleran and Prof. Bruce Vrana Project proposed by Stephen Tieri Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering School of Engineering and Applied Science University of Pennsylvania April 21, 2020 3 Table of Contents Section 1. Abstract ............................................................................................................... 7 Section 2. Introduction and Objective-Time Chart ................................................................ 8 i. Introduction: Motivation and Goals ............................................................................... 10 ii. Introduction: Objective-Time Chart ............................................................................... 13 Section 3. Market and Competitive Analysis ...................................................................... 14 Section 4. Customer Requirements ..................................................................................... 15 Section 5. Preliminary Process Synthesis ............................................................................ 15 i. Pyrolysis Process and Alternatives................................................................................. 15 ii. Secondary Cracking Operation ...................................................................................... 22 iii. Self-Sustaining Fuel Considerations .......................................................................... 23 iv. Separation Process and Alternatives........................................................................... 23 v. Material Balances .......................................................................................................... 28 vi. Feed Assumptions ..................................................................................................... 32 Section 6. Process Flow Diagrams and Stream Tables ........................................................ 34 i. Block Flow Diagram ..................................................................................................... 34 ii. Section 000: Upstream Processing ................................................................................. 35 iii. Section 100: Rotary Kiln Pyrolysis ............................................................................ 36 iv. Section 200: Steam Cracking, Quen ching, and Compression..................................... 38 v. Section 300: Separations ................................................................................................ 40 vi. Section 400: Refrigeration System ............................................................................. 42 Section 7. Assembly of Database ........................................................................................ 44 i. Thermophysical Properties ............................................................................................ 44 ii. Raw Materials ............................................................................................................... 44 Section 8. Process Description ............................................................................................ 45 i. Process Description: Overall Process ............................................................................. 45 ii. Section 000: Upstream Processing ................................................................................. 45 iii. Section 100: Rotary Kiln Pyrolysis ............................................................................ 46 iv. Section 200: Steam Cracking, Quenching, and Compression ..................................... 48 v. Section 300: Separations ................................................................................................ 53 vi. Section 400: Refrigeration System ............................................................................. 57 Section 9. Energy Balance and Utility Requirements .......................................................... 59 i. Section 100: Rotary Kiln Pyrolysis ................................................................................ 59 ii. Section 200: Steam Cracking, Quenching, and Compression ......................................... 59 iii. Section 300: Separations ............................................................................................ 61 4 iv. Section 400: Refrigeration System ............................................................................. 63 Section 10. Equipment List