LAPSE:2023.24792
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.24792
Chemical Recycling of WEEE Plastics—Production of High Purity Monocyclic Aromatic Chemicals
March 28, 2023
Abstract
More than 200 kg real waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) shredder residues from a German dismantling plant were treated at 650 °C in a demonstration scale thermochemical conversion plant. The focus within this work was the generation, purification, and analysis of pyrolysis oil. Subsequent filtration and fractional distillation were combined to yield basic chemicals in high purity. By means of fractional distillation, pure monocyclic aromatic fractions containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX aromatics) as well as styrene and α-methyl styrene were isolated for chemical recycling. Mass balances were determined, and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as well as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements provided data on the purity and halogen content of each fraction. This work shows that thermochemical conversion and the subsequent refining by fractional distillation is capable of recycling WEEE shredder residues, producing pure BTEX and other monocyclic aromatic fractions. A significant decrease of halogen content (up to 99%) was achieved with the applied methods.
More than 200 kg real waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) shredder residues from a German dismantling plant were treated at 650 °C in a demonstration scale thermochemical conversion plant. The focus within this work was the generation, purification, and analysis of pyrolysis oil. Subsequent filtration and fractional distillation were combined to yield basic chemicals in high purity. By means of fractional distillation, pure monocyclic aromatic fractions containing benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX aromatics) as well as styrene and α-methyl styrene were isolated for chemical recycling. Mass balances were determined, and gas chromatography−mass spectrometry (GC-MS) as well as energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) measurements provided data on the purity and halogen content of each fraction. This work shows that thermochemical conversion and the subsequent refining by fractional distillation is capable of recycling WEEE shredder residues, producing pure BTEX and other monocyclic aromatic fractions. A significant decrease of halogen content (up to 99%) was achieved with the applied methods.
Record ID
Keywords
chemical recycling, dehalogenation, oil upgrading, pyrolysis, recovery of aromatics, WEEE
Subject
Suggested Citation
Rieger T, Oey JC, Palchyk V, Hofmann A, Franke M, Hornung A. Chemical Recycling of WEEE Plastics—Production of High Purity Monocyclic Aromatic Chemicals. (2023). LAPSE:2023.24792
Author Affiliations
Rieger T: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Oey JC: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Palchyk V: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Hofmann A: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Franke M: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany [ORCID]
Hornung A: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK [ORCID]
Oey JC: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Palchyk V: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Hofmann A: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany
Franke M: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany [ORCID]
Hornung A: Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology UMSICHT, Institute Branch Sulzbach-Rosenberg, An der Maxhütte 1, 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenberg, Germany; School of Chemical Engineering, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK [ORCID]
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
9
Issue
3
First Page
530
Year
2021
Publication Date
2021-03-16
ISSN
2227-9717
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Original Submission
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PII: pr9030530, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2023.24792
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https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9030530
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Mar 28, 2023
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