Elucidating synergistic effects during co-pyrolysis of plastics and paper in municipal solid waste: Thermal behavior and product characteristics

Zichao Hu; Longfei Tang; Peipei Gao; Bin Wang; Chang Zhang; Yue Sheng; Weitong Pan; Lu Ding; Xueli Chen; Fuchen Wang

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131831

Elucidating synergistic effects during co-pyrolysis of plastics and paper in municipal solid waste: Thermal behavior and product characteristics

Bioresour Technol. 2024 Nov 16:416:131831. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131831. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Zichao Hu¹, Longfei Tang², Peipei Gao¹, Bin Wang¹, Chang Zhang¹, Yue Sheng¹, Weitong Pan¹, Lu Ding¹, Xueli Chen³, Fuchen Wang¹

Affiliations

¹ Engineering Research Internal of Resource Utilization of Carbon-containing Waste with Carbon Neutrality, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Engineering Research Internal of Coal Gasification, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China.
² Engineering Research Internal of Resource Utilization of Carbon-containing Waste with Carbon Neutrality, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Engineering Research Internal of Coal Gasification, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China. Electronic address: lftang@ecust.edu.cn.
³ Engineering Research Internal of Resource Utilization of Carbon-containing Waste with Carbon Neutrality, Ministry of Education, Shanghai 200237, PR China; Shanghai Engineering Research Internal of Coal Gasification, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, PR China. Electronic address: cxl@ecust.edu.cn.

PMID: 39551392
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.131831

Abstract

Plastics and paper are common components of municipal solid waste (MSW), making an in-depth understanding of their interactions essential for MSW thermal conversion. In this study, the co-pyrolysis behavior of plastic and paper was investigated. Firstly, the thermal decomposition characteristics were analyzed. Secondly, the pyrolytic behavior was elucidated in a fixed-bed reactor. Thirdly, the impact of plastic melting on co-pyrolysis was clarified. Results indicated that the thermal decomposition was accelerated between 250 °C and 283 °C, while temperatures above 400 °C resulted in inhibition. During fixed-bed pyrolysis, char yields (70.7-16.9 %) were increased by 4.0 %-12.7 %. This increase was mainly due to plastic melting, which contributed 8.6 % and increased aliphatic carbon content. Besides, PVC and PET exhibited a broader melting range > 500 °C. Bio-oil yields (25.5-70.6 %) were reduced by 3.4 %-12.4 %, primarily affecting aliphatic compositions. Gas yields (3.8-6.5 %) were reduced < 400 °C but increased with temperature, involving primarily H₂, CH₄, C₂H₄, and C₂H₆.

Keywords: Co-pyrolysis; Fixed-bed reactor; Paper; Plastics; Pyrolytic properties.