A multi-purpose pilot-scale molten metal & molten salt pyrolysis reactor.

This paper describes the design features and operational details of a molten metal pyrolysis reactor. Such a reactor allows pyrolysis experimentation on biomass, aluminium-laminated plastics, mixed plastics, carbon fibre materials, etc. Experimental results on biodegradable plastic, carbon fibre composites, biomass and printed circuit boards (PCBs) are presented.•The inner container can have a sloped or flat-bottom depending on the material.•The method can be used to pyrolyse composite and pure materials.

Recycling of aluminium laminated pouches and Tetra Pak cartons by molten metal pyrolysis - Pilot-scale experiments and economic analysis.

Aluminium laminated (AL) pouch packages and aluminium laminated Tetra-Pak cartons are considered unrecyclable, reducing their otherwise excellent lifecycle performance. This paper describes experimental results on pilot plant trials to recycle AL packages with a molten metal pyrolysis reactor. The experimental evidence shows that both package formats can be recycled and that clean aluminium can be recovered. However, the recovered aluminium from Al pouches may require mechanical cleaning as the consumer's information is printed onto the aluminium, leaving a carbon residue on the recovered aluminium. On the other hand, over 90% of the polypropylene plastic layer on the AL packaging pyrolysed into waxes, pointing to excellent kinetics. Moreover, an economic analysis of a 4,000 t/y commercial-scale plant demonstrates that a molten metal AL recycling plant is economically viable, achieving an internal rate of return (IRR) of over 20%.

Economic assessment of a 40,000 t/y mixed plastic waste pyrolysis plant using direct heat treatment with molten metal: A case study of a plant located in Belgium.

Pyrolysis has been identified as an ideal process to recycle mixed plastic waste (MPW). This study investigates the economics of a 40,000 t/y MPW pyrolysis process, called PlastPyro, located in Belgium, to an accuracy of ±15% i.e. "Definite Estimate". The process uses molten metal in a direct heat treatment process to pyrolyse the waste. An internal rate of return (IRR) of 20% strongly indicates that a 40,000 t/y PlastPyro plant is financially attractive for private investors. The capital expenditure (CAPEX) is estimated to be €20.1 m or €26.1 m if the cost of capital is included. The operating expenditures (OPEX) of the plant are estimated €3.4 m per year. The sensitivity analysis shows six main variables having major impacts on the financial returns of a PlastPyro plant: (1) the addressable volume and quality of plastic waste, (2) the feedstock costs, (3) the capital and operating expenditures, (4) the revenues from the sale of the produced pyrolysis oil (P-oil), (5) the tipping fees and (6) the potential to co-locate a PlastPyro plant with a waste plastic sorting facility. For example, the 15-year low P-oil revenue price of €210/t results in an IRR of 20%; but on the 6th of March 2020 the P-oil price may have achieved €227/t, resulting in an IRR of 37%. The paper also shows that a reliable supply of MPW is available, and that reliable, accessible markets for the P-oil are available. Finally, cost estimates should state their accuracy and usually factorial cost estimates are not accurate enough to state the IRR.

Bacterial adhesion to surfaces: the influence of surface roughness.

This article discusses the current practice of using highly polished stainless steel surfaces, which is thought to minimize initial bacterial attachment and at the same time to maximize cleanability. It is suggested that this industrial practice is a misconception, that it provides no real benefit, and that far rougher surfaces could be used without increasing the rate of bacterial attachment or compromising cleanability.

Scrap tyre recycling process with molten zinc as direct heat transfer and solids separation fluid: A new reactor concept.

Every year about 1.5 billion tyres are discarded worldwide representing a large amount of solid waste, but also a largely untapped source of raw materials. The objective of the method was to prove the concept of a novel scrap tyre recycling process which uses molten zinc as the direct heat transfer fluid and, simultaneously, uses this media to separate the solids products (i.e. steel and rCB) in a sink-float separation at an operating temperature of 450-470 °C. This methodology involved: •construction of the laboratory scale batch reactor,•separation of floating rCB from the zinc,•recovery of the steel from the bottom of the reactor following pyrolysis.

Novel waste printed circuit board recycling process with molten salt.

The objective of the method was to prove the concept of a novel waste PCBs recycling process which uses inert, stable molten salts as the direct heat transfer fluid and, simultaneously, uses this molten salt to separate the metal products in either liquid (solder, zinc, tin, lead, etc.) or solid (copper, gold, steel, palladium, etc.) form at the operating temperatures of 450-470 °C. The PCB recovery reactor is essentially a U-shaped reactor with the molten salt providing a continuous fluid, allowing molten salt access from different depths for metal recovery. A laboratory scale batch reactor was constructed using 316L as suitable construction material. For safety reasons, the inert, stable LiCl-KCl molten salts were used as direct heat transfer fluid. Recovered materials were washed with hot water to remove residual salt before metal recovery assessment. The impact of this work was to show metal separation using molten salts in one single unit, by using this novel reactor methodology. •The reactor is a U-shaped reactor filled with a continuous liquid with a sloped bottom representing a novel reactor concept.•This method uses large PCB pieces instead of shredded PCBs as the reactor volume is 2.2 L.•The treated PCBs can be removed via leg B while the process is on-going.

Comparison of deterministic and stochastic simulation for capacity extension of high-purity water delivery systems.

This work presents a deterministic and a stochastic model for the simulation of industrial-size deionized water and water for injection (DI/WFI) systems. The objective of the simulations is to determine if additional DI/WFI demand from future production processes can be supported by an existing DI/WFI system. The models utilize discrete event simulation to compute the demand profile from the distribution system; they also use a continuous simulation to calculate the variation of the water level in the storage tank. Whereas the deterministic model ignores uncertainties, the stochastic model allows for both volume and schedule uncertainties. The Monte Carlo method is applied to solve the stochastic method. This paper compares the deterministic and stochastic models and shows that the deterministic model may be suitable for most applications and that the stochastic model should only be used if found necessary by the deterministic simulation. The models are programmed within Excel 2003 and are available for download as open public domain software (1), allowing for public modifications and improvements of the model. The proposed models may also be utilized to determine size or analyze the performance of other utilities, such as heat transfer media, drinking water, etc. LAY ABSTRACT: Water for injection (WFI) and other pharmaceutical water distribution systems are notoriously difficult to analyze analytically due to the highly dynamic variable demand that is drawn from these systems. Discrete event simulation may provide an answer where the typical engineering approach of utilizing a diversity factor fails. This paper develops an Excel based deterministic and stochastic model for a WFI system with the latter allowing for the modeling of offtake volume and schedule uncertainty. The paper also compares the deterministic and stochastic models and shows that the deterministic model may be suitable for most applications while the stochastic model should only be used if found necessary. The models are available for download as open public domain software allowing for modifications and improvements of the model.