Hydrocracking of mixed plastics using iron on activated carbon from palm oil shell

Abstract

The main objective of this research was aimed to study the hydrocracking of mixed polypropylene with polystyrene and mixed polypropylene with polyethylene (LDPE) under hydrogen atmosphere into oil products by using iron on activated carbon catalyst in a micro-reactor width of 30 mm inside diameter by varying operation conditions as pressure of hydrogen gas range of 20 to 40 kg/cm2 , reaction temperature range of 390 to 465 ℃ and reaction time range of 30 to 75 min for each catalyst. From the results, it was found that reaction temperature of 415 ℃ for mixed polypropylene with polystyrene and 445 ℃ for mixed polypropylene with polyethylene (LDPE) were the temperature that yielded the highest quantity of oil product. The effects of hydrogen gas pressure, reaction time, ratio of mixed plastic to iron on activated carbon catalyst and percent loading of iron on on activated carbon catalyst were studied. The analyzed oil product from gas chromatography (GC Simulated Distillation) was shown that iron on activated carbon was suitable and used as catalyst for hydrocracking of mixed plastics of polypropylene and polystyrene, presented high oil product at the reaction temperature of 415 ℃, hydrogen pressure as 25 kg/cm2 , reaction time 60 min, 5% iron and 0.45 g. of catalyst. The product yield was 19.61 % naphtha, 1.48 % kerosene, 20.72 % gas oil and 32.19 % long residues by weight. The mixed polypropylene and polyethylene (LDPE) presented a high oil product at the reaction temperature of 445℃, hydrogen pressure at 30 kg/cm2, reaction time of 50 min, 5% iron and 0.45 g. of catalyst.. The product yield was 14.31 % naphtha, 8.91 % kerosene, 14.58 % gas oil and 16.20 % long residues by weight.