In response to the escalating global challenge of mounting plastic waste and the imperative to adopt more sustainable practices for resource utilization, our study focuses on the utilization of plastic solid waste (PSW) through a two-stage thermal pyrolysis process. This aims to demonstrate its potential as a high-performance alternative to existing two-stage catalytic pyrolysis methods. The experimentation involved processing real scrap PSW material in a lab-scale batch set-up, emphasizing optimizing residence time in the cracking reactor to maximize gas yield and its lower heating value (LHV). The study underscores the advantages of the employed two-stage thermal pyrolysis apparatus through a comparative analysis with established set-up dedicated to maximizing gas yield. Once the operative conditions were explored, resulting pyrolysis products underwent detailed characterization to assess their suitability as a sustainable fuel source. The study also presents a practical application of the produced gaseous fuel, envisioning its combustion in an internal combustion engine (ICE), known for its flexibility regarding fuel properties. This application is demonstrated through a simulation conducted in Unisim Design©. The successful processing of real PSW material in the two-stage lab-scale experimental set-up showcased optimal gas yield achievements (>65 % w/w) with an LHV (∼41 MJ/kg), comparable to that of natural gas. This emphasizes the potential of these sustainable alternatives to replace fossil fuels, especially in the context of ICE applications. The integration of the pyrolysis plant with an ICE demonstrated promising prospects for generating electricity in the transportation sector and facilitating thermal power for heat integration in pyrolysis reactors.

中文翻译：

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塑料固体废物的两阶段热解：气体燃料生产的设置和操作条件研究

为了应对塑料垃圾不断增加的全球挑战以及采取更可持续的资源利用实践的必要性，我们的研究重点是通过两阶段热解工艺对塑料固体垃圾（PSW）进行利用。此举旨在证明其作为现有两阶段催化热解方法的高性能替代方案的潜力。该实验涉及在实验室规模的批量装置中处理真正的废 PSW 材料，重点是优化裂化反应器中的停留时间，以最大限度地提高气体产量及其较低的热值 (LHV)。该研究通过与致力于最大化气体产量的既定装置进行比较分析，强调了所采用的两级热解装置的优势。一旦探索了操作条件，所产生的热解产物就进行了详细的表征，以评估其作为可持续燃料来源的适用性。该研究还介绍了所生产的气体燃料的实际应用，设想其在内燃机（ICE）中的燃烧，该内燃机以其燃料特性的灵活性而闻名。该应用程序通过 Unisim Design© 中进行的模拟进行演示。在两阶段实验室规模实验装置中成功加工真实的 PSW 材料，展示了最佳的气体产率（> 65% w/w）和低热值（∼41 MJ/kg），与天然气相当。这强调了这些可持续替代品替代化石燃料的潜力，特别是在内燃机应用中。热解工厂与 ICE 的集成展示了在运输领域发电和促进热解反应器热集成的热能的广阔前景。