Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a thermoplastic polymer, is the main raw material in the manufacturing of clear bottles used mainly for water and soft drinks. In 2022, the world plastics production was 400.3 million tons; around 6.2 % corresponds to PET, and only 10 % of it is recycled. PET waste...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: E. Avalos-Ortecho, G. Power-Porto, S. Ponce Alvarez, M. Gelmi-Candusso, C. Pardo-Martinez, G. Concha-Oblitas
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-05-01
Series:Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790825000515
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849725700057071616
author E. Avalos-Ortecho
G. Power-Porto
S. Ponce Alvarez
M. Gelmi-Candusso
C. Pardo-Martinez
G. Concha-Oblitas
author_facet E. Avalos-Ortecho
G. Power-Porto
S. Ponce Alvarez
M. Gelmi-Candusso
C. Pardo-Martinez
G. Concha-Oblitas
author_sort E. Avalos-Ortecho
collection DOAJ
description Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a thermoplastic polymer, is the main raw material in the manufacturing of clear bottles used mainly for water and soft drinks. In 2022, the world plastics production was 400.3 million tons; around 6.2 % corresponds to PET, and only 10 % of it is recycled. PET waste can only be recycled four times because high temperatures generate chemical and physical degradation. This study aims to apply the principles of circular economy to transform PET waste into crude oil through fast catalytic pyrolysis, under N2 atmosphere at different temperatures and with different quantities of zeolite as a catalyst. The crude oil was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and solution quantitative 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). To compare the test results, a simulation for the pyrolysis reactor was conducted with CHEMCAD software. The result of FTIR analysis showed the presence of carboxylic acids and aliphatic hydroxyl groups, and 13C NMR also shows presence of aromatic C–C and C–O bonds, aliphatic C–O and C–C bonds and carbonyl groups. The experimental results, which were comparable to the simulation, also show that a ratio of 12.5 % zeolite catalyst to waste PET helps the decomposition process and reduces the operating temperature needed in the reactor. There is a positive strong correlation between the reactor temperature and pressure. The highest product yield obtained was 20 % crude oil, 7 % solid powder, 16 % pyrolysis char, and 57 % non-condensable gases.
format Article
id doaj-art-9bbb1ead0a464e768e462e9123f5b35e
institution DOAJ
issn 2666-7908
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Cleaner Engineering and Technology
spelling doaj-art-9bbb1ead0a464e768e462e9123f5b35e2025-08-20T03:10:24ZengElsevierCleaner Engineering and Technology2666-79082025-05-012610092810.1016/j.clet.2025.100928Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)E. Avalos-Ortecho0G. Power-Porto1S. Ponce Alvarez2M. Gelmi-Candusso3C. Pardo-Martinez4G. Concha-Oblitas5Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial, Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, Peru; Corresponding author.Carrera de Ingeniería Industrial, Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, PeruCarrera de Ingeniería Industrial, Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, PeruCarrera de Ingeniería Industrial, Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, PeruUniversidad del Rosario, School of Administration, Bogotá, ColombiaCarrera de Ingeniería Industrial, Instituto de Investigación Científica, Universidad de Lima, PeruPolyethylene terephthalate (PET), a thermoplastic polymer, is the main raw material in the manufacturing of clear bottles used mainly for water and soft drinks. In 2022, the world plastics production was 400.3 million tons; around 6.2 % corresponds to PET, and only 10 % of it is recycled. PET waste can only be recycled four times because high temperatures generate chemical and physical degradation. This study aims to apply the principles of circular economy to transform PET waste into crude oil through fast catalytic pyrolysis, under N2 atmosphere at different temperatures and with different quantities of zeolite as a catalyst. The crude oil was characterized by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and solution quantitative 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR). To compare the test results, a simulation for the pyrolysis reactor was conducted with CHEMCAD software. The result of FTIR analysis showed the presence of carboxylic acids and aliphatic hydroxyl groups, and 13C NMR also shows presence of aromatic C–C and C–O bonds, aliphatic C–O and C–C bonds and carbonyl groups. The experimental results, which were comparable to the simulation, also show that a ratio of 12.5 % zeolite catalyst to waste PET helps the decomposition process and reduces the operating temperature needed in the reactor. There is a positive strong correlation between the reactor temperature and pressure. The highest product yield obtained was 20 % crude oil, 7 % solid powder, 16 % pyrolysis char, and 57 % non-condensable gases.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790825000515Fast catalytic pyrolysisPolyethylene terephthalate wasteCrude oilZeolite catalystFourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR)
spellingShingle E. Avalos-Ortecho
G. Power-Porto
S. Ponce Alvarez
M. Gelmi-Candusso
C. Pardo-Martinez
G. Concha-Oblitas
Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
Cleaner Engineering and Technology
Fast catalytic pyrolysis
Polyethylene terephthalate waste
Crude oil
Zeolite catalyst
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR)
title Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
title_full Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
title_fullStr Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
title_full_unstemmed Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
title_short Crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
title_sort crude oil production and simulation from catalytic fast pyrolysis of waste polyethylene terephthalate pet
topic Fast catalytic pyrolysis
Polyethylene terephthalate waste
Crude oil
Zeolite catalyst
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
13C nuclear magnetic resonance (13C NMR)
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666790825000515
work_keys_str_mv AT eavalosortecho crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet
AT gpowerporto crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet
AT sponcealvarez crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet
AT mgelmicandusso crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet
AT cpardomartinez crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet
AT gconchaoblitas crudeoilproductionandsimulationfromcatalyticfastpyrolysisofwastepolyethyleneterephthalatepet