Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives

The increasing volume of packaging waste, a representative component of municipal solid waste, has raised considerable environmental concerns. The present study conducted a detailed investigation into kinetic and thermodynamic of pyrolysis-gasification for post-consumer beverage cartons (BCs). Subse...

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Main Authors: Zhitong Yao, Denzel Christopher Makepa, Sourav Poddar, Markus Reinmöller, Michael Bertelsen, Jingjing Jiang, Jiayao Tong, Jiuzhuo Cui, Jie Liu, Ivan Miguel De Cachinho Cordeiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25004885
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author Zhitong Yao
Denzel Christopher Makepa
Sourav Poddar
Markus Reinmöller
Michael Bertelsen
Jingjing Jiang
Jiayao Tong
Jiuzhuo Cui
Jie Liu
Ivan Miguel De Cachinho Cordeiro
author_facet Zhitong Yao
Denzel Christopher Makepa
Sourav Poddar
Markus Reinmöller
Michael Bertelsen
Jingjing Jiang
Jiayao Tong
Jiuzhuo Cui
Jie Liu
Ivan Miguel De Cachinho Cordeiro
author_sort Zhitong Yao
collection DOAJ
description The increasing volume of packaging waste, a representative component of municipal solid waste, has raised considerable environmental concerns. The present study conducted a detailed investigation into kinetic and thermodynamic of pyrolysis-gasification for post-consumer beverage cartons (BCs). Subsequently, the conversion was simulated using reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF-MD) to outline a proposed conversion pathway. Techno-economic assessment (TEA) was then conducted to evaluate economic performance of BCs conversion at different scales. The BCs decomposition could be divided into four stages of <375, 375–500, 500–800 and 800–900 °C with mass loss of 51.3–60.6, 19.0–25.3, 4.9–12.3 and 2.5–4.7 wt%, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and mass spectrometry confirmed the evolution of olefins, alkynes, and diolefins. The mean activation energy was calculated to be 60.2 kJ mol−1 within conversion of <0.60, which increased significantly to 205.9 kJ mol−1 for greater conversions. Positive changes in enthalpy and Gibbs free energy confirmed the endothermic and non-spontaneous nature of the pyrolysis-gasification reaction. The products generated and reactions involved in ReaxFF-MD simulation corresponded with the mass spectrometry results, indicating that β-scission of radicals was the predominant pathway for olefin formation. TEA analysis revealed that larger plants (45000 tonnes/a) had greater revenue potential, profitability, and positive returns on investment.
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spelling doaj-art-9d4faf25572c42eab101af18d681cfb62025-08-20T02:04:37ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-07-017110622810.1016/j.csite.2025.106228Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectivesZhitong Yao0Denzel Christopher Makepa1Sourav Poddar2Markus Reinmöller3Michael Bertelsen4Jingjing Jiang5Jiayao Tong6Jiuzhuo Cui7Jie Liu8Ivan Miguel De Cachinho Cordeiro9College of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, ChinaDepartment of Fuels and Energy Engineering, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag 7724, Chinhoyi, ZimbabweDepartment of Chemical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, 620015, India; Department of Chemical Engineering, Haldia Institute of Technology, West Bengal, 721657, IndiaTechnical University of Denmark, DTU Engineering Technology, Ballerup, 2750, DenmarkTechnical University of Denmark, DTU Engineering Technology, Ballerup, 2750, Denmark; Corresponding author.College of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, ChinaCollege of Materials Science and Environmental Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, 310018, ChinaSchool of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia; Corresponding author.The increasing volume of packaging waste, a representative component of municipal solid waste, has raised considerable environmental concerns. The present study conducted a detailed investigation into kinetic and thermodynamic of pyrolysis-gasification for post-consumer beverage cartons (BCs). Subsequently, the conversion was simulated using reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF-MD) to outline a proposed conversion pathway. Techno-economic assessment (TEA) was then conducted to evaluate economic performance of BCs conversion at different scales. The BCs decomposition could be divided into four stages of <375, 375–500, 500–800 and 800–900 °C with mass loss of 51.3–60.6, 19.0–25.3, 4.9–12.3 and 2.5–4.7 wt%, respectively. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and mass spectrometry confirmed the evolution of olefins, alkynes, and diolefins. The mean activation energy was calculated to be 60.2 kJ mol−1 within conversion of <0.60, which increased significantly to 205.9 kJ mol−1 for greater conversions. Positive changes in enthalpy and Gibbs free energy confirmed the endothermic and non-spontaneous nature of the pyrolysis-gasification reaction. The products generated and reactions involved in ReaxFF-MD simulation corresponded with the mass spectrometry results, indicating that β-scission of radicals was the predominant pathway for olefin formation. TEA analysis revealed that larger plants (45000 tonnes/a) had greater revenue potential, profitability, and positive returns on investment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25004885Packaging wastePost consumer-beverage cartonsPyrolysis-gasification conversionReaxFF-MD simulationTechno-economic analysis
spellingShingle Zhitong Yao
Denzel Christopher Makepa
Sourav Poddar
Markus Reinmöller
Michael Bertelsen
Jingjing Jiang
Jiayao Tong
Jiuzhuo Cui
Jie Liu
Ivan Miguel De Cachinho Cordeiro
Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Packaging waste
Post consumer-beverage cartons
Pyrolysis-gasification conversion
ReaxFF-MD simulation
Techno-economic analysis
title Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
title_full Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
title_fullStr Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
title_full_unstemmed Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
title_short Waste-to-energy: Pyrolysis-gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
title_sort waste to energy pyrolysis gasification conversion of packaging waste from both micro and macro perspectives
topic Packaging waste
Post consumer-beverage cartons
Pyrolysis-gasification conversion
ReaxFF-MD simulation
Techno-economic analysis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25004885
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