English abstract
The generation of municipal solid waste (MSW) is increasing significantly every year
due to the rapid increase in population worldwide. Plastic waste makes up a huge
portion of the MSW. In Oman around 70.2% of the MSW generated consists of plastic based products. Plastics contain a substantial amount of energy, thus throwing them in
landfills is a waste of energy. The pyrolysis process is the most effective way to extract
plastic waste energy. However, pyrolysis process requires a significant amount of
energy to take place. Therefore, numerous studies have been conducted in to explore
the means of supplying the necessary energy for the pyrolysis process using
concentrated solar energy.
This study focuses on designing and manufacturing a laboratory-scale conventional
heating pyrolysis setup as well as solar heating pyrolysis, with the aim of investigating
the impact of process parameters on the quality of pyrolysis products. Seven tests were
conducted using the conventional heating setup to examine the effects of the reactor
pressure, reactor depressurizing time, and cleanliness of the sample on pyrolysis
product quality. The average temperature recorded during the seven tests was
approximately 392℃. The maximum oil yield achieved was 75% of the actual plastic
used, which occurred under a reactor pressure of 4psi, RDT of 80 minutes, and with a
cleaned sample. The physical properties of the samples from the seven tests were
evaluated and compared. Additionally, a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC MS) test was preformed to determine the composition of the oil produced.
Furthermore, one test was conducted using the solar heating setup. This particular test
took place during a dusty weather, where the maximum temperature achieved was
approximately 210℃. The oil yield obtained from this test amounted to 9% of the actual
plastic used.
Overall, this research contributes to the advancement of pyrolysis technology by
examining the influence of process parameters on product quality, and by exploring the
potential of concentrated solar energy as a sustainable energy source for the pyrolysis
process.
