A new strategy for using lint-microfibers generated from clothes dryer as a sustainable source of renewable energy

Lint-microfibers (LMs) generated during clothes drying are classified as primarymicroplastics and consist mainly of cotton, polyester and lignin. This research aims to convert LMFs into energy products using a pyrolysis treatment. The pyrolysis experiments were performed using a pilot pyrolysis plant. SEM-EDS was used to observe themorphology and elemental composition of the feedstock and the obtained biochar, while a digital unit of Instantaneous Gas analyzer and Gas chromatography (GC) were used to observe the concentration of O-2, N-2, CO2, CO, H-2, CH4 gases during the whole conversion process. Finally, a simple mathematical model was developed to evaluate the economic and environmental performance of the suggested strategy based on the LMFs generated by one million persons. Based on the results of the developed model and yield of pyrolysis process, around 45 tons of LMFs are generated by one million persons annually and this amount is enough to produce 13.8 tons of oil (similar to 31%), 21.5 tons of gas (47.7%), and 9.7 ton of char (21.6%) with estimated profitability of 120,400$ and reduction in carbon footprint estimated at -42,039,000kg CO2-eq/t of LMFs. (C) 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

The study aimed to convert lint-microfibers (LMs) into energy products through pyrolysis treatment. Experimental observations were made on morphology, elemental composition, and gas concentrations, and a mathematical model was developed to assess the economic and environmental performance of the strategy.