Synthesis and physico-chemistry properties of a diesel-like fuel produced from waste polypropylene pyrolysis oil

In this work, pyrolysis experiments were carried out in a stainless steel semi-batch reactor to produce a diesel-like fuel from waste polypropylene (PP). Aiming to maximize the liquid oil yield, the optimal reactor operating conditions (e. g. heating rate, batch time, degradation temperature, and N-2 flow rate) was obtained by the investigation of the thermal behavior of the waste PP using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Thermal Gravimetric Analysis (TGA). The waste PP pyrolysis oil was successfully purified by adsorption onto activated carbon, resulting in a colorant removal percentage of 49.56% as well as in the removal of the particle matter. The functional groups of purified waste PP pyrolysis oil (PWPO) and the Brazilian commercial S-10 diesel fuel were obtained and compared using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). According to the experimental results, the proposed thermal pyrolysis process has shown a very high liquid oil yield of about 94 wt%, and fuel heavy and light hydrocarbons were identified in PWPO. It was observed that PWPO has physico-chemistry properties similar to those of commercial S-10 diesel fuel, enhancing the high lower heating value (LHV) of about 43.06 MJ/kg. The work findings pointed out the synthetic diesel-like fuel as a promising alternative for cycle diesel engines, dropping the use of fossil fuels without reducing energy efficiency.

Automated summary

In this study, pyrolysis experiments were conducted to produce diesel-like fuel from waste PP in a semi-batch reactor. The optimal reactor conditions were determined through thermal analysis, which resulted in a high liquid oil yield. The purified pyrolysis oil showed similar properties to commercial diesel fuel, with potential as an alternative energy source for diesel engines.