Process Optimization for Pyro-Gasification of Waste Polymer using Hierarchical Catalysts

The growing environmental concerns and the decrement in the amount of fossil fuels have initiated a global shift towards the use of alternative feedstocks such as biomass and plastics for sustainable energy production. These materials offer a renewable and abundant source, which can be converted into valuable fuels and chemicals. However, their efficient conversion into gaseous with high hydrogen content and low carbon dioxide emissions remains a challenge. Due to their unique properties such as high surface area, thermal stability, Si/Al ratio and acidity, zeolite-based catalysts have proven to be a promising solution in pyrolysis and gasification. Besides, zeolites can help to reduce the CO2 emission by improving selectivity for production of lighter hydrocarbons. However, the process optimization is highly dependent on many factors, including the zeolite structure, process parameters, feedstocks and reaction kinetics. Therefore, process simulations play a crucial role in understanding and optimizing the catalytic conversion of waste. Simulation tools such as MATLAB based kinetic models are used to investigate the catalyst-feedstock interactions, providing insight into reaction mechanisms and guiding the selection of optimal process parameters. In addition, sensitivity analysis can identify critical parameters that significantly affect the performance of zeolite catalysts. In this work, waste polymers were pyrolyzed in the presence of hierarchical zeolites by TG method.