Onwudili, JA and Williams, PT (2016) Catalytic supercritical water gasification of plastics with supported RuO2: A potential solution to hydrocarbons-water pollution problem. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 102. pp. 140-149. ISSN 0957-5820
Abstract
Here we report on a potential catalytic process for efficient clean-up of plastic pollution in waters, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP). Detailed catalytic mechanisms of RuO2 during supercritical water gasification of common polyolefin plastics including low-density polyethylene (LDPE), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PP) have been investigated in a batch reactor at 450 °C for 60 min. All four plastics gave very high carbon gasification efficiencies (CGE) and hydrogen gasification efficiencies (HGE). Methane was the highest gas component, with a yield of up to 37 mol kg-1 LDPE using the 20 wt% RuO2 catalyst. Evaluation of the gas yields, CGE and HGE revealed that the conversion of PS involved thermal degradation, steam reforming and methanation; whereas hydrogenolysis was a possible additional mechanism during the conversion of aliphatic plastics. The process has the benefits of producing a clean-pressurized methane-rich fuel gas as well as cleaning up hydrocarbons-polluted waters.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Process Safety and Environmental Protection. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Supercritical water gasification; Plastics pollution; Ruthenium catalysis; Methane; Polyolefins; Reaction mechanisms; Hydrogenolysis |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) > Energy Research Institute (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 22 Jun 2016 15:49 |
Last Modified: | 14 Apr 2017 02:58 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2016.02.009 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.psep.2016.02.009 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:99327 |