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Plastic Fuel Conversion and Characterisation: A Waste Valorization Potential for Ghana

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 February 2020

Michael Commeh,
David Dodoo-ArhinOpen the ORCID record for David Dodoo-Arhin[Opens in a new window],
Edward Acquaye,
Isaiah Nimako Baah,
Nene Kwabla Amoatey,
James Hawkins Ephraim,
David O. ObadaOpen the ORCID record for David O. Obada[Opens in a new window],
D. Pham Minh and
A. Nzihou
Michael Commeh*
Affiliation:
Technology Consultancy Centre, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
David Dodoo-Arhin*
Affiliation:
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana
Edward Acquaye
Affiliation:
Tema Oil Refinery, Tema-Ghana
Isaiah Nimako Baah
Affiliation:
Comeph and Associates Ghana Ltd, Accra, Ghana
Nene Kwabla Amoatey
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
James Hawkins Ephraim
Affiliation:
Comeph and Associates Ghana Ltd, Accra, Ghana
David O. Obada
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
D. Pham Minh
Affiliation:
Centre RAPSODEE, CNRS, Mines Albi, Route de Teillet, 81013 Albi Cedex 09, France
A. Nzihou
Affiliation:
Centre RAPSODEE, CNRS, Mines Albi, Route de Teillet, 81013 Albi Cedex 09, France
*
*Corresponding Authors: David Dodoo-Arhin (ddodoo-arhin@ug.edu.gh ) and Michael Commeh (mcommeh.tcc@knust.edu.gh)
*Corresponding Authors: David Dodoo-Arhin (ddodoo-arhin@ug.edu.gh ) and Michael Commeh (mcommeh.tcc@knust.edu.gh)
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Abstract

Plastics generally play a very important role in a plethora of industries, fields and our everyday lives. In spite of their cheapness, availability and important contributions to lives, they however, pose a serious threat to the environment due to their mostly non-biodegradable nature. Recycling into useful products can reduce the amount of plastic waste. Thermal degradation (Pyrolysis) of plastics is becoming an increasingly important recycling method for the conversion of plastic materials into valuable chemicals and oil products. In this work, waste Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottles were thermally converted into useful gaseous and liquid products. A simple pyrolysis reactor system has been used for the conversions with the liquid product yield of 65 % at a temperature range of 400°C to 550°C. The chemical analysis of the pyrolytic oil showed the presence of functional groups such as alkanes, alkenes, alcohols, ethers, carboxylic acids, esters, and phenyl ring substitution bands. The main constituents were 1-Tetradecene, 1-Pentadecene, Cetene, Hexadecane, 1-Heptadecene, Heptadecane, Octadecane, Nonadecane, Eicosane, Tetratetracontane, 1-Undecene, 1-Decene). The results are promising and can be maximized by additional techniques such as hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation to obtain value-added products.

Keywords

pyrolysiswaste managementrecyclingmass spectroscopypolymer

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Type
Articles
Information
MRS Advances , Volume 5 , Issue 26: African Materials Research Society 2019 , 2020, pp. 1349 - 1356
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2020

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