Effect of Waste Type on Liquid Products Yields and Quality Obtained by Co-Liquefaction of Coal and Waste

Abstract

The need to find alternative liquid fuels more environmental friendly and with a more secure supply, has led to the idea of studying the conversion of carbonaceous wastes, like plastics, used tyres and biomass into liquid products to be used as fuels or as raw materials for several industries. As coal liquefaction is a well-known process to produce liquid products, coal blended with used tyres and plastic wastes was co-liquefied. Coal impregnated with 1 % wt. of molybdenum was used in co-liquefaction tests blended with 50 % wt. of used tyres or with the main plastics present in municipal solid wastes: PE (polyethylene), PP (polypropylene), PS (polystyrene) and a mixture of these plastics. The results obtained showed that all wastes promoted coal liquefaction. However, liquids yield and quality improved with the presence of plastics, while more solids were obtained when used tyres were used. Coal blends with PS wastes led to the highest liquid yield (74 % wt.) and conversion (88 % wt.) The presence of PE favoured the formation of linear alkanes, while PS promoted the formation of more aromatic compounds, which is in agreement with these plastics initial molecular structure. Some co-liquefaction tests were done in presence of tetralin, a hydrogen donor solvent that promoted the formation of liquids. Tetralin allowed increasing liquids yields obtained with plastics to values higher than 90 % wt., while in co-liquefaction of coal with used tyres led to liquids yields around 77 % wt.