Clean Energy from Poplar and Plastic Mix Valorisation in a Gas Turbine with CO2 Capture Process

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to explore the utilisation of plastic waste via the gasification process to produce electricity with low carbon dioxide emissions. Worldwide, plastic production has increased, reaching 390 million tons in 2021, compared to 1.5 million tons in 1950. It is known that plastic incineration generates approximately 400 million tons of CO2 annually, and consequently, new solutions for more efficient plastic reuse in terms of emissions generated are still expected. One method is to use plastic waste in a gasifier unit and the syngas generated in a gas turbine for electricity production. The co-gasification process (plastic waste with biomass) was analysed in different ratios. Gasification was carried out with air for an equivalent ratio (ER) between 0.10 and 0.45. The volume concentration of CO2 in syngas ranged from 2 to 12%, with the highest value obtained when the poplar content in the mix was 95%. In this study, the option of pre- and post-combustion integration of the chemical absorption process (CAP) was investigated. As a result, CO2 emissions decreased by 90% compared to the case without CO2 capture. The integration of the capture process reduced global efficiency by 5.5–6.1 percentage points in a post-combustion case, depending on the plastic content in the mix.

Effects of the PMMA Molecular Weight on the Thermal and Thermo-Oxidative Decomposition as the First Chemical Stage of Flaming Ignition

“…The increasing applications of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) in the fields of science and technology, ranging from plastics to electronics [1], are testified by an estimated increase in the global market demand of 7.4% from 2015 to 2025 [2]. An increase in the waste associated with the product's end of life is also expected, which can be exploited by means of thermochemical conversion for energy or other high-value-added products [3][4][5]. Hence, improvements are required for the understanding of the high-temperature behavior of PMMA, specifically ignition, which is the first important phenomenon of fire spread or air gasification and incineration.…”