Modelling and simulation of polystyrene pyrolysis
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Volume Title
Kemian tekniikan korkeakoulu |
Master's thesis
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Date
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Major/Subject
Mcode
CHEM3044
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
74+8
Series
Abstract
The ever-increasing challenges posed by plastic waste demand innovative and sustainable solutions. This master's thesis embarks on an exploration of plastic waste management, with a focus on the pyrolysis of polystyrene, a common yet challenging polymer. In an era where environmental concerns and resource conservation are at the forefront, the study employs advanced simulation techniques, Aspen Plus, to understand the complexities of polystyrene pyrolysis. The work encompasses a thorough investigation into literature, model development, pyrolysis product yields, model validation against existing literature, and the performance evaluation for pyrolysis product separation of fractional distillation and fractional condensation models. A thorough sensitivity analysis shows that pyrolysis oil yield decreases with an increase in temperature and residence time, while the yields of gaseous products and char increase, providing insight into important parameters influencing the process. The integration of distillation column dimensioning and energy analysis adds depth to the study. The validation of the developed model against literature data underscores its reliability and adaptability. Noteworthy findings include significant styrene yield of 63.32 wt.% in pyrolysis and recovery of styrene monomers in both fractional distillation and fractional condensation model, with a purity of 92.91 wt.% and 91.67 wt.% respectively. The surplus energy generated from combustion of pyrolysis by-products proves the self-sufficiency of the proposed models. The thesis concludes by highlighting the model's adaptability and its contribution to advancing our understanding of plastic waste pyrolysis processes.Description
Supervisor
Alopaeus, VilleThesis advisor
Närhi, TuomasRiaz, Zubair