Yunardi Yunardi, Annisa Farahiyah, Nur Aini, Mukramah Yusuf, Mutia Reza, Novi Sylvia, Johann Fellner
This simulation study investigates the conversion of plastic waste into fuel through pyrolysis, using Aspen Plus v. 11 modelling software. A systematic analysis was conducted on three types of plastics-high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS)-at temperatures ranging from 400 to 800℃, both with and without Al2O3 catalysts to enhance conversion efficiency. The modelling results indicate that elevated temperatures significantly improve pyrolysis yields, with a temperature of 800℃ yielding optimal results for all polymer types. Among the three plastics tested, HDPE demonstrated the highest liquid yield at 69.18%, while PS exhibited the greatest char formation at 32.23%, attributable to its aromatic structure. The Al2O3 catalyst effectively reduced the reaction temperature requirements and enhanced the yields of liquid and gas products, thereby improving overall process efficiency. Notably, the catalyst had the most significant impact on PS conversion, with liquid yields increasing from 52.64% to 67.09%. The gas composition was predominantly C3H8 and C4H10, characteristic of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). At the same time, the oil products mainly consisted of heavy hydrocarbons (C28H56, C16H32, C8H16), categorising them as heavy pyrolysis oil similar to fuel oil. PP exhibited the highest heating value, closely resembling that of heavy fuel oil. These simulation results suggest that catalytic pyrolysis technology is a promising approach to managing plastic waste while producing valuable hydrocarbon fuels for industrial applications. However, experimental validation is required to confirm these computational predictions. ©2025 The authors.
Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Banda Aceh, 23111, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Kalimantan Institute of Technology, Balikpapan, 76127, Indonesia; Department of Chemical Engineering, Universitas Malikussaleh, Lhokseumawe, 24355, Indonesia; Institute for Water Quality and Resource Management, Vienna University of Technology, Vienna, 1040, Austria
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