Methods and systems for converting plastic to fuel

#Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to perform mechanical work in a controlled manner. At least some fuels presently used undergo combustion, a redox reaction in which a combustible substance releases energy after it ignites and reacts with the oxygen in the air. Other processes used to convert fuel into energy include various other exothermic chemical reactions and nuclear reactions, such as nuclear fission or nuclear fusion. Fuels are also used in the cells of organisms in a process known as cellular respiration, where organic molecules are oxidized to release usable energy. Hydrocarbons are the most common source of fuel presently used, but other substances, including radioactive metals, are also utilized.

#While there are methods currently available for generating fuel, there are drawbacks to such methods. For instance, methods presently available may require a considerable amount of energy to produce fuel.

#The disclosure provides methods and systems for the conversion of waste plastic to lower molecular weight hydrocarbon materials, particularly valuable hydrocarbon materials such as hydrocarbon fuel materials. Methods and systems of the disclosure provide for the decomposition of hydrocarbon polymers of waste plastics, which can have a high molecular weights (i.e., long carbon-chain lengths), to lower molecular-weight hydrocarbons (i.e., shorter carbon-chain lengths) that may be useful as fuels.

#The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. A better understanding of the features and advantages of the disclosure will be obtained by reference to the following detailed description that sets forth illustrative embodiments, in which the principles of the invention are utilized, and the accompanying drawings of which:

#FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a method for generating volatiles from waste plastic.

#FIG. 2 provides an example metal elemental analysis of waste plastic feedstocks for several common types of plastic found in waste plastics. As a reference, the elemental composition of a standard source (e.g., high purity plastic obtained from a chemical supply company) of each type of plastic analyzed is shown.

#While various embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes, and substitutions may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the invention. It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed.

#Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. As used in this specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Any reference to “or” herein is intended to encompass “and/or” unless otherwise stated.

#Whenever the term “at least,” “greater than,” or “greater than or equal to” precedes the first numerical value in a series of two or more numerical values, the term “at least,” “greater than” or “greater than or equal to” applies to each of the numerical values in that series of numerical values. For example, greater than or equal to 1, 2, or 3 is equivalent to greater than or equal to 1, greater than or equal to 2, or greater than or equal to 3.