Process for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste and reaction system therefor

A reaction system, comprising:

• at least one surge hopper adapted to receive a feed material selected from shredded waste plastic and un-shredded waste plastic;
• a melter fluidically connected to the at least one surge hopper via a set of one or more valves;
• the melter comprising an inlet opening to receive the feed material from at least one surge hopper and one or more additional inlet openings to receive at least one of a solution reactant and a heavy wax;
• the melter being adapted to mix the feed material and the at least one of the solution reactant and the heavy wax, via a mixing means, to obtain a uniform mixture of a low viscosity dissolved polymer phase, and heat the uniform mixture to yield a molten uniform mixture;
• the melter further comprising an outlet opening to release hydrocarbon gases including light naphtha range hydrocarbons and an additional outlet opening to discharge the molten uniform mixture;
• a separator fluidically connected to the melter via a set of one or more valves;
• the separator being adapted to receive the molten uniform mixture from the melter and automatically separate heavy contaminants and light contaminants from the molten uniform mixture to form a purified molten uniform mixture;
• wherein the separator comprises a riser and a downcommer in combination that operates as a trap;
• the riser comprising an inlet opening to receive the molten uniform mixture;
• the riser being sized to lower an up-flow velocity of the molten uniform mixture to enable the settling of the heavy contaminants at a bottom of the riser;
• the riser being connected to a first flowline equipped with a valve to purge the heavy contaminants from the bottom of the riser;
• the riser being further connected to a second flowline equipped with a valve to purge the light contaminants from a top of the riser;
• and the purified molten uniform mixture is discharged through the downcommer and a third flowline connected to the downcommer;
• and
• a thermolysis reactor fluidically connected to the separator via the third flowline and a set of one or more valves;
• the thermolysis reactor comprising an inlet opening to receive the purified molten uniform mixture, a heating coil to heat the thermolysis reactor, a gas induction agitator, a primary zone, an optional secondary zone, one or more additional inlet openings to receive a hydrocarbon liquid, and one or more outlet openings to release at least one of a vapor phase of the thermolysis reactor and a thermolyzed material;
• wherein the primary zone is adapted to react the purified molten uniform mixture and the hydrocarbon liquid in a condensed phase to produce the thermolyzed material and vapor phase components;
• the primary zone being adapted to operate at a moderate temperature with a residence time of 1 to 4 hours;
• wherein the optional secondary zone is adapted to crack the vapor phase components produced by the primary zone;
• the optional secondary zone being adapted to operate at a high temperature with a residence time of 30 minutes;
• wherein the gas induction agitator is adapted to recirculate the vapor phase components through the condensed phase in the primary zone;
• and
• wherein the thermolysis reactor is adapted to produce dissolved hydrocarbon gases including light naphtha range material, naphtha through light wax material, and a crude thermolyzed product material as the thermolyzed material.