Thermal conversion of plastic waste into energy

A thermal conversion reactor comprising:

• one or more internal structures between inner and outer reactor walls of the thermal conversion reactor, the one or more internal structures configured for directing feedstock and process gas to rotate in a circulating vortex within a reaction chamber of the thermal conversion reactor;
• a plurality of plates, each including one or more openings therethrough, and axially rotatable about a vertical axis within the reaction chamber of the thermal conversion reactor for conveying the feedstock downwardly through the thermal conversion reactor via the one or more openings of the plates, wherein openings of adjacent plates are vertically misaligned or offset;
• one or more rotatable sweeps configured to be operable for sweeping debris from the thermal conversation reactor into an opening for discharge from the thermal conversion reactor, the plurality of plates and the one or more rotatable sweeps coupled to a same drive shaft for common rotation about the vertical axis at a same rotational speed;
• and
• an outfeed conveyance configured for receiving debris discharged from the thermal conversion reactor, wherein the outfeed conveyance includes:
• one or more rotatable sweeps configured to be operable for sweeping debris from an outfeed basin into an outfeed opening for discharge from the outfeed basin;
• and
• a plunder configured to be operable for extending into the outfeed opening to thereby forcibly discharge debris out of the opening for conveyance to waste collection.