System and method for generating electricity using pyrolysis of plastics

A system for generating electricity comprising:

• a pyrolysis reactor comprising a pyrolysis input and a pyrolysis output, and configured to receive an organic material into the pyrolysis input and produce a pyrolysis fluid at the pyrolysis output;
• a fluid separator device comprising a separator input and a plurality of separator outputs, wherein the separator input is coupled to the pyrolysis output and configured to receive the pyrolysis fluid and to separate the pyrolysis fluid into a plurality of sub-mixtures of fluids, wherein each sub-mixture is provided via a respective separator output of the plurality of separator outputs, and wherein the separator additionally comprises at least one of an output for light combustion fluid adapted for internal combustion engine and an output for heavy combustion fluid adapted for external combustion engine;
• at least one fuel-cell device, each fuel-cell device comprising a fuel-cell input coupled to a respective separator output, and an electricity output;
• at least one of:
• an internal combustion electric generator comprising:
• a generator of electricity mechanically coupled to an internal combustion engine coupled to an output of the separator for receiving fuel;
• and
• an external combustion electric generator comprising:
• a generator of electricity mechanically coupled to a steam boiler thermally coupled to a combustion chamber coupled to an output of the separator for receiving fuel;
• and
• a controller controllably coupled to the pyrolysis reactor, the fluid separator device, and the at least one fuel-cell device, and to at least one of the separator output for light combustion fluid, the separator output for heavy combustion fluid, the internal combustion electric generator, and the external combustion electric generator, and comprising an input for receiving at least one of:
• a signal representing a demand for electric power;
• a signal representing cost of operating at least one of the pyrolysis reactor and the at least one fuel-cell device;
• and
• a signal representing minimum price of electric power;
• and
• wherein the controller determines flow of plastic materials into the pyrolysis input, and flow of sub-mixtures of hydrocarbons into each fuel-cell device, wherein each of the flows are determined according to at least one of:
• the signal representing demand for electric power;
• the signal representing cost of operating at least one of the pyrolysis reactor and the fuel-cell device;
• and
• the signal representing minimum price of electric power.