Method for Converting Waste Plastic to Lower-Molecular Weight Hydrocarbons, Particularly Hydrocarbon Fuel Materials, and the Hydrocarbon Material Produced Thereby

Abstract

A method produces a hydrocarbonaceous fluid (a liquid mixture of hydrocarbons, or in other words a mixture of hydrocarbons which is liquid at ambient room temperature and atmospheric pressure), which functionally is a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, from a feed of waste plastic. The method comprises in broad embodiments the steps of: (step 1) melting a feed of substantially solid waste plastic in an aerobic atmosphere (for instance, air) whereby a waste-plastic melt is produced; (step 2) distilling at least a portion of the waste-plastic melt whereby a hydrocarbonaceous distillate is produced; and (step 3) collecting the hydrocarbonaceous distillate. That distillate is generally referred to above as a condensate. In some preferred embodiments, the method includes the step of commutating the feed of substantially solid waste plastic into pieces substantially no greater than about 1.5 cm2 prior to step 1. In preferred embodiments, the method includes the step of adding an effective amount of a cracking catalyst to the waste plastic prior to step 2.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.