Process for conversion of waste plastics into chemicals

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the conversion of plastics to chemicals comprising in this order the steps of: (i) providing a plastics stream (A) comprising polyvinyl chloride (PVC); (ii) supplying the plastics stream (A) and a solvent (S) to a reactor vessel (1); (iii) subjecting the plastics in the reactor vessel to a temperature of ≥250° C. to <350, preferably of ≥275° C. and ≤325° C., preferably for a period of 5-30 minutes, under applying a vacuum, preferably of ≤200 mbar, or using an inert gas sweep, and evacuating the generated hydrogen chloride (B) from the vessel, wherein the PVC is partially dechlorinated to form a plastics stream (C) comprising partially unsaturated PVC; (iv) removing the plastics stream (C) comprising partially unsaturated PVC from the reaction vessel; (v) separating in a separation system (2) at least a part of the partially unsaturated PVC from the plastics stream to form a dechlorinated plastics stream (D) comprising the solvent; (vi) supplying the stream (D) comprising the solvent and the dechlorinated plastics to a solvent recovery system to recover the solvent and obtain a dechlorinated plastics stream (E); (vii) mixing the stream (E) with a recycle stream from a coker (K) to form a pre-feed stream (F); (viii) mixing the stream (F) with a coker feed (G) to product a feed stream (H) that meets the chlorine specifications for a coker unit (4); and (ix) subjecting the coker unit (4) to such conditions to obtain a liquid coker stream (I) and a solid coke product (L). Such process allows for the conversion of plastic compositions comprising PVC into chemical products that are suitable for renewed use as raw materials in for example the production of high-quality polymer materials, thereby contributing to improvement of circular use of plastic materials.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.