CPP-Plastic pyrolysis pilot plant
Description
The CPP is a continuous plastic pyrolysis pilot plant developed by Vinci Technologies. It is designed to investigate the thermal and catalytic conversion of plastic waste. The plant processes polymer feedstocks under controlled conditions in an inert atmosphere. Plastic feed rates range from 1 to 4 kg/h, with a nominal throughput of 2 kg/h. A 100-litre feedstock vessel supplies plastic continuously to the feeding system. The vessel is mounted on a weighing scale to monitor feed consumption. A heated Archimedes screw conveys the plastic and provides thermal pre-treatment. The feeding screw can operate at temperatures up to 350°C. Gases generated during pre-treatment are recovered through a dedicated outlet. A separate 10-litre catalyst vessel enables continuous catalyst addition. The catalyst feeder delivers adjustable flow rates from 50 to 500 g/h. The main reactor is a horizontal tubular vessel manufactured from stainless steel. Its internal diameter is 200 mm, and its total length is 3,000 mm. A magnetically driven rotating internal insert promotes material transport and mixing. Adjustable rotation speed allows the influence of reactor hydrodynamics to be studied. Six independently controlled heating zones provide precise axial temperature adjustment. The heating system operates over a temperature range of 50 to 600°C. An eight-point thermowell measures the temperature profile along the reactor. Solid residues discharge through a heated transfer line into a 40-litre collection vessel. Two successive cyclone-shaped separators remove entrained particles from the vapour stream. Heated transfer lines limit premature condensation before product separation. A temperature-controlled wax condenser recovers waxes and other high-boiling products. These products are collected in a heated, nitrogen-blanketed 15-litre vessel. An air-cooled exchanger and a chilled-fluid condenser recover lighter liquid products. A gas–liquid separator directs condensed liquids to a 50-litre recovery vessel. An automatic sampling module collects liquid samples for subsequent analysis. Separate gas meters measure non-condensable gases from pyrolysis and pre-treatment. Weighed feed and product vessels support material-balance calculations. PLC control and PC supervision provide set-point adjustment, alarms, trends and data recording. The modular skid includes nitrogen inerting, temperature protection and emergency shutdown safeguards.
Features
Plastic processing capacity: 1–4 kg/h; nominal throughput: 2 kg/h.
Plastic feedstock vessel: 100 L, mounted on a 120 kg weighing scale.
Plastic feeding system: Heated Archimedes screw, operating up to 350°C.
Catalyst vessel: 10 L, mounted on a 16 kg weighing scale.
Catalyst feed rate: 50–500 g/h.
Catalyst particle size: 0.05–3 mm.
Pyrolysis reactor dimensions: 200 mm internal diameter × 3,000 mm length.
Reactor heating: 6 independently controlled zones, each 500 mm long.
Heating temperature range: 50–600°C.
Temperature measurement: 8 K-type thermocouples distributed along the reactor.
Thermal insulation: More than 150 mm thick.
Solid recovery vessel: 40 L, mounted on a 60 kg weighing scale.
Gas–solid separation: 2 successive cyclone-shaped separators, each 5 L.
Particle filtration: Indicative filter ratings of 100 µm and 50 µm, subject to confirmation.
Wax condenser: 1 L total volume; operating temperature up to 270°C.
Wax recovery vessel: 15 L; operating temperature of 150°C.
Liquid condensation: 2 cooling stages, using air and chilled fluid.
Cooling bath: 8 L; temperature range of 5–25°C.
Cooling capacity: 1 kW at 15°C.
Gas–liquid separator: 5 L total volume, with a liquid phase up to 0.5 L.
Liquid sampling: 3 automatic sampling vials, each 50 mL.
Liquid recovery vessel: 50 L, mounted on a 60 kg weighing scale.
Pyrolysis gas measurement range: 0.025–4 m³/h.
Pre-treatment gas measurement range: 0.016–2.5 m³/h.
Nitrogen supply pressure: Approximately 6 barg.
Instrument air supply pressure: Approximately 7 barg.
Approximate skid dimensions: Up to 5 × 1.5 × 2.5 m (L × D × H).
Supervision display: 23-inch monitor with PLC control and PC-based data acquisition.
Benefits
* Evaluate a wide range of feedstocks: Compare plastic compositions and assess their suitability for thermal or catalytic pyrolysis.
* Optimize operating conditions: Adjust feed rate, catalyst addition, temperature profile and reactor rotation speed to study their effects on conversion and product distribution.
* Characterize each product fraction: Recover solids, waxes, liquids and gases separately for analysis and material-balance calculations.
* Generate data for scale-up: Continuous feeding and product recovery enable steady-state studies to support the design of larger units.
* Improve experimental repeatability: Automated control, temperature monitoring and historical data recording help maintain consistent conditions and compare successive trials.
