Abundant High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE-2) Turns into Fuel by Using of HZSM-5 Catalyst

Abstract

The thermal degradation of high-density poly- ethylene (HDPE-2) was conducted in a fiber glass reactor system at a reaction temperature between 370 °C and 420 °C and a reaction time of 4 hours using HZSM-5 molecular sieves as catalyst to obtain hydrocarbon liquid fuel. Reactions in the reactor changed the polymer structures breaking down the long chain hydrocarbons to form shorter ones thus forming a hydrocarbon chain range between C3 and C28. The gas chromatography and mass spectrometer were used to determine the range of trace mass hydrocarbon present in the liquid fuel. The presence of the HZSM-5 catalyst accelerated the reaction rate and improved the quality of the liquid fuel produced. The experiment process produced gaseous products in the range of C1-C4 .T o obtain hydrocarbon fuel, gross heat of combustion is 123,845 BTU/gal, API gravity is 53.70 ° API and sulfur contains 3.05 ppm. The liquid hydrocarbon product is mainly alkane and some alkene groups which resemble aliphatic groups and also some aromatic groups are present.