A pyrolysis method and system are provided that utilizes a hydrogen gas or steam in order to enhance the pyrolysis oils produced from recycled plastic wastes. More particularly, the disclosed pyrolysis method and system may be configured to co-feed a hydrogen gas or steam and various types of waste plastics, including post-customer and post-industrial wastes, into a pyrolysis unit and thereby produce desirable pyrolysis oils.

Process for feeding plastic material, e.g. a plastic waste, to a processor such as a thermochemical reactor, e.g. a pyrolysis reactor. The process comprises an optional shredder or disintegrator (1), a conveying system (2), a feed hopper (3) with a lock hopper or rotary valve, a melting tank (6) with an agitator (5) followed by a melt pump (7) for the delivery of molten plastic to the processor. The advantage of the current process includes the ability to supply a consistent, metered flow to the processor, independent of the recycled plastic's melt properties, or the form or particle size and distribution of the plastic material.

A process for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste and reaction system therefor is provided. The process includes frequentatively thermolyzing of high molecular weight hydrocarbons such as plastic waste to produce useful medium molecular weight hydrocarbons and low molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process utilizes low molecular weight hydrocarbons as solution reactants which helps in reducing the viscosity of the material for more effective heat transfer. The process also includes addition of one or more low molecular weight olefins and solution reactants to high molecular weight hydrocarbons to augment the free radical environment. The process also includes hydrogenating and oxidizing the high molecular weight hydrocarbons. The process enables production of the useful, predominantly hydrocarbon materials such as waxes, lube oil base-stocks, refinery feedstocks, intermediates or fuel additives. The present invention also provides a reaction system comprising thermolysis reactor including a primary zone and an optional secondary zone for production of useful hydrocarbon materials from plastic waste.

Commercially beneficial carbon-containing fractions can be recovered from hydrothermal liquefaction reactions in various types of processors. Feedstock slurry from waste solids is placed into a pressurized processor where it is maintained at temperature and pressure for a predetermined period. On discharge from the processor the processed discharge is separated into liquid and solid fractions. Gaseous fractions including carbon dioxide can also be removed or off-taken from the processor. New molecular structures are created in this reaction, resulting in fractions including biogas, biofuels, biosolids and biocrude. Silica, phosphates, potash and low concentration nitrogen based fertilizer, along with carbonaceous material can also be recovered.

Provided in one embodiment is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene, and passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a pyrolysis oil and optionally wax comprising a naphtha/diesel and heavy fraction, and char. The pyrolysis oil and wax is passed to a refinery FCC unit from which a liquid petroleum gas C.sub.3-C.sub.5 olefin/paraffin mixture fraction is recovered. The liquid petroleum gas C.sub.3-C.sub.5 olefin/paraffin mixture fraction is passed to a refinery alkylation unit, with a propane and butane fraction recovered from the alkylation unit. The propane and butane fraction is then passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production. In another embodiment, a naphtha fraction (C.sub.5-C.sub.8) is recovered from the alkylation unit and passed to the steam cracker. In another embodiment, a propane/propylene fraction (C.sub.3-C.sub.3.sup.=) is recovered from the FCC and passed to the steam cracker.

Provided is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization or for normal alpha olefins. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene and then passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a naphtha/diesel fraction, a heavy fraction, and char. The naphtha/diesel fraction is passed to a crude unit in a refinery from which is recovered a straight run naphtha fraction (C.sub.5-C.sub.8) or a propane/butane (C.sub.3-C.sub.4) fraction. The straight run naphtha fraction, or propane and butane (C.sub.3-C.sub.4) fraction, is passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production. The ethylene is converted to normal alpha olefin and/or polyethylene. Also, a heavy fraction from the pyrolysis reactor can be combined with a heavy fraction of normal alpha olefin stream recovered from the steam cracker. The combined heavy fraction and heavy fraction of normal alpha olefin stream can be passed to a wax hydrogenation zone to produce wax.

A continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polypropylene polymerization is provided. The process integrates refinery operations to provide an effective and efficient recycle process. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and polypropylene and then passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a naphtha/diesel fraction, a heavy fraction, and char. The naphtha/diesel fraction is passed to a refinery FCC unit, from which is recovered a liquid petroleum gas C.sub.3 olefin/paraffin mixture. The C.sub.3 paraffins and C.sub.3 olefins are separated into different fractions with a propane/propylene splitter. The C.sub.3 olefin fraction is passed to a propylene polymerization reactor. The C.sub.3 paraffin fraction is optionally passed to a dehydrogenation unit to produce additional propylene and then the resulting C.sub.3 olefin is passed to a propylene polymerization reactor. The heavy fraction of pyrolyzed oil is passed to an isomerization dewaxing unit to produce a lubricating base oil.

Processes for producing alcohols from biomass are provided. The processes utilize supercritical methanol to depolymerize biomass with subsequent conversion to a mixture of alcohols. In particular the disclosure relates to continuous processes which produce high yields of alcohols through recycling gases and further employ dual reactor configurations which improve overall alcohol yields. Processes for producing higher ethers and olefins from the so-formed alcohols, through alcohol coupling and subsequent dehydration are also provided. The resulting distillate range ethers and olefins are useful as components in liquid fuels, such as diesel and jet fuel.

The present invention provides methods and an apparatuses for converting polymeric material into hydrocarbon products.

Processes and systems for making recycle content hydrocarbons, including olefins, from recycled waste material. Recycle waste material may be pyrolyzed to form recycle content pyrolysis oil composition (r-pyoil), at least a portion of which may then be cracked to form a recycle content olefin composition (r-olefin). The r- olefin may then be further separated into product streams in a separation zone downstream of the cracker furnace. In some cases, presence of recycle content hydrocarbons may facilitate more efficient operation of one or more distillation columns in the separation zone, including the demethanizer.