CIRCULAR ECONOMY FOR PLASTIC WASTE TO POLYTHYLENE VIA REFINERY CRUDE UNIT

摘要

Provided is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into a feedstock for polyethylene polymerization. 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 then separated into offgas, a pyrolysis oil comprising a naphtha/diesel/heavy fraction, and char. The pyrolysis oil is passed to a crude unit in a refinery from which a naphtha fraction (C₅-C₈), or a propane and butane (C₃-C₄) fraction, is recovered. The naphtha fraction, or propane and butane (C₃-C₄) fraction, is then passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production.