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Investigating Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters by Genetic Algorithm Coupled with Thermogravimetric Analysis

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Abstract

Pyrolysis of waste plastic (WP) is a promising method to solve the plastic pollution issue. WP is mainly composed of polyethylene (PE). Moreover, the products of waste polyethylene (WPE) pyrolysis could serve as high quality fuels and the feedstocks of petrochemicals. Therefore, it is essential to investigate the WPE and WP pyrolysis process. This study evaluates pure PE, WPE and WP pyrolysis kinetic parameters by the use of genetic algorithm (GA) and isoconversional methods coupled with thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Additionally, three representative reaction models, i.e. reaction-order, extended Prout–Tompkins and Sestak–Berggren models, are investigated for obtaining the most suitable model, which could describe the PE, WPE and WP pyrolysis process more accurately. Consequently, the reaction-order model turns out to be the optimal method for appropriately describing PE, WPE and WP pyrolysis processes. Hence, the pyrolysis parameters optimized by GA are proven to be accurate and reliable, in comparison of calculated values of activation energy by isoconversional methods and experimental data. Moreover, it might be applicable of GA coupled with TGA with reaction-order model to the future industrial WPE and WP pyrolysis circumstances that have variable heating rates.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the China Scholarship Council (CSC) program. Thanks are given to Prof. Kinglston Soares for his assistance in the experimental work and Dr. H. Yao (Xiamen University) for providing the guidance of the ordinary differential equation calculation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Mécanique Des Fluides de Toulouse (IMFT) - Université de Toulouse, CNRS-INPT-UPS, 31400, Toulouse, France

    Ruming Pan, João Vitor Ferreira Duque & Gérald Debenest

  2. Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Espírito Santo, Serra, 29173-087, Brazil

    João Vitor Ferreira Duque

  3. Laboratory of Combustion and Combustible Matter (LCC), PPGEM, Federal University of Espírito Santo, Vitória, 29075-910, Brazil

    João Vitor Ferreira Duque

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  1. Ruming Pan
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Correspondence to Gérald Debenest.

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Pan, R., Duque, J.V.F. & Debenest, G. Investigating Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters by Genetic Algorithm Coupled with Thermogravimetric Analysis. Waste Biomass Valor 12, 2623–2637 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12649-020-01181-4

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