PowerPlast process


The treatment of plastic waste

Since the 1950's, over 150 million tonnes of plastics have accumulated in the oceans, almost forming a continent and spilling out onto beaches. Even if this famous 7th continent would ultimately be not very noticeable to the naked eye, it is nevertheless a massive pollution which, if drastic solutions are not found quickly, could lead to having more plastic than fish in the oceans (source Ellen McArthur Foundation).
The collection of plastics which will then be transformed can create jobs thanks to the establishment of dedicated recycling centers in a region. Products resulting from this transformation could also be developed (for example, carbon residues remain from which to create new products).
One of the scientifically proven possibilities is to turn plastic into fuel..

Oil returns to oil

The pyrolysis of plastic waste is an oxygen-free heating that recycles this waste into fuel and gas.

We must differentiate between the terms "Pyrolysis" and "Incineration":

  • Pyrolysis is carried out without flame and in the absence of oxygen. Example your household oven in pyrolysis mode
  • Incineration is carried out with flame in the presence of oxygen. Example your fireplace or living room insert

It is important to specify that pyrolysis does not produce Dioxin unlike incineration which involves this risk.

For this, pyrolysis is based on the thermal cracking process which will decompose the plastic to recover diesel and gasoline to supply, among other things, the pyrolyzer itself, electric generators or boat engines.
The pyrolysis machine also generates light non-condensable gases which are purified by the PTC System process before supplying the pyrolyzer to provide heat or before simple discharge to the atmosphere.

The gas composition resulting from the pyrolysis of plastic waste varies according to its nature: Source INRS

Diagram of heat treatment of plastic waste

The Biogreen and GasWash modules are both patented.

Pyrolysis Biogreen module - Heat treatment of plastics

This Biogreen pyrolysis module allows a treatment of 1.8 ton/day (75 kg/h) of crushed plastic waste.

Plastic pyrolysis is a distillation process that transforms plastic waste into fuel.
The waste is heated to over 400 ° C in the pyrolyzer and is transformed into vapors recovered by condensation.
Depending on the condensation (cooling) temperatures of this gas, different types of fuel are obtained:

  • between 390 and 170 ° C, the condensed gas produces diesel fuel (diesel).
  • between 210 and 20 ° C, the condensed gas produces gasoline.
  • below 20 ° C, non-condensable residual gas remains

This process, which does not include combustion, is self-sufficient in energy and produces approximately 0.9 liters of fuel per kilogram of plastic (For the record 1 kg of plastic represents 50 bottles of water) treated, of which 2/3 of diesel for 1/3 of gasoline under certain distillation conditions.

The gas portion is composed of:

  • Chemically neutral fuels such as non-condensable light hydrocarbons
  • Substances of a functional nature such as acids (hydrochloric, hydrocyanic, hydrofluoric, ...), ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, etc...

The Biochar carbonaceous residue will be inerted in concrete for the production of submersible plots, elements of dikes, docks or other ...

Washing GasWash module - Gas purification treatment

The P.T.C. system is a newly patented for the purification of gaseous, liquid or vesicular aerosol compositions containing pollutants harmful to health and the environment or simply malodorous.

  • Pollutants are Volatile Inorganic Compounds (VICs)
    • CO2, COS, NOx, hydrohalic acids, H2S, SO2, SOCl2, SO2Cl2, etc ...
  • Pollutants are functional Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
    • amine, amide, nitrile, aldehyde, ketone, ester, carboxylic acid, alcohol, thiol, disulfide, thioester, halogenated organic compounds, phosgene and hydrocyanic acid, etc...

This innovative "one-pot" process therefore consists in capturing gaseous pollutants in a physicochemical treatment, the liquid effluents of which are subsequently digested by the aerobic bio-purification process.

The originality of the process lies on the one hand in the choice of the reagent which combines with the pollutants to be treated and on the other hand in the final natural biological destruction or in a wastewater treatment plant that does not generate new gaseous pollution.

Installation diagram:


Horizontal tower model Waterleau/Socrematic

The process is characterized by a physico-chemical washing of the stale gas flow against the current using aqueous alkaline solutions, inside the washing tower.

The basic neutralizing agent is added to the water in order to accelerate the gas-liquid transfer, and thus increase the efficiency of the treatment.

The complementary addition of a specific reagent contributes in turn, not only to intensify this transfer process, but also to regenerate the washing water by chemically modifying the molecules absorbed, which have the property of being odorless and biodegradable.

The tower is equipped with a recycling pump and lined with inert material which promotes gas-liquid contact.

The base of the tower serves as a retention volume and as a suction cover for the bath recirculation pump.

The GasWash module can be supplied with filtered seawater because the minerals formed are of the same nature as those present in seawater. The only important point is to monitor the limit saturation concentrations.

The treatment of the gas flow by PTC System makes it possible to separate:

  • Chemically neutral fuels such as non-condensable light hydrocarbons
  • Substances of a functional nature such as acids (hydrochloric, hydrocyanic, hydrofluoric, ...), ammonia, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide, etc...

In this process the chemically neutral fuels are injected into the boiler while the functional compounds are removed with the aqueous phase of the washing column.

PowerPlast on the operational field

This gas washing unit is complementary to the pyrolysis unit to provide it with environmental security for the emission of gases into the atmosphere. All of the two modules are housed in a container that can be installed either:

  • On the field
    On an area set up near a plastic waste storage location.
  • On a flatbed truck
    Each module in a container will therefore be mobile to access the various waste storage locations. It can provide local electrical or thermal energy.
  • On a boat
    The whole will be mobile at sea in cabotage mode.
    The "PLASTIZOL" fuel resulting from the treatment of plastics will be used in part for the engine of this boat, thus ensuring good autonomy.

    It is possible to recover the calories on the exhaust of the marine engine. The gas outlet temperature 450 to 500 ° C on average for an indirect injection diesel, 550 to 580 ° C for a direct injection.

    The exhaust gases will thus be directed and joined to the pyrolyzer gases for treatment by the GASWASH module, the assembly being able to participate in the production of electricity by the electric turbine.

The advantage of recycling marine engine exhaust gases lies in the combustion of its unburnt materials and a bi-combustion of the fumes to limit the pollution of the boat with CO2 emissions.

The storage of an electrical production is envisaged in batteries.
It is also possible to envisage using this electrical energy for the production of hydrogen by electrolysis of water.


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