Systems and methods for recycling waste plastic can convert the waste plastic into a form of purified crude oil that includes one or more organic molecular species and that is free, or substantially free, of impurities such as acids and metals. In some systems and methods, the plastic is heated unde
Systems and methods for recycling waste plastic can convert the waste plastic into a form of purified crude oil that includes one or more organic molecular species and that is free, or substantially free, of impurities such as acids and metals. In some systems and methods, the plastic is heated under vacuum conditions to effect depolymerization of the plastic, which yields a vapor, and the vapor is then directly contacted with a pH adjusted solution in a vapor treatment system. In some systems and methods, a continuous batch process is employed.
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1. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: heating a container that has a plastic feedstock therein so as to effect depolymerization of the plastic feedstock;removing a vapor from the heated container, wherein the vapor comprises a gaseous organic species and a gaseous inorganic specie
1. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: heating a container that has a plastic feedstock therein so as to effect depolymerization of the plastic feedstock;removing a vapor from the heated container, wherein the vapor comprises a gaseous organic species and a gaseous inorganic species;condensing the gaseous organic species and separating the condensed organic species from the inorganic species by directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution, wherein the condensed organic species is less dense than water and is hydrophobic, wherein separating the condensed organic species from the inorganic species comprises retaining the condensed organic species and the pH adjusted solution into which the inorganic species has been absorbed in a common tank, and wherein directly contacting the vapor with the pH adjusted solution causes absorption of the inorganic species into the solution;introducing at least a portion of the condensed organic species that has been separated from the inorganic species into a settling tank to permit further additional pH adjusted solution to be separated from the condensed organic species; andreturning pH adjusted solution that has separated from the condensed organic species back to the tank. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic species comprises a class of polar organic molecules. 3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: removing additional vapor from additional containers in a continuous batch mode, wherein the additional vapor comprises a gaseous organic species and a gaseous inorganic species; andcondensing the gaseous organic species of the additional vapor and separating the condensed organic species of the additional vapor from the inorganic species of the additional vapor by directly contacting the additional vapor with the pH adjusted solution. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein heating the container comprises providing heated air to an exterior of the container at a steady temperature during a transition of a plurality of molecular species from the plastic feedstock into the vapor, wherein each of the plurality of molecular species has a different vaporization temperature at a given pressure. 5. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: heating a plastic feedstock under negative pressure so as to effect depolymerization of the plastic feedstock and so as to produce a vapor that comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the first component comprises a gaseous organic species and the second component comprises one or more of an atomic species and a molecular species;condensing the gaseous organic species and separating the condensed organic species from the second component by directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the second component of the vapor is in a gaseous state before the vapor is directly contacted with the pH adjusted solution. 7. The method of claim 6, wherein directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution condenses at least a portion of the second component. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the second component of the vapor comprises one or more of a metal species, a polar organic species, an organic acid species, and inorganic acid species. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein the organic species of the first component of the vapor comprises one or more species of non-polar organic molecules. 10. The method of claim 5, wherein directly contacting the vapor with the pH adjusted solution causes absorption of at least a portion of the second component into the solution, wherein the condensed organic species of the first component is less dense than water and is hydrophobic, and wherein separating the condensed organic species from the second component comprises retaining the condensed organic species and the pH adjusted solution into which at least a portion of the second component has been absorbed in a common reservoir. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein separating the condensed organic species from the second component further comprises permitting at least a portion of the condensed organic species to flow over an upper edge of the reservoir while retaining the pH adjusted solution into which at least a portion of the second component has been absorbed within a separate region of the reservoir. 12. The method of claim 5, wherein said directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution comprises bubbling the vapor through the pH adjusted solution. 13. The method of claim 5, wherein said directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution comprises spraying the vapor with the pH adjusted solution. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein directly contacting the vapor with the pH adjusted solution causes absorption of at least a portion of the second component into the solution, wherein the condensed organic species is less dense than water and is hydrophobic, and wherein separating the condensed organic species from the second component comprises retaining the condensed organic species and the pH adjusted solution into which at least a portion of the second component has been absorbed in a common reservoir, the method further comprising spraying additional vapor obtained from the plastic feedstock with the pH adjusted solution into which the second species has been absorbed. 15. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: heating a plastic feedstock under negative pressure so as to effect depolymerization of the plastic feedstock and so as to produce a vapor that comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the first component comprises a gaseous organic species and the second component comprises one or more of an atomic species and a molecular species; andcondensing the first component of the vapor and separating at least a portion of the second component from the first component by directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution at a first temperature, wherein condensing the first component results in a condensed organic species and separation of the first component from the second component, and wherein the separation of the first component from the second component occurs as the second component is absorbed into the pH adjusted solution. 16. The method of claim 15, further comprising separating the condensed organic species from the second component absorbed into the pH adjusted solution after having condensed the first component of the vapor. 17. The method of claim 15, wherein the condensed organic species and a portion of the pH adjusted solution into which at least a portion of the second component of the vapor has been absorbed are included together in an emulsion; the method further comprising separating the condensed organic species from the pH adjusted solution. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution comprises spraying the vapor. 19. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: heating a plastic feedstock under negative pressure so as to effect depolymerization of the plastic feedstock and so as to produce a vapor that comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the first component comprises a gaseous organic species and the second component comprises one or more of an atomic species and a molecular species;absorbing at least a portion of the second component of the vapor by directly contacting the vapor with a pH adjusted solution at a first temperature; andcondensing the first component of the vapor to form a condensed organic species by directly contacting the vapor with a condensing liquid at a second temperature. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein a composition of the pH adjusted solution and a composition of the condensing liquid are the same. 21. The method of claim 19, wherein the condensed first component of the vapor and the condensing liquid are included together in an emulsion; the method further comprising separating the condensed organic species from the condensing liquid. 22. A method of recycling plastic, the method comprising: introducing a first cartridge that contains a first quantity of plastic feedstock into a first heating plenum;introducing a second cartridge that contains a second quantity of plastic feedstock into a second heating plenum;heating both the first and second cartridges such that the first quantity of plastic feedstock yields a first vapor and the second quantity of plastic feedstock yields a second vapor;introducing the first and second vapors into a vapor treatment system; andcondensing the first and second vapors by simultaneously contacting the first and second vapors with a pH adjusted solution. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising combining at least a portion of the first and second vapors within a gas transfer line prior to introducing the first and second vapors into the vapor treatment system. 24. The method of claim 22, wherein heating both the first and second cartridges comprises providing heated fluid to the first heating plenum from a first burner and providing heated fluid to the second heating plenum from a second burner that is independent of the first burner. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising: removing the first cartridge from the first heating plenum;introducing a third cartridge that contains a third quantity of plastic feedstock into the first heating plenum; andheating the third cartridge such that the third quantity of plastic feedstock yields a third vapor. 26. The method of claim 25, further comprising combining at least a portion of the third vapor and at least a portion of the second vapor within a gas transfer line; and introducing the combined portions of the third and second vapors into the vapor treatment system. 27. The method of claim 25, further comprising maintaining operation of the second burner so as to heat the second container while removing the first cartridge from the first heating plenum and while introducing the third cartridge into the first heating plenum. 28. The method of claim 22, wherein condensing the first and second vapors by simultaneously contacting the first and second vapors with a pH adjusted solution takes place after the first and second vapors have been introduced into the vapor treatment system. 29. A plastic recycling system comprising: a sealable container having a plastic feedstock therein, the container comprising a port;a heating system configured to receive the container and to apply heat thereto in an amount sufficient to result in depolymerization of the plastic feedstock;a gas transfer system coupled with the port of the container so as to remove vapor from the container through the port and into the gas transfer system; anda vapor treatment system in fluid communication with the gas transfer system, the vapor treatment system comprising a condenser utilizing a pH adjusted solution, wherein the condenser is configured to condense an organic molecular species from the vapor by effecting direct contact between the pH adjusted solution and vapor that is received into the vapor treatment system from the gas transfer system. 30. The system of claim 29, wherein the vapor treatment system further comprises a reservoir that contains at least a portion of the pH adjusted solution, wherein the reservoir is configured to receive the condensed organic molecular species. 31. The system of claim 30, wherein the reservoir comprises a weir such that at least a portion of the condensed organic molecular species can flow over an edge of the weir so as to be separated from the pH adjusted solution. 32. The system of claim 29, wherein the vapor treatment system comprises a first sprayer that is configured to spray the vapor with the pH adjusted solution at a first temperature. 33. The system of claim 32, wherein the vapor treatment system further comprises a second sprayer that is configured to spray the vapor with the pH adjusted solution at a second temperature, wherein the first temperature is higher than the second temperature. 34. The system of claim 33, wherein the first sprayer is positioned lower than the second sprayer such that a portion of the vapor rises toward the second sprayer after having been sprayed by the first sprayer. 35. The system of claim 29, further comprising a cooling system configured to maintain the pH adjusted solution that is used for direct contact with the vapor at a temperature lower than that of the vapor. 36. The system of claim 29, further comprising a vacuum system that is in fluid communication with the container when the container is sealed and is configured to maintain negative pressure within the container during heating thereof. 37. The system of claim 36, wherein the vacuum system is in fluid communication with the vapor treatment system and the gas transfer system and is configured to maintain negative pressure within the vapor treatment system and the gas transfer system during operation of the plastic recycling system. 38. The system of claim 29, further comprising: a control system; andone or more of a temperature sensor and a pressure sensor in communication with the control system and positioned to obtain measurements of the vapor,wherein the control system is configured to adjust or terminate an amount of heat delivered to the container by the heating system in response to the measurements. 39. The system of claim 29, further comprising a settling tank and a pump that is in fluid communication with the vapor treatment system, wherein the pump is configured to transport at least a portion of the condensed organic molecular species to the settling tank. 40. The system of claim 29, further comprising an environmental control device, wherein non-condensable components of the vapor are delivered from the condenser system to the environmental control device. 41. The system of claim 40, wherein the environmental control device provides heated exhaust to a portion of the heating system.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (37)
Holloway Clifford C. (39368 Camp Dr. Praireville LA 70769), Apparatus and method for preparation for separation, recovery, and recycling of municipal solid waste and the like.
Evans, Robert J.; Chum, Helena L., Controlled catalystic and thermal sequential pyrolysis and hydrolysis of polycarbonate and plastic waste to recover monomers.
Evans Robert J. (Lakewood CO) Chum Helena L. (Arvada CO), Controlled catalytic and thermal sequential pyrolysis and hydrolysis of polymer waste comprising nylon 6 and a polyolefi.
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