You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience.
Javascript is disabled in your web browser. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript.
This website is using cookies.
We use them to give you the best experience. If you continue using our website, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on this website.
x
conference cpote2024 logo
CPOTE2024 | 8th International Conference on
Contemporary Problems of Thermal Engineering
23-26 September 2024 | Gliwice, Poland | Hybrid event

Abstract CPOTE2024-1038-A

Optimizing oxidative liquefaction of end-of-life renewables for high-yield chemical recycling

Hamza MUMTAZ, Silesian University of Technology, Poland
Sebastian WERLE, Silesian University of Technology, Poland
Szymon SOBEK, Silesian University of Technology, Poland
Marcin SAJDAK, Silesian University of Technology, Poland
Roksana MUZYKA, Silesian University of Technology, Poland

Wind and solar energies serve as the backbone of the renewable energy sector, and the development of pervasive recycling solutions for managing their intricate composite waste streams can be a revolutionary step towards a sustainable renewable energy future. This study is cantered around the concept of producing liquid chemicals through the oxidative degradation of the existing polymer matrix in both wind turbine (WTB) and photovoltaic (PV) panels. The oxidative degradation process is executed based on a set of experimental design conditions (central composite design for WTBs and central composite + fractional factorial design for PV waste). The effect of five independent process variables, namely temperature, pressure, reaction time, waste-to-liquid ratio, and oxidant concentrations (250 – 350°C, 20 – 40 bar, 30 – 90 minutes, 5 – 25 %, and 15 – 45 % for WTBs; and 200 – 300°C, 30 bar, 45 minutes, 12.5 – 37.5 %, and 30 – 60 %), has been investigated on process output. Total polymer degradation (TPD) was calculated, and the obtained liquid fraction was analysed through gas chromatography with flame ionization detection (GC-FID) to identify the existing chemical fractions. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed based on the obtained results to identify the optimal reaction parameters for maximizing the yields of individual narrow fractions appearing during the oxidative liquefaction of WTBs and PV panels. This study aims to contribute significantly to the scalable, high-yield chemical recycling of end-of-life renewables.

Keywords: Wind turbine blades, Photovoltaic panels, Recycling, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Process optimization
Acknowledgment: This work is prepared within the frame of the project Opus 21 "Oxidative liquefaction of plastic waste. Experimental research with multidimensional data analysis using chemometric methods" financed by the National Science Center (NCN), Poland (reg. number 2021/41/B/ST8/01770).