Syngas Production from Protective Face Masks through Pyrolysis/Steam Gasification
Journal article, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a heavy expansion of plastic pollution due to the extensive use of personal protective equipment (PPE) worldwide. To avoid problems related to the entrance of these wastes into the environment, proper management of the disposal is required. Here, the steam gasification/pyrolysis technique offers a reliable solution for the utilization of such wastes via chemical recycling into value-added products. The aim was to estimate the effect of thermo-chemical conversion temperature and steam-to-carbon ratio on the distribution of gaseous products obtained during non-catalytic steam gasification of 3-ply face masks and KN95 respirators in a fluidized bed reactor. Experimental results have revealed that the process temperature has a major influence on the composition of gases evolved. The production of syngas was significantly induced by temperature elevation from 700 °C to 800 °C. The highest molar concentration of H2 gases synthesized from both types of face masks was estimated at 800 °C with the steam-to-carbon ratio varying from 0 to 2. A similar trend of production was also determined for CO gases. Therefore, investigated thermochemical conversion process is a feasible route for the conversion of used face masks to valuable a product such as syngas.

personal protective equipment

steam gasification

pyrolysis

fluidized bed reactor

syngas production

Author

Ieva Kiminaitė

Lithuanian Energy Institute

Judith González Arias

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

Nerijus Striugas

Lithuanian Energy Institute

Justas Eimontas

Lithuanian Energy Institute

Martin Seemann

Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Energy Technology

Energies

1996-1073 (ISSN) 19961073 (eISSN)

Vol. 16 14 5417

Subject Categories

Production Engineering, Human Work Science and Ergonomics

DOI

10.3390/en16145417

More information

Latest update

8/10/2023