# Experimental study, simulation and technical–economic feasibility of an interesterification plant for hydrocarbons synthesis by using plastics and frying oil waste

## TL;DR

This paper studies converting plastic and oil waste into biofuels using a reactor and evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of the process.

## Contribution

A novel experimental and simulation-based approach for converting waste into biofuels with a technical-economic analysis.

## Key findings

- Plastic solubilization occurs at 350°C with 0.35 ethylene glycol mole fraction or 250°C with 0.58 mole fraction.
- Simulation estimates a $12.99 million investment and $17.98 million annual costs with a 5-year payback period.
- The proposed plant design is technically and economically feasible for biofuel production.

## Abstract

This work presents the experimental assessment of a 20 mL batch reactor’s efficacy in converting plastic and oil residues into biofuels. The reactor, designed for ease of use, is heated using a metallic system. The experiments explore plastic solubilization at various temperatures and residence times, employing a mixture of distilled water and ethylene glycol as the solvent. Initial findings reveal that plastic solubilization requires a temperature of 350 °C with an ethylene glycol mole fraction of 0.35, whereas 250 °C suffices with a mole fraction of 0.58. Additionally, the study includes a process simulation of a plant utilizing a double fluidized bed gasifier and an economic evaluation of the interesterification/pyrolysis plant. Simulation results support project feasibility, estimating a total investment cost of approximately $12.99 million and annual operating expenses of around $17.98 million, with a projected payback period of about 5 years.