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Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

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21–30 of 288 posts

Re: Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

#21
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Still might make sense when solar/wind is at peak to make it as a longer time storage? While still getting rid of plastic waste.

But of what use is that mystery oil? All current petroluem products are highly quality controlled, both for lubrication and use in engines. You didn't get rid of the plastic, you converted it into a liquid which you must now dispose of safely. The only upside I see is that the plastic won't litter and turn into micro plastics in the ocean, but since it's already collected, then burn in a central plant ASAP IMHO.

Last I checked oil was the primary ingredient in making plastic. This could be a way to recycle plastic that is not recyclable by normal means.

Re: Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

#24

If they do it via "pyrolyse" (burning plastic without oxygen) there is this Quantafuel [1] doing this in "large scale". [1] https://www.quantafuel.com/

It's pretty close to the same principles a petroleum refinery operates on: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_catalytic_cracking

Re: Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

#25
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

would you cook your dinner with gasoline?

Seed oils that are now widespread as cooking oils were originally used as machine lubricants.

Fascinating and makes sense. I've recently gone down a rabbit hole on the uses of linseed oil pre fossil fuels, but it's too gummy to ever be used as a lubricant. Do you know off hand which seed oils were used for lubricants?

Re: Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

#27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

would you cook your dinner with gasoline?

In china, its common to cook with "gutter oil" which is sewage, filtered and refined. Humans are amazing.

How do people ever consume that without immediately getting sick?

Re: Plastic to Oil – Produces 80% Oil

#29
post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm guessing the answer is, "Because you can already burn the plastic directly." Presumably burning this oil would have the same levels of pollution as burning the plastic in the first place, but also takes extra energy to produce.

Other than if you have a Mr Fusion you can’t run a car off of solid plastics. But, I assume some additional steps are required to make it usable. The site doesn’t detail the possible uses of the the oil, but generally liquids and solids can be used in different situations. The oil could also be used as lubricant rather than an energy source.

I don't know if most households have enough use for lubricants to be able to consume a quantity equivalent to 80% of the volume of plastics they're disposing of. My door hinges and bike-chains can only be so smooth. Even if it was converting it into usable motor-oil (which I doubt it is) I don't think I could consume that much.

I suppose if it's usable for a kerosine type of lamp maybe, but is it pure enough to not present respiratory issues? And why would I need a kerosine lamp?

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