A Brief Discussion on the Advantages of Power Generation Using Waste Plastic Pyrolysis Gas
Power generation using waste plastic pyrolysis gas is an innovative technology that converts “white pollution” into valuable energy. It delivers significant environmental benefits while improving economic returns, and is well aligned with China’s goals for green and sustainable industrial development.
I. Core Advantages
1. Significant Environmental Benefits
This technology greatly reduces the amount of plastic waste sent to landfills, thereby lowering pollution risks to soil and groundwater. At the same time, it provides a chemical recycling solution for mixed, contaminated, and low-value plastics that are difficult to recycle mechanically—such as plastic films and bags—preventing landfill disposal or illegal incineration and fundamentally addressing the problem of “white pollution.”
2. Realization of Resource Circularity
The oil produced through pyrolysis can partially replace fossil fuels, while hydrogen-rich combustible gas (containing methane, ethylene, etc.) can be purified and used for internal combustion engine power generation. The generated electricity can be fed back into the production line, reducing operating costs. In addition, the waste heat from exhaust gases after power generation can be directly utilized, further improving overall energy efficiency and self-sufficiency.
3. Promotion of the Circular Economy
Waste is transformed into electricity and other marketable by-products, such as grid-connected power, heat supply for sale, pyrolysis oil sales, and deep-processed carbon black products. Meanwhile, government policies supporting the circular economy—such as subsidies and incentives—provide financial backing to enterprises, enhancing economic returns and truly realizing the concept of “turning waste into value.”
II. Technical Process and Demonstration of Advantages
1. Technical Process: Waste plastics → Pretreatment (shredding, washing) → High-temperature oxygen-free pyrolysis → Pyrolysis gas → Gas purification → Power generation by internal combustion engine
2. Key Stages Where Advantages Are Concentrated:
l Pyrolysis Process:
Heating under an oxygen-deficient environment fundamentally avoids incomplete combustion and the generation of large quantities of harmful gases.
l Gas-to-Power Generation:
Gaseous products that are inconvenient to store and transport are directly converted on-site into the most versatile form of energy—electricity.
III. Key Advantages of Kelinyuan Pyrolysis Gas Power Generation Units
Wide single-unit power range: 500 kW–3,000 kW, reaching an internationally advanced level with a complete and standardized product series.
Advanced technology: In-cylinder mixed direct injection combined with lean-burn combustion and pre-chamber ignition technology.
High safety: No risk of backfire, knocking, or explosion.
High thermal efficiency: Approximately 38%, leading domestically, with higher power generation per cubic meter of exhaust gas.
Excellent reliability: Cylinder outlet exhaust temperature below 530 °C, resulting in longer service life of the unit.
Clean emissions: Low denitrification (DeNOx) cost, with initial NOₓ emissions of about 250–500 mg/m³, at an internationally leading level.
Conclusion
The most significant advantage of waste plastic pyrolysis gas power generation projects lies in their ability to provide a terminal solution for end-of-life plastic waste that delivers both environmental benefits and energy output. They represent a critical step in the transition from linear consumption to resource circulation.
This approach goes beyond conventional waste treatment methods; it is fundamentally an energy and resource recovery technology that actively promotes the development of a circular economy and accelerates the construction of a resource-efficient, recycling-oriented society.
