Investigation of the catalytic pyrolysis of high-density polyethylene over a HZSM-5 catalyst in a laboratory fluidized-bed reactor

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) was pyrolyzed over HZSM-5 catalyst using a specially developed laboratory fluidized-bed reactor operating isothermally at ambient pressure. The influence of reaction conditions including temperature, ratios of HDPE to catalyst feed, and flow rates of fluidizing gas was examined. The sodium form of siliceous ZSM-5, silicalite, containing very few or no catalytically active sites, gave very low conversions of polymer to volatile hydrocarbons compared with HZSM-5 (Si/Al = 17.5) under the same reaction conditions, Experiments carried out with HZSM-5 gave good yields of volatile hydrocarbons with differing selectivities in the final products dependent on reaction conditions. Catalytic pyrolysis of HDPE performed in the fluidized-bed reactor was shown to produce valuable hydrocarbons in the range of C-3-C-5 carbon number with a high olefinic content. The production of olefins with potential value as a chemical feedstock is potentially attractive and may offer greater profitability than production of saturated hydrocarbons and aromatics.