pyrolysis process aimed at fuel and/or feedstock production from WEEE mixed plastic fractions was developed. The fixed bed pyrolysis system consisted of a quartz tube reactor, electrically heated, 450 mm in length and 14 mm of inner diameter. Batch runs employed 10-50 g of sample, under N2 flow at the rate of 2 mL/min to ensure an inert atmosphere. Identification of the type of polymers was carried out using Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR). The oil recovery was assured by a water-cool condenser located downstream the pyrolysis reactor. The gaseous product was sampled by proper gas bags whose content was qualitatively analysed by a Thermofisher Ultra Gas Chromatograph, utilizing a 30 m long and
0.5 mm of inner diameter column, based on synthetic spherical carbon molecular sieves. The char fraction was mechanically collected after each run; moreover,
any tar residue stuck to the inner walls of the quartz
tube was thermally removed. Both oil and char weight composition were analysed, in terms of %C,
%H, %N, %S by an Elemental Vario Macro Cube Instrument. The gas yield was estimated as a difference between the input material and the sum of
the oil, char and ash collected from each run.
Chemical species in the oil fraction were identified by a FT-IR Thermofisher Nicolet spectroscope on-
line connected. The establishment of the pyrolysis operating conditions has required a preliminary kinetic study which allowed predicting the decomposition reaction time with temperature and conversion.