SynCycle: Chemical-plant engineering meets circular economy
Longtime biodiesel process-technology provider BDI-BioEnergy International has recently teamed up with Next Generation Elements for a joint-venture project in Austria known as SynCycle. According to the developers, the SynCycle technology represents a significant advancement in the field of chemical plastics recycling.
The SynCycle process focuses on the chemical recycling of nonrecyclable plastics that would normally require incineration.
SynCycle aims to redefine the state of the art in chemical recycling and establish decentralized plants where plastic waste is generated.
The problem
Each year, 26 million tons of plastic waste are generated in Europe alone, a significant proportion of which is suitable for chemical recycling.
The Syncycle process makes it possible to drastically reduce emissions by avoiding the incineration of plastic waste.
This waste is converted at the molecular level into oil, which can be used as a substitute in the plastics industry or as feedstock for chemical production.
The process
The SynCycle process begins with shredding and drying plastic waste, which is then continuously fed by an extruder into a pyrolysis reactor.
In the reactor, the plastic depolymerizes into oily substances, which evaporate through the reactor dome and pass into a condenser system.
Converting plastic into a gas phase simplifies the separation of impurities.
The condensation steps are designed to produce two oil fractions, one high-boiling and one low-boiling. These fractions are called “circular oil” as it can be fed back into a refinery process or used as feedstock for new plastic production.
Pilot plant
The joint project between BDI and NGE involved development of a pilot plant in Carinthia, Austria, for the oiling of up to 7,000 tons of plastic waste per year, which is considered an important step towards industrial application.
The SynCycle approach is both modular, with three main process modules and further add-on options available for pre- and post-treatment, and scalable for variable plant capacity.
With the pilot plant now complete, the developers note that it is internationally regarded as a pioneering example of decentralized solutions in the recycling sector.
A sound solution
The SynCycle project combines technological innovation, environmental protection and economic efficiency, and its successful implementation could make a decisive contribution to tackling the global plastics crisis.
In addition, the technology offers flexibility and adaptability to accommodate regional differences in plastic-waste composition.
The SynCycle project offers economic benefits, including increasing the value of plastic waste, creating an additional source of revenue through the sale of pyrolysis oil, and avoiding taxes on nonrecyclable plastics.
“This project is a significant contribution to the promotion of environmental protection and sustainability,” the developers stated. “In view of the worldwide increase in plastic production and the associated waste problem, the SynCycle project is of great importance.”
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