Arbok-Pyrolysis

Overview

Arbok-Pyrolysis converts mixed plastic waste into hydrocarbon streams through controlled thermal decomposition without oxygen. The process produces gas, solid carbon residue, and a liquid fraction known as pyrolysis oil. The core industrial problem it addresses is the inability of mechanical recycling to handle contaminated and mixed plastics. Compared to conventional disposal methods such as incineration or landfill, the technology recovers material value instead of destroying it. However, the direct output requires further processing to become a market-ready product, which defines its role as a primary conversion stage in the circular plastics chain.

Applications

Primary use is conversion of mixed, contaminated, and non-recyclable plastic waste into hydrocarbon intermediates. This includes municipal waste streams, industrial plastic waste, packaging residues, and multilayer materials.

Typical scenarios include waste management facilities, petrochemical feedstock preparation, and integrated recycling hubs. The main users are waste operators, petrochemical companies, and infrastructure developers working on circular economy systems.

Project scale ranges from small modular plants (~5 000–10 000 t/year) to industrial installations (~30 000–50 000 t/year) and regional infrastructure projects exceeding 100 000 t/year.

Operating Principle

Plastic waste is shredded and fed into a reactor operating in an oxygen-free environment. Heat is applied, typically in the range of 350–500°C. Long polymer chains break into shorter hydrocarbons through thermal decomposition.

The process generates three streams. A gaseous fraction used for internal energy supply. A liquid fraction (pyrolysis oil) containing a wide range of hydrocarbons. A solid residue consisting of carbon and inorganic materials.

Energy flows from external or recovered sources into the reactor. Material flows from solid plastic input into gas, liquid, and solid outputs.

The main limitation is product quality. The liquid output is chemically unstable and contains impurities, requiring further processing before industrial use.

Key Parameters

|Parameter|Conventional Disposal|Arbok-Pyrolysis|

|---|---|---|

|Feedstock|Mixed plastics|Mixed plastics|

|Output|Energy only|Hydrocarbon streams|

|Temperature|—|350–500°C|

|Energy consumption|—|~400–800 kWh/t|

|Liquid yield|—|~60–70%|

|Gas yield|—|~10–20%|

|Solid residue|—|~10–20%|

|Product stability|—|Low|

|Market readiness|—|Requires upgrading|

Typical capacity example:

~40 000 t/year input → ~25 000–27 000 t/year liquid output

The technology improves material recovery compared to incineration but does not deliver final products without downstream processing.

Architecture and Components

The system consists of a feed preparation unit (shredding, drying), a pyrolysis reactor, condensation system, gas handling unit, and solid residue extraction system.

Auxiliary systems include heat supply, gas recirculation, and emission control. Control is managed through PLC systems with temperature and pressure monitoring.

The architecture supports modular scaling by adding parallel reactor lines.

Advantages

Technical:

Handles mixed and contaminated plastics. Converts polymers into hydrocarbon streams. Reduces dependency on sorting purity.

Economic:

Recovers value from waste streams. Reduces landfill and incineration costs. Creates intermediate products for further processing.

Environmental:

Reduces landfill volumes. Avoids direct incineration emissions. Enables circular material pathways.

Strategic:

Supports circular economy targets. Provides alternative hydrocarbon sources. Reduces dependency on virgin fossil feedstock.

Integrations

Compatible with waste sorting systems, petrochemical refining infrastructure, and downstream upgrading technologies such as hydroprocessing or fractionation.

Can integrate with SCADA and PLC systems for process control. Supports digital monitoring and predictive maintenance platforms.

Deployment & Operation

Deployment requires site preparation, feedstock logistics, and integration with energy systems.

Operation involves continuous feeding, temperature control, and management of output streams. Personnel require industrial process training but not advanced chemical expertise.

The system operates in industrial environments and can be adapted to different climate conditions with standard engineering solutions.

Technology Readiness Level (TRL)

Current level: TRL 8 (confirmed by Michael).

Validated in pilot systems and industrial prototypes; demonstrated processing of mixed plastic waste into hydrocarbon outputs.

Remaining steps include scaling to full industrial deployment, certification of outputs, and integration into petrochemical supply chains.

Market Potential

Global plastic waste exceeds 400 million t/year. Less than 10% is recycled in closed loops.

Chemical recycling is expected to become a key segment, with projected multi-billion-dollar investments. The addressable market includes waste management, petrochemicals, and circular materials infrastructure.

Typical Project Economics

Typical plant size: ~30 000–50 000 t/year

CAPEX: ~$20–50 million

OPEX: dependent on energy and feedstock logistics

Revenue depends on downstream processing of pyrolysis oil

Payback period: 5–8 years depending on integration and product upgrading

Risk Factors

Product instability and need for further processing.

Dependence on downstream markets for pyrolysis oil.

Regulatory uncertainty in classification of outputs.

Conservative industry adoption and integration challenges.

Related Technologies

ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking) · Arbok-ZWD Gasification · ARBOK-GUDRON · ARBOK-SULPHUR