Burn it down. Russia has created a new way to recycle plastic

MOSCOW, July 8. A method for recycling plastic medical waste without the formation of toxic substances was proposed by Vyatka State University researchers. According to experts, an effective way to get rid of plastic can be combustion in an electric field, the effect of which ensures the complete oxidation of the hydrocarbon base of the material with atmospheric oxygen. The proposed technology can become the basis for energy-efficient new waste incineration plants. The results were presented at the Ural Environmental Science Forum conference “Sustainable Development of Industrial Region” (UESF-2024).
Today, all over the world, waste has a single classification. The method of disposal of a particular waste can be calculated based on its origin and state of aggregation and, most importantly, the main material, experts said.
The correct choice of waste disposal method is important for several reasons. Firstly, it is necessary to ensure the most complete disposal of waste, and secondly, the safety of the final processing products must be ensured. Failure to dispose of certain classes of waste can lead to serious environmental consequences, since during storage toxic substances can be washed out of materials and enter the soil, air and living organisms.

One of the most difficult for destroying types of garbage is plastic and its contents. Depending on the type, different physical, chemical and thermal methods are used to influence the polymer chain and obtain substances with a lower mass, explained specialists from Vyatka State University (VyatSU).

According to them, a special group of waste consists of medical polymer products, which require careful attention due to the possible content of biomaterial. The most effective and safest way to dispose of them is incineration, which does not occur completely without additional actions. Conventional combustion produces a large amount of incomplete oxidation products: carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, phenols and carcinogenic dioxins. Therefore, experts are developing ways to “afterburn” polymer products to carbon dioxide and water.
Scientists from Vyatka State University proposed burning medical polymer products in an electrostatic field. According to experimental data, this approach allows to reduce carbon monoxide emissions by 20-30%, as well as increase the rate of waste combustion.

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“The flame contains charged particles that interact with the electric field. This interaction leads to various effects — changes in the geometry of the torch, combustion temperature, etc. In this situation, the field directed along the flow of the combustible mixture, at low voltages, extends the combustion torch, which leads to an increase in the area of ​​chemical interaction of the reagents (fuel and oxidizer), as a result of which chemical reactions proceed more efficiently,” said one of the authors of the study, associate professor of the department engineering physics VyatGU Ilya Zyryanov.

He added that when the field is directed against the flow of the burning mixture, the flame is pressed against the fuel, which leads to a more intense formation of combustible gas from the polymer. The flame torch increases significantly, flowing around the sample. This leads to intensified mixing of the fresh oxidizer with the decomposition products of the polymer material, which also increases the completeness of combustion.

“In our work, we use a developed and constructed model of a waste incineration furnace, which allows us to simulate various combustion modes and combustion methods used in real industrial thermal installations. A distinctive feature of our furnace is the ability to create an electric field of various configurations in the combustion zone,” explained the specialist.

In the future, by the team It is planned to identify general patterns of changes in the combustion parameters of various substances under the influence of an electric field, as well as to develop methods for optimizing the combustion process as a whole. It is not difficult to move from the whole to the particular and use the knowledge gained to improve the operation of any power plants that implement combustion, scientists emphasized.