Continuous process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing organic compounds by means of oiling

Abstract

The invention relates to a continuous process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 60% as feedstock (A) by oiling to obtain a product oil (P) in a two-part reactor (R) with a first, lower section (I) in which a start-up oil is supplied up to a height of at least half of the total height thereof, and with a second upper section (II) which is connected to the lower section (I) and which contains no liquid during start-up, into which the reactor contents (RI) from the lower end of the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) are pumped via one or more external pipelines (1) by means of one, two or more pumps (2) with a ratio of directed to undirected pulse power in the range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 2.by extracting product vapor from the upper end of the second upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R), which is subsequently quenched with a cold partial stream of product oil (P), wherein the product oil (P) is obtained by first heating the start-up oil to an operating temperature in the range of 280 to 420 °C by pumping it over one, two or more pumps (2), whereupon the pre-processed feedstock (A) is continuously fed into the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) below the liquid level, and wherein the reactor contents (RI) are pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) into the second upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R), such that the ratio of the feed residence time of the feedstock (A) to the pump residence time of the reactor contents (RI) is in the range of 250:1 to 5000:1.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing organic compounds.

[0002] The state of the art in the thermal treatment of residual waste is waste incineration.

[0003] However, particularly in the face of growing ecological problems and resource scarcity, it is becoming increasingly urgent not to simply dispose of waste or to use it for thermal recycling, but to utilize it as a source for secondary resource extraction.

[0004] The so-called oiling process, also known as catalytic pressureless oiling (CDC) or thermocatalytic low-temperature conversion (NTC), has proven particularly advantageous for this purpose. This is a technical depolymerization process in which synthetic or natural polymers and long-chain hydrocarbons are converted into shorter-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons (preferably, others such as aromatic hydrocarbons will also be produced in trace amounts) comparable to synthetic light oil, using a zeolite catalyst at temperatures below 400 °C without excess pressure. (see "Oiling," retrieved from Wikipedia on January 25, 2022).

[0005] An overview of processes currently offered or operated in Germany can be found, for example, in the final report of the Federal Environment Agency on the "Evaluation of New Developments in Alternative Thermal Waste Treatment Plants with a Focus on Oil Conversion Processes" by M. Pohl and P. Quicker (Texts 77 / 2018, Project Number 82615, UBA-FB 002679). According to the process examined in detail therein, also known as "Catalytic Tribochemical Conversion" (CTC), operated by Dieselwest GmbH (renamed CARBOWEST GmbH in 2021), residual waste is first processed in several stages, i.e., crushed, sieved to a maximum grain size of 2 mm, ferrous and non-ferrous metals are separated, additives in the form of synthetic or natural zeolites as catalysts and quicklime as a neutralizer are added, and the process is dried to a water content of less than 2%.The oil conversion process itself is carried out in the liquid phase in a reactor consisting of two cylindrical vessels that taper conically at the bottom and are arranged one above the other. Starting oil is introduced. Before the treated residual waste is added, this is first heated to reaction temperature (320 to 420 °C depending on the starting material) by several energy input devices, particularly turbines and / or pumps, which continuously mix and circulate the reactor contents. The treated residual waste is fed into the lower section of the reactor via a screw conveyor below the liquid level. This ensures that the fed material mixes with the oil, creating a suspension that is sucked in at the lower end of the reactor via the turbines or pumps and injected back into the upper section of the reactor via external lines and connected nozzles.Due to the intensive mixing, the polymers are broken down and evaporate as soon as the chain length is sufficiently short. The vapors are extracted at the top of the reactor using a slight vacuum and condensed using a spray cooler to obtain the product oil. However, this oil does not have a consistent quality, and the plant's continuous operation capability has not been demonstrated.

[0006] WO 2010 / 116211 A1 describes a process for the thermolysis of plastic waste in a reactor at 390 to 430 °C, which is equipped with a stirrer operating at 200 to 700 rpm. An extruder is connected upstream of the reactor, in which the plastic waste is plasticized, heated to 250 to 370 °C, and then fed into the reactor. The reaction mixture is withdrawn via the bottom and, after prior heating in a flow heater, partially recycled into the upper part of the reactor via a feed pump in an external circuit, and partially discharged. The vaporous product mixture is withdrawn overhead and thermally separated in several stages into a light oil fraction comprising hydrocarbons with a chain length up to C15, a heavy oil fraction comprising hydrocarbons with a chain length of C15 to C24, and a wax fraction.

[0007] WO 2010 / 106399 A2 describes another process for the thermolysis of plastic waste in a reactor equipped with a stirrer and preceded by an extruder, in which the plastic waste is plasticized, heated, and then fed into the reactor. The reaction mixture is withdrawn via the bottom and partially recycled via a feed pump in an external circuit to the upper part of the reactor, after prior heating in a flow heater.

[0008] The object of the invention, therefore, was to provide a continuously operable oil conversion process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing organic compounds as feedstock, which ensures consistent quality of the product oil with respect to the maximum permissible oxygen and nitrogen content as well as the minimum calorific value, provided that the feedstock used contains organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 60%. In particular, the oxygen content in the product oil should not exceed 4% by mass and the nitrogen content should not exceed 1.2% by mass, and the minimum calorific value should be 41 MJ / kg.

[0009] This object is achieved by a continuous process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 60% as starting material by oiling to obtain a product oil in a two-part reactor with a first, lower region, in which a start-up oil is introduced up to a height of at least half the total height of the same, and with a second, upper region, which is connected to the lower region and which does not contain any liquid during start-up, into which the reactor contents are pumped from the lower end of the first, lower region of the two-part reactor via one or more external pipelines by means of one, two or more turbines or pumps with a ratio of directed to undirected pulse power in the range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 2, with product vapor being withdrawn from the upper end of the second, upper region of the two-part reactor, which product vapor is subsequently quenched with a cold partial flow of product oil, wherein the product oil is obtained by first heating the start-up oil to an operating temperature in the range of 280 to 420°C by pumping it through the one, two or more pumps or turbines, whereupon the processed starting material is continuously fed into the first,lower region of the two-part reactor below the liquid level, and wherein the reactor contents are pumped from the lower end of the first, lower region of the two-part reactor into the second, upper region of the two-part reactor, such that the ratio of the feed residence time of the starting material to the pumping residence time of the reactor contents is in the range from 250 to 1 to 5000 to 1.

[0010] The invention is based on known oiling processes for the processing of waste containing organic compounds, in particular the so-called "Dieselwest" process, which was presented in the above-mentioned final report of the Federal Environment Agency "Evaluation of new developments in alternative thermal waste treatment plants with a focus on oiling processes" by M. Pohl and P. Quicker (Texts 77 / 2018, project number 82615, UBA-FB 002679).

[0011] Any waste can be used as the starting material, provided it contains organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 60%. Preferred are starting materials containing organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 80%, more preferably at least 90%, especially starting materials containing artificial organic compounds in a mass fraction between 60 and 80% and natural organic compounds in a mass fraction between 0 and 30%.

[0012] These are usually long-chain organic compounds, in particular petrochemical waste, organic municipal waste, sewage sludge, plant biomass, in particular waste from agriculture and forestry, bio-renewable fats and oils and animal biomass.

[0013] Long-chain organic compounds are typically understood to be polymers composed of several hundred to 4000 identical molecular units, the monomers. The synthetic polymers in this case are, in particular, mixtures of low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyisobutene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyamide 6, polyamide 6.6, and / or isocyanate-based plastic waste, which, due to their material properties and the associated production, are formed from approximately 2000 to 4000 of the respective monomer units.

[0014] In one embodiment, the starting material may contain municipal waste, in particular non-sortable plastic components thereof, in particular sorting fractions which are separated due to their dimensions and / or film residues and / or black sorting residues which cannot be detected by near-infrared spectroscopy, and / or commercial waste, in particular production waste, preferably waste from the recycling of passenger cars, in particular car shredder lightweight material.

[0015] The waste used as starting material often contains, in addition to organic compounds, inert materials, fillers, metals and / or residual moisture, in particular inert materials and / or fillers in a mass fraction of 0 to 10%, preferably less than 1%, metals in a mass fraction of 0 to 1%, preferably less than 1%, and residual moisture in a mass fraction of 0 to 10%, preferably less than 1%.

[0016] In addition, the starting material (A) may additionally contain, as inert materials, silicon dioxide in the form of quartz sand or building materials and / or aluminum oxide and / or calcium hydroxide and / or as fillers, hollow glass and / or ceramic spheres, glass and / or carbon fibers and / or rubber particles, as well as metallic materials, in particular magnetic and non-magnetic metal composite materials and / or aluminum-coated materials.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, the above inert and / or fillers are added to the waste used as starting material in order to adjust various properties, such as strength and extensibility.

[0018] Before being fed into the reactor, the starting material is preprocessed in several stages in a known manner, in particular as in the "Dieselwest" process described above, i.e. it is crushed, sieved to a maximum particle size of 2 mm, ferrous and non-ferrous metals are separated, additives in the form of synthetic or natural zeolites as catalysts and quicklime as a neutralizer are added and the starting material is finally dried to a water content of less than 2%.

[0019] The oiling process is carried out in a two-part reactor, with a first lower section and a second upper section, which is preferably directly connected to the first lower section. Advantageously, the first lower section and / or the second upper section each taper at the bottom to allow the fluid to drain away during cleaning operations and downtimes.

[0020] The opening connecting the two regions preferably has a diameter of at least 1 / 5 of the diameter of the second, upper region, preferably of at least 1 / 3 of the diameter of the second, upper region.

[0021] In one embodiment, both reactor areas can be integrated into a common reactor shell.

[0022] Advantageously, the first, lower region of the two-part reactor can have a height to diameter ratio of 3 to 1 to 1 to 3, preferably of 1.5 to 1, and in particular can be designed as a vertical or horizontal cylinder.

[0023] The reactor contents are pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section of the two-part reactor into the second, upper section via one or more external pipelines by means of one, two or more pumps or turbines with a ratio of directed to non-directed pulse power in the range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 2.

[0024] For commissioning, a start-up oil is placed in the first, lower area up to a height of at least half of the total height of the same, preferably up to a height of at least 2 / 3 of the total height of the same.

[0025] As start-up oil, a mixture of product oil and a mineral oil with a boiling point greater than 280 °C is advantageously used, preferably in a mass ratio of 10% mineral oil to 90% product oil to 90% mineral oil to 10% product oil, in particular of 50% mineral oil to 50% product oil.

[0026] The start-up oil is first heated to an operating temperature in the range of 280 to 420°C by pumping it through one, two, or more pumps. The pre-treated feedstock is then continuously fed into the first, lower section of the two-part reactor below the liquid level, preferably via one or more screws. Alternatively, the pre-treated feedstock can also be fed via one or more extruders.

[0027] The reactor contents are continuously pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section of the two-part reactor into the second, upper section of the two-part reactor via one or more external pipelines by means of one, two or more pumps and / or turbines with a ratio of directed to non-directed pulse power in the range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 2.

[0028] Preferred pumps for this purpose are liquid ring vacuum pumps, impeller pumps with recessed impellers, rotary piston pumps, and screw pumps. The directed pulse power is determined by the discharge pressure (pressure drop) and the volume flow in relation to the pump power input. The non-directed pulse power is also referred to as dissipated power by experts.

[0029] The advantage of this energy input is the homogeneous heating of the fluid from the inside out; there are no hot walls, as is the case with external heating methods via the wall. The second key advantage of direct dissipative energy input is the high mixing and stress on the starting material.

[0030] The required heat of fusion is provided by the surrounding fluid. The high mixing performance of the pumps causes the introduced solid particles to be crushed and torn apart in the pumped flow. In the process, the catalyst particles are also mixed and crushed with the introduced and molten solid particles. Due to the high shear forces and cavitation caused by circumferential velocities of approximately 15 to 20 m / s and the sudden evaporation and condensation at the pumping elements, the original long-chain organic compounds in the introduced solid particles are cracked in the liquid phase. The high shear rates also continuously renew the active centers of the catalysts. As a result, for example, low-density polyethylene waste, which originally typically contained 2,000 to 4,000 monomer units, is cracked to an average of 3 to 16 monomer units.

[0031] A key aspect of the invention is that the process is conducted in such a way that the ratio of the feed residence time of the starting material to the pumping residence time of the reactor contents is in the range of 250:1 to 5000:1, i.e., the pumping of the reactor contents occurs much faster than the feed of the starting material. This is crucial for achieving the high shear rates required for the depolymerization processes described above.

[0032] The feed residence time is defined by the ratio of total reactor volume to the feed volume flow of the feed materials.

[0033] The recirculation residence time is defined by the ratio of the total liquid reactor volume to the total pump flow rate. The total liquid reactor volume and the total pump flow rate are determined by mass flow meters, such as standard Coriolis mass flow meters. The recirculation residence time is further divided into the recirculation residence time in the first, lower section of the two-part reactor and the recirculation residence time in the second, upper section of the two-part reactor.

[0034] Preferred ratios of the feed residence time of the starting material to the pumping residence time of the reactor contents are in the range from 250 to 1 to 5000 to 1.

[0035] The process is preferably operated such that the pumped circulation residence time of the reactor contents is in the range of 15 to 55 seconds, more preferably in the range of 25 to 40 seconds. Accordingly, the feed residence times of the starting material are preferably in the range of about 2 hours to about 75 hours.

[0036] The liquid pumped stream is slightly superheated as it flows through the reactor due to the undirected energy input by the pumps. A slight pressure difference causes it to expand into the second, upper section of the two-part reactor. The liquid jet bursts and spreads over the existing wall surface in the second, upper section of the two-part reactor, allowing the low-boiling components to escape more easily.

[0037] The surface load B is understood as the throughput of the pumped volume flow relative to the area, in this case the area of ​​the inner walls in the second, upper area of ​​the two-part reactor.

[0038] By advantageously adjusting the surface load B of the pumped flow in the second, upper region of the two-part reactor via the volume flow of the same and via the geometry of the second, upper region of the two-part reactor to a value in the range of 25 m3 / m2 / h to 250 m3 / m2 / h, preferably to a value of about 100 m3 / m2 / h, optimal results are achieved with regard to the physico-chemical processes described above, and thus the splitting of the long-chain polymers.

[0039] It is further preferred that the inner walls of the two-part reactor in the second, upper region thereof are partially or completely heated and / or wetted with product oil. This promotes the evaporation of more volatile hydrocarbons.

[0040] The vapors are continuously withdrawn from the second, upper section of the two-part reactor and condensed in a known manner, particularly in a spray cooler, to preserve the product oil. A multi-stage spray cooler is particularly advantageous.

[0041] The residue from the first, lower section of the two-part reactor is advantageously discharged as needed or at regular intervals and allowed to settle, and the supernatant oil mixture is returned to the first, lower section of the two-part reactor.

[0042] Advantageously, the reactor contents or a partial flow of the reactor contents is pumped tangentially back into the upper third of the second, upper section of the two-part reactor. This allows for a high distribution over the surface of the second, upper section of the two-part reactor and thus good outgassing of the produced products.

[0043] In a preferred embodiment, only a first partial stream of 20 to 80% of the reactor contents is pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section of the two-part reactor to the second, upper section of the two-part reactor, and a second partial stream of 80 to 20%, preferably 60 to 70%, of the reactor contents is pumped back from the lower end of the first, lower section of the two-part reactor to the first, lower section of the two-part reactor. This procedure results in better mixing and better distribution of the introduced starting material among the pumps.

[0044] In an advantageous embodiment, the second, upper section of the two-part reactor can be used as a single-stage or multi-stage separation column by providing a detachable flange over which one or more horizontal perforated plates can be inserted. Perforated plates with an aperture ratio of 20 to 40% are advantageously used.

[0045] In a further advantageous embodiment, a central pipe can be used to supply the recirculating flow via a detachable flange. This prevents unwanted foaming.

[0046] The continuous process according to the invention makes it possible, in particular, for the oxygen content in the product oil to be 40 to 90%, in particular 80%, lower than the starting material, and for the nitrogen content in the product oil to be 50 to 80%, in particular 70%, lower than the starting material.

[0047] Likewise, the continuous process according to the invention makes it possible in particular to obtain a product oil having a calorific value of between 41 and 46 megajoules per kilogram, preferably of about 45 megajoules per kilogram.

[0048] According to the continuous process according to the invention, the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular naphthalene, acenaphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene and / or benzo(a)pyrene, is minimized, in particular in the product oil, and the sum of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is between 100 and a maximum of 1000 ppm, preferably a maximum of 600 ppm.

[0049] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments and a drawing.

[0050] The drawing shows in detail: Figure 1a schematic representation of a preferred reactor for carrying out the process according to the invention and the Figures 2A and 2B Cross-sectional views through two preferred embodiments of reactors for carrying out the process according to the invention.

[0051] Figure 1 shows a two-part reactor R with a first, lower area I and a second, upper area II.

[0052] The starting material A is continuously fed via a screw conveyor into the first, lower section I of the two-part reactor R below the liquid level therein.

[0053] Via an external pipeline 1, the reactor contents RI are pumped from the first, lower region I of the reactor R into the second, upper region II of the reactor R by means of a pump 2. From the upper end of the second, upper region II of the reactor R, product vapor is withdrawn and quenched with a partial stream of cold product oil, obtaining the product oil P, which is withdrawn.

[0054] In the cross-sectional views in the Figures 2A and 2B a version with 4 pumps and two spray coolers (in Figure 2A ) or a version with 4 pumps and a spray cooler (in Figure 2B ) is shown. Example 1:

[0055] As starting material A, a total of 25 tonnes of a substitute fuel according to RAL 724 with the material data according to column 1 of Table 1 below were used in a two-part reactor R as in Figure 1The average pumping residence time was 41 s at a reactor temperature of 360 °C.

[0056] Column 2 shows the corresponding substance data for the product oil obtained (P) Table 1: Source material Product oil Calorific value in megajoules per kilogram 39,1 44,9 Moisture in percent by weight 2 0,25 Inert substances in weight percent 3 0,1 (Bulk) density in kilograms per cubic meter 38 822 C (measured value) in percent by weight 77,10 83,3 H (measured value) in percent by weight 12,90 13,2 N (measured value) in percent by weight 1,72 1,11 O (measured value) in percent by weight 7,0 1,7 Plastic in weight percent 86,1 Biomass in percent by weight 13,9 Metals in weight percent 0,0

[0057] The material data show a significant reduction in the nitrogen and especially the oxygen content in the product oil as well as a significant increase in the calorific value. Example 2:

[0058] As starting material A, a total of 20 tonnes of a substitute fuel according to RAL 724 with the material data according to column 1 of Table 2 below were used in a two-part reactor as in Figure 1 The average pumping residence time was 35 s at a reactor temperature of 380 °C.

[0059] Column 2 of Table 2 shows the corresponding material data for the product oil obtained Table 2 Source material Product oil Calorific value in megajoules per kilogram 39,1 44,7 Moisture in percent by weight 2,0 0,25 Inert substances in weight percent 1,5 0,1 (Bulk) density in kilograms per cubic meter 38 822 C (measured value) in percent by weight 77,10 84,0 H (measured value) in percent by weight 12,90 13,3 N (measured value) in percent by weight 1,72 1,18 O (measured value) in percent by weight 7,0 1,3 Plastic in weight percent 66,7 Biomass in percent by weight 30,2 Metals in weight percent 0,9

[0060] The material data show a significant reduction in the nitrogen and especially the oxygen content in the product oil as well as a significant increase in the calorific value.

Claims

1. A continuous process for the recovery of secondary resources from waste containing at least 60% organic compounds by weight as starting material (A) by oiling to obtain a product oil (P) in a two-part reactor (R) with a first, lower section (I) in which a start-up oil is introduced up to a level of at least half of the total height thereof, and with a second upper section (II) which is connected to the lower section (I) and which does not contain any liquid during start-up, into which via one or more external pipes (1) by means of one, two or more pumps (2) with a ratio of directed to undirected impulse power in the range of 1 / 6 to 1 / 2 the reactor content (RI) is pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R), with product vapor being withdrawn from the upper end of the second upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R), which is then quenched with a cold partial stream of product oil (P), the product oil (P) being obtained by first heating the start-up oil to an operating temperature in the range of 280 to 420 °C by pumping it through one, two or more pumps (2), whereupon the pre-treated starting material (A) is continuously fed into the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) below the liquid level, and wherein the reactor content (RI) is pumped from the lower end of the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) into the second upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R) in such a way that the ratio of the feed residence time of the starting material (A) to the pumping residence time of the reactor content (RI) is in the range of 250 to 1 to 5000 to 1.

2. The continuous process according to claim 1, characterized in that the waste used as feedstock (A) contains organic compounds in a mass fraction of at least 80%, preferably of at least 90%, in particular artificial organic compounds in a mass fraction between 60 and 80% and natural organic compounds in a mass fraction between 0 and 30%.

3. The continuous process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the waste used as starting material (A) contains, in addition to organic compounds, inert substances, fillers, metals and / or residual moisture, in particular inert substances and / or fillers in a mass fraction of 0 to 10%, preferably less than 1%, metals in a mass fraction of 0 to 1%, preferably less than 1%, and residual moisture in a mass fraction of 0 to 10%, preferably less than 1%.

4. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the starting material (A) additionally contains silicon dioxide in the form of quartz sand or building materials and / or aluminum oxide and / or calcium hydroxide as inert materials and / or hollow glass and / or ceramic balls, glass and / or carbon fibers and / or rubber particles, as well as metallic substances, in particular magnetic and non-magnetic metal composites and / or aluminum-coated substances.

5. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the pump residence time of the reactor content (RI) is in the range of 15 to 55 seconds, preferably in the range of 25 to 40 seconds.

6. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a mixture of product oil (P) and a mineral oil with a boiling point greater than 280 °C, preferably in a mass ratio of 10 % mineral oil to 90 % product oil (P) to 90 % mineral oil to 10 % product oil (P), in particular in a mass ratio of 50% mineral oil to 50% product oil (P) is used as start-up oil.

7. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the surface load B of the pump flow in the second, upper region (II) of the two-part reactor (R) is adjusted via the volume flow thereof and the geometry of the second, upper region (II) of the two-part reactor (R) to a value in the range from 25 m3 / m2 / h to 250 m3 / m2 / h, preferably to a value of about 100 m3 / m2 / h.

8. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the inner walls of the two-part reactor (R) in the second, upper section (II) thereof are partially or completely heated and / or wetted with product oil (P).

9. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the residue from the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) is discharged and allowed to settle as required or at regular intervals, and the supernatant oil mixture is returned to the first, lower region (I) of the two-part reactor (R) and the residue is separated via a separation unit, in particular a filter or a separator.

10. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that only a first partial flow of 20 to 80% of the reactor content (RI) is fed from the lower end of the first, lower section (I) of the two-part reactor (R) into the second, upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R) and a second partial flow of 80 to 20%, preferably 60 to 70% of the reactor content (RI) is pumped from the lower end of the first, lower region (I) of the two-part reactor (R) into the first, lower region (I) of the two-part reactor (R).

11. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the reactor content (RI) or a partial stream of the reactor content (RI) is pumped back into the upper third of the second, upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R).

12. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the second, upper section (II) of the two-part reactor (R) is used as a single-stage or multi-stage separation column by providing a separable flange (F) over which one or more horizontal perforated plates and / or grids can be inserted.

13. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the oxygen content in the product oil (P) is 40 to 90%, in particular 80%, lower than in the starting material (A), and that the nitrogen content in the product oil (P) is 50 to 80%, in particular 70%, lower than in the starting material (A).

14. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the calorific value of the product oil (P) is between 41 and 46 megajoules per kilogram, preferably 45 megajoules per kilogram.

15. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that in the product oil (P) the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, in particular naphthalene, acenaphthalene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, pyrene and / or benzo(a)pyrene is minimized and the sum of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is between 100 and a maximum of 1000 ppm, preferably a maximum of 600 ppm.

16. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the starting material (A) contains municipal waste, in particular non-sortable plastic components thereof, in particular sorting fractions that are separated due to their dimensions and / or film residues and / or black sorting residues that cannot be detected by near-infrared spectroscopy, and / or commercial waste, in particular production waste, preferably waste from the recycling of passenger cars, in particular light material from car shredders.

17. The continuous process according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the first, lower region (I) of the two-part reactor (R) has a height to diameter ratio of 3 to 1 to 1 to 3, preferably 1.5 to 1, and is designed in particular as a standing or lying cylinder.

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