Plastic Waste Combustion with CO2 Sequestration
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Solution Overview
Problem
The plastics industry faces significant challenges in disposing of low-quality, contaminated mixed plastic waste, with current methods like recycling and incineration being inefficient and environmentally harmful, and existing carbon capture technologies not effectively addressing the issue of plastic waste disposal.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that combusts mixed plastic waste to produce carbon dioxide, which is then separated and permanently sequestered in geologic formations, utilizing established carbon offset benefits and product branding strategies to generate revenue and promote environmentally responsible plastic waste management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If plastic waste is incinerated to dispose of it, then the volume of waste is reduced, but carbon dioxide emissions increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent captures the harmful carbon dioxide emissions from plastic incineration and converts them into a beneficial product by sequestering the CO2 in geological formations. The combustion process is maintained for waste volume reduction, but the harmful CO2 byproduct is captured and stored, transforming an environmental harm into a carbon management solution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces carbon capture technology as an intermediary between the incineration process and the atmosphere. Instead of directly releasing CO2, the emissions are routed through a capture system that separates and stores the carbon dioxide, acting as a mediator that prevents the harmful interaction between emitted CO2 and the environment.
2Loss of substance
If plastic waste is landfilled to dispose of it, then the waste is contained, but toxic liquids leak and methane gas is produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful practice of landfilling into a beneficial combustion process. Instead of allowing toxic leachate and methane generation in landfills, the waste is combusted to convert organic materials into CO2 and water, and the CO2 is then captured and sequestered, transforming an environmentally harmful containment approach into a controlled energy recovery and carbon management system.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If recycling is implemented to dispose of plastic waste, then environmental impact is reduced, but processing complexity increases due to mixture of different plastics and contaminants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the problematic element from the recycling equation by bypassing the need to sort and process different plastic types. Instead of attempting to separate and reprocess mixed plastics, the system combusts the entire mixture, extracting the carbon content as CO2 for capture and sequestration, thereby eliminating the complexity of plastic identification and sorting infrastructure.
4Use of energy by moving object
If plastic waste is converted to fuels to dispose of it, then energy recovery is achieved, but carbon emitting fuels are produced which contradicts climate change goals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful carbon emissions that would result from producing fuel from plastic waste into a beneficial outcome by capturing and sequestering the CO2. The combustion process recovers energy while the carbon that would have been released into the atmosphere is instead stored geologically, transforming a climate-harmful fuel production process into a carbon-neutral or carbon-negative waste management solution.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables the efficient and carbon-neutral disposal of plastic waste, allowing the plastics industry to continue using fossil hydrocarbon-based materials while addressing environmental concerns, without requiring high-risk technological changes or business disruptions, and provides a recognized commitment to solving the plastic waste problem.
Implementation Method 1
combusting mixed content solid waste, in which at least a portion of the solid waste comprises plastic material, in air to produce flue gas that contains carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 2
The carbon dioxide gas contained in the combustion flue gas is separated from other gaseous constituents of the combustion flue gas
Implementation Method 3
The carbon dioxide produced by the combusting of the plastic material is removed from the combustion flue gas in a process unit by contact with a solid or liquid medium that absorbs or adsorbs the carbon dioxide
Implementation Method 4
The separated carbon dioxide is then sequestered in geologic formations, so as to provide for elimination and disposal, in one consolidated process, and free of the need for separation of the plastic material from other non-plastic solid waste
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a system or method that includes combustion of mixed content solid waste to produce flue gases and separation of carbon dioxide gas in the produced combustion flue gas from other gaseous constituents of the flue gas in an amount produced from the burning of plastic material contained in the mixed content solid waste. The separated carbon dioxide is sequestered in geologic formations, thereby providing environmentally sound disposal and elimination of plastic waste, in one consolidated process, free of the need for separation of plastic waste from other solid or the need to identify and separate the various forms and compositions of plastic waste material. The illustrative disposal of plastic waste hereby is generally free of emission into the atmosphere of carbon dioxide gas. The invention includes a fee-generation process applied to customers, which can quantified and generated in association with the application of the system or method.