Continuous upgrading of a plastics pyrolysis liquid to an environmentally favorable gasoline range product

A residual liquid from plastics pyrolysis was upgraded to a gasoline range product using a three-step sequential process consisting of hydrotreating, hydrocracking and distillation. Two sequences of treatments were performed in nominal 100-h continuous runs, with overall gasoline range product yields of 46% and 53% based on the total liquid feed. The gasoline range product produced from upgrading the residual plastics pyrolysis liquid, when compared to a mid-grade commercial gasoline, was characterized by higher paraffins, lower aromatics, olefins and nitrogen, with comparable research octane number. These properties, evidenced by the gasoline fraction produced from the pyrolysis liquid, indicate a potentially more favorable gasoline from an environmental viewpoint. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.