Production of secondary raw materials from the hydrotreating of plastic waste pyrolysis oils

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Abstract
This study examines the upgrading of plastic waste pyrolysis oil (PWPO) derived from real waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and waste packaging (WP), with the objective of producing oil fractions for their valorization in material recycling strategies. The PWPO, rich in oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, chlorine and bromine, was hydrotreated and subsequently fractionated into distillation cuts (naphtha, kerosene, atmospheric gas-oil and residue). The experiments were carried out in a continuous laboratory facility using two commercial hydrotreating catalysts: NiMo/Al₂O₃ and CoMo/Al₂O₃. These catalysts were tested in 5-day-long experiments, increasing the temperature by about 30 °C every 24 hours, from 240 °C to 360 °C. In general, the NiMo catalyst performed better, yielding a hydrotreated oil virtually free of halogens at 360 °C. The naphtha fraction, representing almost half of the hydrotreated oil, contained neither sulfur nor nitrogen, and a proportion of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) around 75 wt.%, making it an alternative source of these valuable and widely used chemicals. In addition, naphthalene-rich kerosene and gas oil fractions were produced, with potential for use as a naphthalene oil source. The bottom residue fraction, yielding ≈ 20 wt.%, could be reintroduced into refinery processes or used as marine fuel. These exceptional results enable the design of circular strategies for the production of petrochemicals from waste materials.

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