title: Pyrolysis of poly(vinyl chloride) and-electric arc furnacedust mixtures.
abstract: An investigation into the pyrolysis kinetics of PVC mixed with electric arc furnace dust (EAFD) was performed. Mixtures of both materials with varying PVC ratios (1:1, 1:2, 1:3) were prepared and pyrolyzed in a nitrogen atmosphere under dynamic heating conditions at different heating rates (5, 10, 30 and 50 °C/min). The pyrolysis process proceeded through two main decomposition steps; the first step involved the release of HCl which reacted with the metal oxides present in the dust, subsequently forming metal chlorides and water vapor. Benzene was also found to release as detected by TGA-MS. The remaining hydrocarbons in the polymer backbone decomposed further in the second step releasing further volatile hydrocarbons. Different models were used to fit the kinetic data namely the integral, the Van Krevelen, and Coats and Red fern methods. The presence of EAFD during PVC decomposition resulted in a considerable decrease in the activation energy of the reaction occurring during the first decomposition region. Furthermore, iron oxides were retained in the pyrolysis residue, whilst other valuable metals, including Zn and Pb, were converted to chlorides that are recoverable by leaching in water. It is believed that EAFD can be utilized as an active catalyst to produce energy gases such as propyneas evident from the TGA-MS.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan. Electronic address: msalharahseh@just.edu.jo.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al-Harahsheh
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan.
authors.forename: Awni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Otoom
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Maan 71111, Jordan.
authors.forename: Leema
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Al-Makhadmah
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7-2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Ian E
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7-2RD, UK.
authors.forename: Sam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kingman
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan; Chemcial Engineering Department, American University of Sharjah, P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Sameer
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al-Asheh
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Engineering, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Maan 71111, Jordan.
authors.forename: Muhanned
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hararah
keywords: Electric arc furnace dust; Kinetics; Poly vinyl chloride; Pyrolysis; Thermogravimetric analysis