Co-pyrolysis of medical protective clothing and oil palm wastes for biofuel: Experimental, techno-economic, and environmental analyses.

Su, G; Zulkifli, NWM; Ong, HC; Ibrahim, S; Cheah, MY; Zhu, R; Bu, Q

Co-pyrolysis of medical protective clothing and oil palm wastes for biofuel: Experimental, techno-economic, and environmental analyses.

Su, G Zulkifli, NWM Ong, HC Ibrahim, S Cheah, MY Zhu, R Bu, Q

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Publisher:: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Energy (Oxf), 2023, 273, pp. 127221
Issue Date:: 2023-06-15

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Su, G
dc.contributor.author	Zulkifli, NWM
dc.contributor.author	Ong, HC
dc.contributor.author	Ibrahim, S
dc.contributor.author	Cheah, MY
dc.contributor.author	Zhu, R
dc.contributor.author	Bu, Q
dc.date.accessioned	2024-04-10T23:30:23Z
dc.date.available	2023-03-14
dc.date.available	2024-04-10T23:30:23Z
dc.date.issued	2023-06-15
dc.identifier.citation	Energy (Oxf), 2023, 273, pp. 127221
dc.identifier.issn	0360-5442
dc.identifier.issn	1873-6785
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177699
dc.description.abstract	The ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19 has devastatingly influenced the environment, society, and economy around the world. Numerous medical resources are used to inhibit the infectious transmission of the virus, resulting in massive medical waste. This study proposes a sustainable and environment-friendly method to convert hazardous medical waste into valuable fuel products through pyrolysis. Medical protective clothing (MPC), a typical medical waste from COVID-19, was utilized for co-pyrolysis with oil palm wastes (OPWs). The utilization of MPC improved the bio-oil properties in OPWs pyrolysis. The addition of catalysts further ameliorated the bio-oil quality. HZSM-5 was more effective in producing hydrocarbons in bio-oil, and the relevant reaction pathway was proposed. Meanwhile, a project was simulated to co-produce bio-oil and electricity from the co-pyrolysis of OPWs and MPC from application perspectives. The techno-economic analysis indicated that the project was economically feasible, and the payback period was 6.30-8.75 years. Moreover, it was also environmentally benign as its global warming potential varied from -211.13 to -90.76 kg CO2-eq/t. Therefore, converting MPC and OPWs into biofuel and electricity through co-pyrolysis is a green, economic, and sustainable method that can decrease waste, produce valuable fuel products, and achieve remarkable economic and environmental benefits.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Energy (Oxf)
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.energy.2023.127221
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	0913 Mechanical Engineering, 0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy, 0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
dc.subject.classification	Energy
dc.subject.classification	4008 Electrical engineering
dc.subject.classification	4012 Fluid mechanics and thermal engineering
dc.subject.classification	4017 Mechanical engineering
dc.title	Co-pyrolysis of medical protective clothing and oil palm wastes for biofuel: Experimental, techno-economic, and environmental analyses.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	273
utslib.location.activity	Netherlands
utslib.for	0913 Mechanical Engineering
utslib.for	0914 Resources Engineering and Extractive Metallurgy
utslib.for	0915 Interdisciplinary Engineering
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
dc.date.updated	2024-04-10T23:30:10Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	273

Abstract:

The ongoing global pandemic of COVID-19 has devastatingly influenced the environment, society, and economy around the world. Numerous medical resources are used to inhibit the infectious transmission of the virus, resulting in massive medical waste. This study proposes a sustainable and environment-friendly method to convert hazardous medical waste into valuable fuel products through pyrolysis. Medical protective clothing (MPC), a typical medical waste from COVID-19, was utilized for co-pyrolysis with oil palm wastes (OPWs). The utilization of MPC improved the bio-oil properties in OPWs pyrolysis. The addition of catalysts further ameliorated the bio-oil quality. HZSM-5 was more effective in producing hydrocarbons in bio-oil, and the relevant reaction pathway was proposed. Meanwhile, a project was simulated to co-produce bio-oil and electricity from the co-pyrolysis of OPWs and MPC from application perspectives. The techno-economic analysis indicated that the project was economically feasible, and the payback period was 6.30-8.75 years. Moreover, it was also environmentally benign as its global warming potential varied from -211.13 to -90.76 kg CO2-eq/t. Therefore, converting MPC and OPWs into biofuel and electricity through co-pyrolysis is a green, economic, and sustainable method that can decrease waste, produce valuable fuel products, and achieve remarkable economic and environmental benefits.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/177699