South Hams: Abandoned boats to be recycled as part of trial

[BobnLesley]

...Fibreglass is shredded into small squares and added to a pyrolysis reactor by a vacuum assist. This draws off most of the oxygen in the atmosphere. It’s then heated to incredibly high temperatures of around 500°C and hydrocarbons in the resin decompose into gas. Pyro-gas and pyro-oil are separated and used as natural gas replacements, blended with other fuel oils, or added to asphalt.

But do they recover as much gas/oil as they burned when they heated this shredded GRP to incredibly high temperatures of around 500°C in the first place?

 

[Fr J Hackett]

But do they recover as much gas/oil as they burned when they heated this shredded GRP to incredibly high temperatures of around 500°C in the first place?

The idea is to recover heat by burning it and the temperature is usually way above that

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I understand that GRP can be used as feedstock for making concrete. The plastic reduces the fuel burn, and the glass contributes to the mineral mix. Not ideal - making concrete releases CO2 from the limestone, not merely from the fuel, but every little helps.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I understand that GRP can be used as feedstock for making concrete. The plastic reduces the fuel burn, and the glass contributes to the mineral mix. Not ideal - making concrete releases CO2 from the limestone, not merely from the fuel, but every little helps.

It's possible but cement manufacturers have enough trouble with emissions, not carbon dioxide but Sulphur and Nitrogen oxides and are heavily monitored by the EA. The recipe for cement is very carefully controlled so even small additions of things outside the basic requirements can become problematic. The last fuel additive that I was aware of being trialed in the industry was shredded tyres but it wasn't going down too well because of the effect on emissions, scrubbing is very expensive and an extra complication with another waste product being produced.