Zeolyst International has announced the commissioning of a new pyrolysis reactor. The company manufacturers aluminosilicate materials called zeolites commonly used as commercial absorbents and catalysts. It is a subsidiary of US-based polyolefin catalyst manufacturer Ecovyst.
The lab-scale thermal pyrolysis reactor is located at Ecovyst's technical centre at Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.
A team of around 45 scientists and technicians will use the new pyrolysis reactor to spearhead the development and optimisation of zeolite-based catalysts to improve the efficiency of chemical recycling.
The process of catalytic pyrolysis involves a first step of thermal pyrolysis which usually results in a higher liquid yield in the absence of a catalyst. The second step introduces catalysts which crack the liquid products further to lower hydrocarbons with higher molecular weight, resulting in higher yields of polymer-precursor products.
Ecovyst's technical centre already houses laboratories and pilot demonstration units along with polymerisation testing equipment for Ecovyst's AlphaPol polyethylene catalysts.
With the addition of the new pyrolysis reactor, scientists will be able to put a new grade of catalysts for chemical recycling to the test. Ecovyst introduced the Opal Infinity range in November 2023. The zeolite catalysts reportedly lower the activation energy required for pyrolysis and improve the quality of pyrolysis oil. Opan Infinity zeolites can also fine-tune product distributions in downstream processes like hydrocracking, isomerisation, and oligomerization, enabling precise control of the end products according to customer needs.
"We work closely with customers to develop new zeolite-based advanced materials and catalysts, moving from lab to pilot to full scale production with quality, value and speed as our key focus,” said Lucy Innes, general manager for Zeolyst International. “Advancements are needed to improve the cost effectiveness of plastic recycling, and we are in a unique position to develop solutions with our customers. Our Opal Infinity zeolites improve the efficiency of thermal processes and have the ability to fine tune product distributions generated in downstream processes, thereby creating significant value for the processors of plastic wastes," she added.