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Journal of Chemical Engineering of Japan, Vol.38, No.3, 220-228, 2005
Thermal treatment of waste PVC and chlorine neutralization by waste glass
The chlorine in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) originates from sodium chloride separated by electrolysis consuming a large amount of electricity. On the other hand, approximately 1/2 of soda ash, which is made from sodium chloride, is used for manufacturing soda glass. To show the potential of utilizing waste PVC and waste glass that have been mainly disposed as landfill, in the present work, it is experimentally demonstrated with a laboratory scale fixed bed reactor that most of the chlorine generated from PVC can be neutralized by sodium in waste glass particles forming NaCl in the range of 450-550 degrees C. SEM and EDS studies confirmed the crystallized salt on the surface of glass particle after the reaction. Chlorine content in char was lower than NEDO's RPF (refused plastic/paper fuel) target value for coal alternatives indicating that the product char can be readily combusted with little potential of corrosion of downstream units and toxic organic halides emissions. Closing the nationwide sodium and chlorine material flows can be conducted by reacting waste PVC with waste glass.