Systems PPTD

Promeco is an Italian company specialized in the design and manufacture of machines and systems for the recycling of plastics and treatment of municipal solid waste.

In 2008 Promeco entered into partnership with Enviro-Hub Holding, an industrial group listed on the Singapore stock exchange, with diversified businesses in sectors such as the recovery of precious metals, copper, and non-ferrous metals; the recycling of plastics, and the energy. 
The partnership is centred on to the Plastic To Diesel plant, capable of turning waste plastics into liquid hydrocarbons. 
The collaboration between the two companies sought to integrate their capabilities. Promeco designed and manufactured an industrial scale 'plastic-to-diesel" plant, to recover the liquid and gaseous fuels from plastics and synthetic rubbers waste. Enviro Hub Holding, through its subsidiary Enviro Power, has built a worldwide network aiming at putting in operations 50 plants, capable of turning about 100 t / day of hydrocarbon liquids in plastic each, over the next 3 years
After the first year, spent for the development of the system, 3 PTD plants have been built in 2011-2012
The first system, installed in Singapore, is in production since March, 2010 and processes plastics from electronic waste with a capacity of 1500 kg/h in input, while a second will go into production by the end of 2011, again in Singapore. The third plant will begin production in February 2012, in Italy.

The process

The principles of  the process of thermal and catalytic conversion of plastics into fuels have long been known. What has been a real breakthrough is the engineering of the process on an industrial scale. 
The process is carried out in continuous, and includes the following steps:

• The materials to be treated are placed in a reactor to be melted at temperatures of about 350 ° C
• A specially engineered catalyst is added at well-defined time intervals, to begin a process of depolymerization;
• The catalyst determines the cracking of polymers and the consequent production of three products:
• Liquid hydrocarbons, comparable to the fuel for diesel engines
• Non-condensable gases, with characteristics similar to those of LPG
• A solid residue comparable to coke.
• The process is continuous - a feature that makes this implementation unique

Process yield

The yield of the process depends on the quality and characteristics of the input material. 
In general, assuming an input consisting of 80% from waste plastic (polymer) with a relative humidity of 10% and foreign materials for the remaining 20%, ​​ a yield as high as one litre of fuel per kilogram of plastics can be achieved.

In the case of the Singapore plant, every ton. of treated plastics allows top get 800 kg of fuel oil, 100 kg of condensable gas and 100 kg of solid residues.

Products and by-products of the process

The quality of the process allows for an immediate use of its products.

In the specific case, the fuel oil is composed for 40% of hydrocarbons of the series C6 - C10, 40% of hydrocarbons of the series C11 - C20 and for 20% of hydrocarbons of the series C20 - C29. This composition makes it suitable to feed diesel engines, suitably modified for the generation of electrical energy. 
The lower calorific value of this fuel oil is such that from one kilogram of plastics can be obtained 4 kW of electricity.

At present, the Singapore facility could provide fuel oil for power generation or cogeneration groups giving about 5 MWh. At present  a 1 MWh has been installed, while the excess fuel is sold as fuel for diesel marine engines.

The non-condensable gases have characteristics equivalent to those of LPG and are currently being burnt through the torch, but soon will be burned in a gas turbine to obtain additional 350 kWh of electric energy or in a boiler, for the production of thermal energy.

The carbonaceous solid residue, whose characteristics make it similar to a medium or medium-low quality coke, is sorted in two fractions. 
The first (about 50% by weight) is used as a substitute of carbon black. 
The second is used as refuse derived fuel in a nearby cement factory in Malaysia.

Characteristics of the plant

• Compact, minimum floor requirements (approx. 1000 square meters per line);
• Production process without any significant environmental impact;
• Continuous operation in batches, for greater efficiency and productivity compared to similar "batch" processes
• Highly automated
• Complying with regulations on health and safety at work

The future

The results already obtained with the realization of the first facilities allow us to position in an industrial phase, and not more in that of R&D or pilot plants. Today the reality of Singapore represent a genuine industrial reference regarding the implementation of a process which has been discussed for a long time, but had not yet seen applications on a large industrial scale.

Enviro Power is planning the installation in East Asia of three more plants in the near future, while 5 letters of intent have been signed between Enviro Power and other partners in the North and South America, for the installation of plastic to diesel under the Enviro Hub Holding scheme. Other agreements have already been concluded in Italy, and others are under negotiation.

Meanwhile Promeco is continuing to refine the implementation process as the exclusive manufacturer of the system. 
Moreover, as an Italian company with deep knowledge of the European market, Promeco is also in charged of the identification of European partners that may be part of the “plastic to diesel”  project with the formula Enviro-Hub Holdings, and is therefore looking for partners to build new systems in Europe and in particular in Italy.

Partnership Formula Enviro Hub Holding

Search for partners

Enviro-Hub Holding is planning the construction of several plants in various parts of the world, and is looking for local partners to build joint ventures.

Public and private operators – not necessarily in the sector of waste management and plastic recycling - can find good business opportunities in the cooperation with Enviro Power. 
Each plant will be equipped with three “PTD” lines, with a treatment capacity of 1,500 kg/h each, for a total of 4,500 kg/h (or about 100 t/day or 30,000 tonnes/year).

The total investment is set at USD 30 million and will be fully funded by Enviro-Hub Holding.

Promeco is seeking all around Europe partners that can:

• Make available (or rent) the site for the plant
• Manage the plant operations  after commissioning
• Follow the procedures required to obtain permission
• Ensure a flow of waste plastics for a long period
• Contribute financially to the project, acquiring 5% of the Newco shares with a discounted fee of 50%

The ideal partner has:

• Personnel with experience in the recycling of plastic waste
• An industrial mindset to run the plant
• An experience in the field of waste
• A knowledge of the target markets

Enviro-Hub Holding will provide the partners:

• The investment required for the construction of 100 t / day;
• The cash flow required to start the activity;
• The know-how related to the plastic to diesel process;
• The ability to purchase 5% of the company at a discount of 50%;
• The ability to purchase an additional 15% of the company to default price;
• The last right to call on neighboring plants.

If interested and if you think you have the characteristics required, please send the following information:

• Identification data (name / company name, address, etc ...);
• Description of your company;
• Type of waste treated;
• EWC code on consent;
• Information available on the site.