Keeping Plastic Out of Landfills & Oceans By Making Energy
While plastic is abundant and energy dense, until now, its latent energy has been difficult to extract. CES thermal conversion systems provide a mechanism for unlocking this untapped energy using "gasification," a well-understood, and commercially-proven thermo-chemical process that has been used commercially in other sectors for over a century.
When heat is applied to carbon-based molecules, like plastic, this breaks or "cracks" the bonds between carbon and other atoms that make up the molecule (hydrogen in the case of plastic). If there is oxygen present, the newly-released carbon atoms immediately combine with oxygen releasing heat. This is the chemistry behind fire or incineration. However, incineration of plastic and other substances has many drawbacks including: environmental challenges, scalability and location issues, and it does not generate a combustible gas that can be used to drive a generator. However, where no oxygen available for burning, the result is an energy-rich synthesis gas ("syngas") which can be used to generate hot air, hot water, steam, or generate electricity.
When heat is applied to carbon-based molecules, like plastic, this breaks or "cracks" the bonds between carbon and other atoms that make up the molecule (hydrogen in the case of plastic). If there is oxygen present, the newly-released carbon atoms immediately combine with oxygen releasing heat. This is the chemistry behind fire or incineration. However, incineration of plastic and other substances has many drawbacks including: environmental challenges, scalability and location issues, and it does not generate a combustible gas that can be used to drive a generator. However, where no oxygen available for burning, the result is an energy-rich synthesis gas ("syngas") which can be used to generate hot air, hot water, steam, or generate electricity.