Hydrogasification of coal and polyethylene mixture

The hydrogasification of coal and polyethylene (PE) mixtures was carried out at 1073 K under 7.1 Wa of hydrogen. The product distribution and temperature profile were analyzed. The yield of methane reached 90% (carbon basis) after 80 s when PE was used alone. A significant synergistic effect was found when coal and PE were mixed and used in hydrogasification. This synergistic effect may have been partly due to compensation of the endothermic process in coal pyrolysis by heat from the hydrogenation of PE when the coal and PE were mixed. Temperature drop in the early stage in coal hydrogasification was prevented by the mixing and the carbon conversion to methane from coal was enhanced. It is suggested that waste plastics could be mixed as a feedstock in a coal hydrogasification processes. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.