Hydrogen Utopia (HUI), waste-to-energy tech developer Powerhouse Energy’s partner in Europe, is to start a programme of testing in the Netherlands to convert waste plastic into hydrogen.
HUI has been working in collaboration with Dutch group Electron Technologies since May 2021 on the design of a pioneering thermal processing system for the conversion of waste plastics to hydrogen.
The system pyrolyses plastic in the absence of air at a temperature of up to 500 ° C, which produces a synthetic gas ("syngas").
It then subjects the syngas to a higher temperature conversion step. A test rig is currently in the final stages of assembly to test the first lower temperature pyrolysis stage of the system.
Electron, with HUI's help, is currently sourcing suitable plastic material to use in the tests, which are expected to take place next month and will help fine-tune the lower temperature part of the conversion process.
Testing of the high-temperature unit will follow.
Keith Riley, a director of HUI, added: "I am pleased with the progress made to date by Electron and its engineering design subcontractor, Vicoma, on the development of this new system for creating syngas from waste feedstocks.
”Linde Engineering [owner of BOC and Praxair] has also been involved in the design interfacing to ensure consistency between the equipment supplied by Electron and Linde Engineering.
Jos Koelewijn, Electron's CEO, noted: "I am delighted with the announcement of this milestone in the development of a full-scale plant for the conversion of plastics to syngas and hydrogen.
"This project is a result of the combined efforts of HUI and Electron, which will enable waste transition on a global scale."