Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential
The shredding of end-of-life refrigerators produces every year in Italy 15,000 tons of waste polyurethane foam (PUF), usually destined for energy recovery. This work presents the results of the investigation of the oil sorption potential of waste PUF according to ASTM F726–17 standard. Three oils (d...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Materials |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/21/6230 |
| _version_ | 1797512229859360768 |
|---|---|
| author | Vincenzo Santucci Silvia Fiore |
| author_facet | Vincenzo Santucci Silvia Fiore |
| author_sort | Vincenzo Santucci |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The shredding of end-of-life refrigerators produces every year in Italy 15,000 tons of waste polyurethane foam (PUF), usually destined for energy recovery. This work presents the results of the investigation of the oil sorption potential of waste PUF according to ASTM F726–17 standard. Three oils (diesel fuel and two commercial motor oils) having different densities (respectively, 0.83, 0.87, and 0.88 kg/dm<sup>3</sup>) and viscosities (respectively, 3, 95, and 140 mm<sup>2</sup>/s at 40 °C) were considered. The waste PUF was sampled in an Italian e-waste treatment plant, and its characterization showed 16.5 wt% particles below 0.71 mm and 13 wt% impurities (paper, plastic, aluminum foil), mostly having dimensions (d) above 5 mm. Sieving at 0.071 mm was applied to the waste PUF to obtain a “coarse” (d > 0.71 mm) and a “fine” fraction (d < 0.71 mm). Second sieving at 5 mm allowed an “intermediate” fraction to be obtained, with dimensions between 0.71 and 5 mm. The oil sorption tests involved the three fractions of waste PUF, and their performances were compared with two commercial oil sorbents (sepiolite and OKO-PUR). The results of the tests showed that the “fine” PUF was able to retain 7.1–10.3 g oil/g, the “intermediate” PUF, 4.2–7.4 g oil/g, and the “coarse” PUF, 4.5–7.0 g oil/g, while sepiolite and OKO-PUR performed worse (respectively, 1.3–1.6 and 3.3–5.3 g oil/g). In conclusion, compared with the actual management of waste PUF (100 wt% sent to energy recovery), the amount destined directly to energy recovery could be limited to 13 wt% (i.e., the impurities). The remaining 87 wt% could be diverted to reuse for oil sorption, and afterward directed to energy recovery, considered as a secondary option. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:58:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8fbe555cdb664842aeffe5e8ae712a32 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:58:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-8fbe555cdb664842aeffe5e8ae712a322023-11-22T21:09:06ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-10-011421623010.3390/ma14216230Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption PotentialVincenzo Santucci0Silvia Fiore1Department of Engineering for Environment, Land, and Infrastructures (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Engineering for Environment, Land, and Infrastructures (DIATI), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, ItalyThe shredding of end-of-life refrigerators produces every year in Italy 15,000 tons of waste polyurethane foam (PUF), usually destined for energy recovery. This work presents the results of the investigation of the oil sorption potential of waste PUF according to ASTM F726–17 standard. Three oils (diesel fuel and two commercial motor oils) having different densities (respectively, 0.83, 0.87, and 0.88 kg/dm<sup>3</sup>) and viscosities (respectively, 3, 95, and 140 mm<sup>2</sup>/s at 40 °C) were considered. The waste PUF was sampled in an Italian e-waste treatment plant, and its characterization showed 16.5 wt% particles below 0.71 mm and 13 wt% impurities (paper, plastic, aluminum foil), mostly having dimensions (d) above 5 mm. Sieving at 0.071 mm was applied to the waste PUF to obtain a “coarse” (d > 0.71 mm) and a “fine” fraction (d < 0.71 mm). Second sieving at 5 mm allowed an “intermediate” fraction to be obtained, with dimensions between 0.71 and 5 mm. The oil sorption tests involved the three fractions of waste PUF, and their performances were compared with two commercial oil sorbents (sepiolite and OKO-PUR). The results of the tests showed that the “fine” PUF was able to retain 7.1–10.3 g oil/g, the “intermediate” PUF, 4.2–7.4 g oil/g, and the “coarse” PUF, 4.5–7.0 g oil/g, while sepiolite and OKO-PUR performed worse (respectively, 1.3–1.6 and 3.3–5.3 g oil/g). In conclusion, compared with the actual management of waste PUF (100 wt% sent to energy recovery), the amount destined directly to energy recovery could be limited to 13 wt% (i.e., the impurities). The remaining 87 wt% could be diverted to reuse for oil sorption, and afterward directed to energy recovery, considered as a secondary option.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/21/6230absorptioncircular economyoil spillrefrigeratorWEEE |
| spellingShingle | Vincenzo Santucci Silvia Fiore Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential Materials absorption circular economy oil spill refrigerator WEEE |
| title | Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential |
| title_full | Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential |
| title_fullStr | Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential |
| title_full_unstemmed | Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential |
| title_short | Recovery of Waste Polyurethane from E-Waste—Part I: Investigation of the Oil Sorption Potential |
| title_sort | recovery of waste polyurethane from e waste part i investigation of the oil sorption potential |
| topic | absorption circular economy oil spill refrigerator WEEE |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/21/6230 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vincenzosantucci recoveryofwastepolyurethanefromewastepartiinvestigationoftheoilsorptionpotential AT silviafiore recoveryofwastepolyurethanefromewastepartiinvestigationoftheoilsorptionpotential |