How University students are producing fuel from plastic waste

Makerere University students who base their innovation on reusable and efficient energy sources have come up with an ingenious way to produce fuel – by using plastic waste.

The students established a technology-driven company in July this year.

Richard Kintu, a marketing manager at Alpha Investments Limited told New Vision the aim of this innovation is to provide an eco-friendly fuel to the locals by putting plastic waste to good use and ultimately create jobs for young people.

“The company seeks to transform plastic waste into commercial petroleum that can be used by households, transporters and industrialists at affordable prices,” said Kintu. 

The group based their innovation on research done by David Ofwono, a student scientist, whose vast research is on reusable and efficient energy sources.

STEPS OF PRODUCING FUEL FROM PLASTIC WASTE (New Vision):

To begin with, you must have plastic waste of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) because they are the suitable types for producing fuel.

So how do you know which is which? They are marked underneath.

Then weigh the plastic waste and place it inside the reactor drum for heating.

Next, fix the upgrading unit to the reactor drum.

Seal any hole on the reactor drum with aluminum foil paper. Holes will allow in oxygen, which will react with hydrogen to producing water. 

This will, in turn, lower the temperature of producing petroleum.

Heat the reactor drum using, say, firewood and leave the plastic to boil to up to 300°C, during which the plastic will be broken into compounds of carbon and hydrogen, hence producing vapour that is crude oil.

The entire process takes up to two hours.

The crude oil is then reheated for 15 to 20 minutes on low heat to produce petrol as it is lighter than kerosene.

If you want kerosene, the heat must be moderate. For diesel, the heat must be high because it is heavier than petroleum and kerosene.