CONTINUOUS-FLOW RICE HUSK GASIFIER FOR DRYING SHREDDED PLASTIC

Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastic and remaking it into useful products. Plastic is an essential component of numerous consumer products, including water bottles and product containers. Waste plastics are shredded, washed and then dried to produce plastic pellet, an ingredient for making useful plastic products.

In Indonesia, in 2009. A plastic recycling Processor was spending a lot on fuel expense in their operation of 3 plastic dryers in producing plastic pellets. With the increasing cost in kerosene, the need for a cheap alternative fuel was considered.

That gave birth to this technology that was developed by Engr. Alexis Belonio, Bima Tahar, Joel Belonio, and Bonny Minang for PT. Minang Jordanindo Approtech.

The designed system of continuous-flow rice husk gasifier was to replace the kerosene burner presently used by the plastic recycling factory. The gasifier unit was constructed at PTMJ Approtech Fabrication Shop and was installed and tested at the recycling factory.

Parts of the Gasifier

1. Reactor - is where rice husks are loaded and converted to gaseous fuel
2. Fuel hopper - equipped with bell gate for continuous feeding of rice husks
3. Char chamber - holds the burnt rice husks before discharge
4. Particle separator - separates husk particles from gas
5. Burner - where the gas is burned converting gas in to flame
6. Ash Pan - for char discharge

Gasifier Unit Performance: 

• Operating time - Continuous 
• Start up time - 10 - 16 minutes 
• Ignition time - 3 minutes
• Fuel consumption rate - 19.3 to 24.0 kg/hour 
• Gasification rate - 152.94 to 184.62 kg/hr-m2
• Power output -  41.04 kWth

Features

• One person can handle the operation of the gasifier, including the loading of rice husks and
  discharging of the char. 
• Environment Friendly
• Low Operating Cost
• Continuous Operation
• Simple Construction
• Local Materials and skills are used
• CO2 Emission is reduced
• Safe to Operate 

Exploratory test results:

• 0.96 kg of water is removed per kg of freshly washed shredded plastics until completely dried and be ready for processing into pellets.
• Subjecting the freshly washed shredded plastics to sun-drying, on the other hand, prior to drying in the mechanical dryer significantly reduced the moisture which resulted in a lesser amount of water removed of only 0.53 kg of water per kg of shredded plastics.
• The computed energy required to completely dry freshly washed shredded plastics is 588.48 kcal/kg; while for pre-dried, only 286.2 kcal/kg is required. 
• The gasifier can meet the heat energy requirement of the one unit of flat bed dryer
• The required drying air temperature of 45 to 55°C is achieved, and could be further
  increased to 61°C, if necessary.
• Pre-dried plastics can be completely dried within 2 hours in the dryer with a loading and
  unloading time of 20 minutes.

Economic Cost Analysis: 

• With the initial investment for the gasifier of IDR10,000,000.00, the Plastic Processor can easily recover his investment. With the cost of rice husks in the area of about IDR200 per kilo against kerosene of IDR7,500 per liter, the investment for the gasifer was computed to be paid up in less than 5 months. This is considering an operation period of 16 hours per day and 26 days per month. With the actual performance of the gasifier, the owner of the factory is considering to adapt a 60-cm reactor diameter gasifier for the other two dryers. 

CONTINUOUS-FLOW RICE HUSK GASIFIER FOR DRYING SHREDDED PLASTIC 

Videos

For further information contact: Engr. Alexis Belonio (atbelonio@yahoo.com) or Mr.
Bima Tahar (bimatahar@yahoo.co.id), PT Minang Jordanindo Approtech, K2-7 Taman
Tekno, BSD City, Serpong, Tangerang, Indonesia.

1 US$ = IDR10,200.00

Released: July 2009