RUI: The Chemistry and Engineering of Waste Oils and Blends in their Conversion to Fuel Oils.

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The proposed research project aims to understand the chemical mechanisms during pyrolysis of waste oils, as well as mixed waste oil and plastics streams, for the production of fuels. The interaction between competing mechanisms and the development of a continuous process for fuels production from the pyrolysis of waste oil, grease and plastics will be studied with the objective of identifying operating conditions maximizing the production of high-value products. The project will improve the access of undergraduate students from underrepresented minority groups to research and facilitate international collaborations on environmental sustainability.The proposed research is motivated by the need to better understand the mechanism of waste oil pyrolysis and the effects of the temperature profiles on the product distribution. The focus will be on studying the pyrolysis of orange grease extracted from municipal waste to convert it into fuel. The development of brown and orange greases as a fuel source can have a significant effect on eliminating them from municipal waste streams. That benefit will be multiplied by adding waste plastics as a feedstock and studying the pyrolysis of streams consisting of mixed waste oil and plastics as a source of petrochemicals and fuels. The work can be extended to other sources of waste oil, plastics, rubber, and other materials that currently are buried in landfills or pollute the environment. The fundamental knowledge on chemical reaction mechanisms will enable the development of a pilot plant by selecting the best reactor types and separation processes without excessive trial and error. The proposed project will contribute to the establishment of an energy track in the Environmental Science program at CUNY-Medgar Evers College, enable international cooperation, and help prepare students to enter the workforce or start new businesses. The project will offer opportunities for students to be involved in research and increase the retention rates of minority students in a STEM field.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.