Method and system for fueling a power/heat generating unit with plastic material

Abstract

A method and system for using plastic material as a fuel includes dissolving the plastic material in biodiesel to form a solution. After the solution is created, it is filtered to remove insoluble contaminants and is then fed to a generator that oxidizes the solution to create power and/or heat. Heat from the oxidation of the solution can be utilized to facilitate the further dissolution of plastic material in biodiesel and to reduce the viscosity of the resulting solution.

1 . A method of using a plastic material as a fuel comprises the steps of: 
 providing the plastic material and a biodiesel;    dissolving the plastic material in the biodiesel to form a solution having a fuel value; and    burning the solution in a device to utilize the fuel value.    
   
   
       2 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of filtering out insoluble contaminants from the solution after dissolving the plastic material in the biodiesel.  
   
   
       3 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the solution has a viscosity and further comprising the steps of: 
 heating the solution to facilitate the dissolving step; and    mixing the solution to facilitate the dissolving step.    
   
   
       4 . The method as recited in  claim 3  further comprising the step of using heat created during the burning step to heat the solution to reduce the viscosity.  
   
   
       5 . The method as recited in  claim 1  further comprising the step of heating the biodiesel.  
   
   
       6 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plastic material is waste material.  
   
   
       7 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of an engine, a turbine, a burner and a heater.  
   
   
       8 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the plastic material comprises a polymer.  
   
   
       9 . The method as recited in  claim 8  wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polyethylene and polypropylene.  
   
   
       10 . The method as recited in  claim 1  wherein the solution is 20-50 wt. % plastic.  
   
   
       11 . A method of reducing a volume of a plastic material comprising the steps of: 
 providing the plastic material and a biodiesel; and    dissolving the plastic material in the biodiesel to form a solution for use as a fuel.    
   
   
       12 . The method as recited in  claim 11  further comprising the steps of: 
 filtering out insoluble contaminants from the solution after dissolving the plastic material in the biodiesel;    heating the solution to reduce viscosity;    feeding the solution to a device; and    burning the solution in the device.    
   
   
       13 . The method as recited in  claim 12  wherein the burning step creates heat and wherein a portion of the heat created from the burning step is used in the heating step.  
   
   
       14 . The method as recited in  claim 11  further comprising the step of increasing the temperature of the biodiesel before the dissolving step.  
   
   
       15 . The method as recited in  claim 14  wherein the burning step creates heat and wherein a portion of the heat created from the burning step is used in the increasing step.  
   
   
       16 . The method as recited in  claim 12  further comprising the step of increasing the temperature of the biodiesel before the dissolving step wherein the burning step creates heat and wherein portions of the heat created from the burning step are used in the heating step and in the increasing step.  
   
   
       17 . A system for using a plastic material for fuel, the system comprising: 
 a dissolution chamber for receiving a biodiesel and the plastic material, with the biodiesel dissolving the plastic material to form a solution having a fuel value; and    a device for burning the solution, with the device receiving the solution from the dissolution chamber, and with the device providing heat to the dissolution chamber.    
   
   
       18 . The system as recited in  claim 17  wherein the device is selected from the group consisting of an engine, a turbine, a burner and a heater.  
   
   
       19 . The system as recited in  claim 17  further comprising a means for heating the solution in the dissolution chamber.  
   
   
       20 . The system as recited in  claim 17  further comprising a filter for removing insoluble contaminants from the solution.