Bp Chemicals Limited

Stephen A Leng

David Charles Wilson

Kenneth C Kirkwood

David William Sims

Stephen Hardman

This invention relates to a process for cracking waste polymers in a fluidized bed reactor to produce vaporous products comprising primary products which can be further processed, eg in a steam cracker to produce olefins, characterized in that the vaporous products are treated to generate a primary product substantially free of a high molecular weight tail having molecular weights &gt;700 prior to further processing. The removal of the high molecular weight tail minimizes fouling and prolongs the lifetime of the reactors used for further processing.

Polymer cracking

This invention relates to a process for the conversion of waste and/or fresh polymers, especially polyolefins, into lower hydrocarbons by vaporizing them in a fluidized bed of particulate material in the presence of a fluidizing gas at a temperature from 300.degree.-690.degree. C. The lower hydrocarbons can be further converted to useful olefins, paraffins or waxes by steam cracking the lower hydrocarbons, preferably in the absence of any catalyst. This is an effective and efficient method of recycling waste polymers.

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Livingston, United Kingdom

Stephen A Leng