Process for the preparation of polyethylenes from waste plastic feedstocks

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene-based polymers from waste plastics feedstocks comprising the steps in this order of: (a) providing a hydrocarbon stream A obtained by hydrotreatment of a pyrolysis oil produced from a waste plastics feedstock; (b) optionally providing a hydrocarbon stream B; (c) supplying a feed C comprising a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream A and optionally a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream B to a thermal cracker furnace comprising cracking coil(s); (d) performing a thermal cracking operation in the presence of steam to obtain a cracked hydrocarbon stream D; (e) supplying the cracked hydrocarbon stream D to a separation unit; (f) performing a separation operation in the separation unit to obtain a product stream E comprising ethylene; (g) supplying the product stream E to a polymerisation reactor; and (h) performing a polymerisation reaction in the polymerisation reactor to obtain an ethylene-based polymer; wherein in step (d): ⋅ · the coil outlet temperature is 2: 800 and:::; 870° C., preferably 2: 820 and:::; 870° C.; and ⋅ · the weight ratio of steam to feed C is >0.3 and <0.8.