Circular economy for plastic waste to polyethylene via refinery fcc and alkylation units

Abstract

Provided in one embodiment is a continuous process for converting waste plastic into recycle for polyethylene polymerization. The process comprises selecting waste plastics containing polyethylene and/or polypropylene, and passing the waste plastics through a pyrolysis reactor to thermally crack at least a portion of the polyolefin waste and produce a pyrolyzed effluent. The pyrolyzed effluent is separated into offgas, a pyrolysis oil and optionally wax comprising a naphtha/diesel and heavy fraction, and char. The pyrolysis oil and wax is passed to a refinery FCC unit from which a liquid petroleum gas C-Colefin/paraffin mixture fraction is recovered. The liquid petroleum gas C-Colefin/paraffin mixture fraction is passed to a refinery alkylation unit, with a propane and butane fraction recovered from the alkylation unit. The propane and butane fraction is then passed to a steam cracker for ethylene production. In another embodiment, a naphtha fraction (C-C) is recovered from the alkylation unit and passed to the steam cracker. In another embodiment, a propane/propylene fraction (C-C) is recovered from the FCC and passed to the steam cracker.