Numerical Simulation of Plastic Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis of plastic waste for base chemical production is a pivotal technology for closing the carbon cycle and advancing sustainable energy transition. This work presents an overview of research activities conducted at the Institute for Technical Chemistry (ITC) at KIT, focusing on the simulation of plastic pyrolysis to develop efficient and cost-effective recycling technologies. A key objective of this research is to elucidate the physicochemical behavior during pyrolysis through high-fidelity numerical simulations, leveraging high-performance computing resources. These simulations provide fundamental insights essential for process design and optimization. Several ongoing studies are discussed, systematically spanning from fundamental single-particle analyses to fully resolved laboratory-scale fluidized bed reactors. These investigations evaluate the impact of key operating conditions and reactor design parameters on pyrolysis performance, demonstrating how numerical simulations can streamline and optimize the design process.