How RECUPERA converts end-of-life plastics to Hydrogen

1. The White hydrogen company
Dr. Flavio Ortigao, CTO
flavio.ortigao@recupera.si
T +386 30 301 335

2. Hydrogen color palette
Brown: The H2 produced by mineral coal gasification;
Grey: The H2 produced by natural gas steam reform (SMR);
Blue: The H2, produced by the above-mentioned methods with carbon
capture and storage (CCS);
Green: The H2 produced by water electrolysis, utilizing wind and solar
energy;
White: The H2 produced by gasification of renewable sources, like
biomass or plastics at end-of-life, via syngas, a gas essentially
composed of H2 and carbon monoxide (CO), by simple gas
separation.

3. How hydrogen is produced (validated methods)
Color
Code
Feedstock Core
Technology
Primary
products
H2-
separation
Green Pure water + green
power
Electrolysis O2 + H2 Membrane
Grey Natural Gas + steam NG-Steam
Reform
Syngas (H2 +
CO)
PSA
Brown Coal + oxidant Gasification Syngas (H2 +
CO)
PSA
Black Fossil Oil + oxidant Gasification Syngas (H2 +
CO)
PSA
Blue Grey, Brown or Black Gasification Syngas (H2 +
CO)
PSA +
Carbon
Capture
White EoL Plastics or
Biomass
Gasification Syngas (H2 +
CO)
PSA

4. ANALYSIS
The World Plastic Pollution Problem
Some key facts:
• Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
• Production increased exponentially, from 2.3 million tons in 1950 to 448
million tons by 2015. Production is expected to double by 2050.
• Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans
from coastal nations. That’s the equivalent of setting five garbage bags full
of trash on every foot of coastline around the world.
• Plastics often contain additives making them stronger, more flexible, and
durable. But many of these additives can extend the life of products if they
become litter, with some estimates ranging to at least 400 years to break
down.

5. ANALYSIS
Options for Plastic Recycling
End-of-life Plastics
Biodegradable
(Polyalcanoates)
Composting
All other plastics,
including
bioplastics
Reuse
Limited
applicability. Not
for food/beverage
Mechanical
recycling
2-3x, phase
separation,
downgrading
Chemical
Recycling
Pyrolysis Oil & Char
Gasification Syngas
Incineration Heat

6. Why are Plastics Difficult to Recycle
• Plastic polymers will undergo thermal degradation, at each cycle
• Plastics polymer will undergo chain nick at each cycle
• Plastics will lose is mechanical property each cycle
• Polymers are not miscible

7. ANALYSIS
• By converting plastics, which are
mostly derived from fossil oil, and
composed mainly of hydrogen and
carbon, to syngas without emission,
we produce H2 saving the same
amount of fossil fuel and avoiding CO2
emissions.
• White hydrogen is a viable way to
transform the problem of non-
recyclable plastics into a green
solution.
Hydrogen is the link between decarbonization
and circular economy for plastics

8. Core platform: Low Temperature Conversion
Gasification
1t/h
4mm shredded feedstocks
2500m3/h
Syngas
H2
+
CO
2:1
Gasification
The LTC plants utilize progressive thermo-catalytic material gasification. The material is gasified by
infra-red induction heat bellow 450°C and integrated gas purification, all within a hermetically
closed system. The result is a clean process with very high yield. The plants fluidized bed reactors
allow for continuous flow while inductive heat transfer decomposes organic structures into their
constituent elements in a multi-stage process.

9. Gas Product flow
AGENDA
H2
CO
Hydrogenation
Desulfurization
Metal reduction
Decarbonization
Fuel
Energy storage
Methanol
Syngas
Thermal Energy

10. Recupera Plant in Celje, Slovenia

11. THANK YOU!