Feedstock table 1
This table shows the liquid oil yield, syngas yield, and solid char percentage for four plastic types — pure HDPE/LDPE, pure PP, pure PS, and mixed post-consumer plastic — and describes the primary oil characteristic from each.
| Feedstock Type | Liquid Oil Yield (%) | Syngas Yield (%) | Solid Char (%) | Primary Oil Characteristic |
| Pure HDPE/LDPE | 80% – 88% | 10% – 15% | 2% – 5% | High Paraffinic (Diesel/Naphtha like) |
| Pure PP | 75% – 82% | 15% – 20% | 3% – 5% | High Gasoline-range fractions |
| Pure PS | 90% – 93% | 5% – 8% | 1% – 2% | High Aromatic (Styrene/Benzene) |
| Mixed (MLP/Post-consumer) | 45% – 60% | 20% – 25% | 15% – 30% | High Ash/Variable Quality |
Beyond definitions
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How to read this table
- All yield percentages are by weight relative to the input feedstock (e.g. 80% means 80 kg of liquid oil from 100 kg of input plastic)
- Liquid oil + syngas + char + moisture/loss should approximately sum to 100%; minor rounding applies
- "Pure" grades assume minimal contamination and near-single-polymer feedstock — typical of industrial or commercial waste streams, not post-consumer mixed waste
- MLP = Multi-Layer Packaging, the laminated pouches and sachets that form the most problematic fraction of post-consumer plastic waste
About this table
The yield of liquid oil from a plastic pyrolysis reactor is not fixed — it depends heavily on which type of plastic is fed in. Understanding feedstock yield profiles allows an operator to predict revenue, plan feedstock procurement, and tune reactor settings for the available waste mix.
High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) are the most reliable feedstocks, producing 80–88% liquid oil with low char (2–5%). The oil is highly paraffinic — chemically similar to diesel and naphtha — and commands the best price from industrial fuel buyers. Polypropylene (PP) is nearly as good, yielding 75–82% oil with a higher gasoline-range fraction, making it suitable for blending. Both PE and PP are widely available from urban collection streams.
Polystyrene (PS) delivers the highest oil yield of any pure plastic — 90–93% — but the oil is highly aromatic, rich in styrene and benzene, which requires careful handling and limits off-take options without distillation upgrading. Char is minimal at 1–2%.
The most commonly available feedstock in India is mixed post-consumer plastic, including Multi-Layer Packaging (MLP). This stream produces the lowest oil yield (45–60%), the highest syngas output (20–25%), and significant char with high ash content (15–30%). The variability is wider and the oil quality is lower, but this is the feedstock available at scale from municipal and informal collection networks. Most Indian plants operate on this mixed stream and accept the lower yield as the trade-off for feedstock abundance and low or negative procurement cost.
Key insights
- Pure PS delivers the highest liquid oil yield (90–93%) but produces highly aromatic oil that requires upgrading before sale
- Pure HDPE/LDPE yields 80–88% oil with the best paraffinic quality — diesel-like and directly marketable as industrial fuel
- Mixed post-consumer plastic yields only 45–60% oil and 15–30% char, but is the feedstock available at scale in most Indian cities
- Char yield increases sharply with feedstock contamination — mixed waste produces 3–6x more char than pure PE or PP
Methodology & sources
Yield ranges compiled from published pyrolysis industry literature and vendor technical data sheets as of 2023–2024. Figures represent typical batch and semi-continuous reactor performance under Indian operating conditions. Actual yields vary with reactor temperature profile, residence time, catalyst use, and contamination level. Pure-grade figures assume pre-sorted, pre-dried feedstock.
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