# Design of Pyrolysis Plant for Waste Methyl Ethyl Ketone from the Polarizer Manufacturing Process
###### Abstract  
The rapid growth of the semiconductor industry has made significant strides in addressing clean energy concerns. However, there are still unresolved issues related to waste solvents. One promising approach to tackle these challenges is through pyrolysis. This study selected waste methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) from the industrial sector as the feedstock for pyrolysis, resulting in various residual products such as fixed carbon (char), carbon soot, and fuel gases. Experimental results demonstrated that operating temperatures between 750 and 900 \({}^{\circ}\)C under anaerobic conditions yielded 5% to 10 wt% of fixed carbon, along with a small amount of tar and 80% to 90% of fuel gases. The research included lab-scale pilot experiments and field-scale system studies to develop a comprehensive concept for a thermal cracking plant. SolidWorks and Aspen Plus software were applied for calculations involving heat-transfer coefficients, residence time, and the utilization of fuel gases with a boiler or burner. A field system was constructed to scale up the pyrolysis process and effectively eliminate waste solvents, incorporating an automated procedural process. pyrolysis; thermal cracking; methyl ethyl ketone; field system Article Design of Pyrolysis Plant for Waste Methyl Ethyl Ketone from the Polarizer Manufacturing Process  
Yan-Quan Zhang, Chih  
be directly used in boilers, burners, or power generators. Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) is widely used in detergents. In the research discussed, MEK is obtained from the polarizer roll-to-roll process. Additionally, some formulations of ink involve the use of diluted MEK as a solvent in the subsequent cleaning process [6]. Several studies have focused on the chemical reactions of MEK [7; 8; 9; 10], and it has been concluded that during the pyrolysis process, MEK generates a methyl radical initially, followed by the formation of low carbon chain molecules and C-O components in subsequent steps of the mechanism. In many cases, waste solvents are contaminated with polymers due to the complex nature of high-tech manufacturing processes involving materials such as plastics or glues. Considering that several studies have investigated the pyrolysis process of plastics such as PP, PE, and PS, blending plastic waste with solvents during pyrolysis has been proposed as a promising approach [11]. However, it should be noted that the cracking reactions of plastics can be complex. Despite this complexity, blending plastics with solvents during pyrolysis has been explored as a potential strategy in some studies. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and Aspen Plus were popular software to simulate and adjust the design reactor; Aspen Plus is a numerical program that is based on thermodynamics and chemical kinetics, making it suitable for analyzing those aspects. However, it lacks capabilities for dealing with flow-related problems. Further, CFD is well-suited for handling complex geometries. SOLIDWORKS flow simulation is widely used for solving various heat transfer-related problems, including predicting heat transfer coefficients [11], designing heat exchangers for optimal heat transfer capacity [12], analyzing heat transfer in thermal generators [13], applying nuclear energy principles [13], and designing pyrolysis tanks [13]. In the mentioned research, the heat transfer coefficient and overall heat flux are the primary parameters considered in the reactor design. Governments are actively promoting the transition towards a circular economy, where waste treatment policies focus on resource utilization. This has become a global concern in recent years, with many articles discussing the potential of waste tires, plastics, biomass, and carbon fibers in achieving circular economy goals.