Techno-economic analysis of plastic wastes-based polygeneration processes.

• The plastic wastes-based polygeneration process dramatically reduce CO 2 emissions. • The CaLP contributes to additional payback from carbon revenue. • The CaLP effectively enhance the profitability of products. • The CaLP is validated to promote the economics of Design 3. To address the plastic waste reduction and reutilization, three designs of mixed plastic wastes-based polygeneration processes are named Designs 1–3. Designs 1 and 2 produce MeOH and electricity simultaneously by using the cryogenic air separation unit (CASU) and the vacuum pressure swing adsorption unit (VPSA), respectively. To increase the capacity of capturing CO 2 , the calcium looping process (CaLP) is involved in Design 3 to produce the products of H 2 and CO 2 and recover waste heat for power generation. The complicated CaLP dramatically increases the total costs of Design 3, although the carbon capture ratio of Design 3 is superior to other designs. If the cumulative carbon revenue is counted into the total annual income according to the emission trading scheme, the economic evaluation shows that Design 3 has a higher net present value (NPV), or a higher internal rate of return (IRR), or a shorter dynamic payback period (DPP) than other designs. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]