Nuclear Power for the Production of Industrial Products from Mixed Plastic Waste

Authors

  • Mickey Bresnahan Georgia Institute of Technolgy Author
  • Dr. Piyush Sabharwall Idaho National Laboratory Author
  • Dr. Vivek Utgikar University of Idaho Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.64149/j.ijesrt.15.6.14-35

Abstract

A potential solution to the problem of management of ever-increasing plastic waste through chemical recycling using nuclear energy is presented in this paper. The nuclear plant is co-located with the plant decomposing the plastic waste into feedstock chemicals and the one upcycling the feedstock chemicals into high value industrial products such as steel and transportation fuel.  Material and energy balances are performed for a number of subsystems producing iron, steel, hydrocarbon fuels, ammonia products, and polycarbonate plastics coupled to a nominal 10 MWt nuclear microreactor. Such a microreactor could facilitate the conversion of 25 metric tons of plastic to valuable industrial products each day and maintain carbon neutrality. 

Author Biographies

  • Dr. Piyush Sabharwall, Idaho National Laboratory

    Piyush Sabharwall, Ph.D., is a Distinguished Staff Nuclear Research Scientist at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). He has more than 18 years of research and development experience in nuclear and thermal engineering. He is highly regarded throughout the nuclear industry for his expertise in heat transfer, fluid mechanics, thermal design, thermodynamics, energy systems, and nuclear safety analyses. He manages the Irradiation Experiment Thermal Hydraulics Analysis Department under Nuclear Science and Technology Directorate at INL and was recognized as an Asian American Engineer of the Year for 2022. He also serves as the Technical Area Lead on DOE Office of Nuclear Energy’s Microreactor R&D Program. He has helped cement INL’s leadership in areas including verification and validation, development of experimental programs and test beds, small modular reactors, molten salt reactor technology, and integrated energy systems. He has authored two books, contributed chapters to technical books, and published over 320 peer-reviewed publications. His leadership has allowed him to serve in several key positions and guide U.S. DOE programs, as well as industrial organizations, helping capital and technical projects navigate complex regulatory landscapes. He has been responsible for building and strengthening strategic partnerships with universities and collaborating with area technical leads from other national laboratories to advance science and technology strategies for INL and the U.S. Department of Energy. He holds an Adjunct Associate Professor appointment in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Texas A&M University and an Adjunct Professor at University of Michigan in the Department of Nuclear Engineering and Radiological Sciences. He holds a PhD in nuclear engineering; master’s degrees in renewable energy and sustainability systems, engineering management, and nuclear engineering; and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering.

  • Dr. Vivek Utgikar, University of Idaho

    Professor in the Chemical Engineering department at the Univsity of Idaho

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Published

2026-10-05

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 6 (2026): October-December

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Nuclear Power for the Production of Industrial Products from Mixed Plastic Waste. (2026). International Journal of Engineering Sciences & Research Technology, 15(6), 14-35. https://doi.org/10.64149/j.ijesrt.15.6.14-35