The Process Research & Test Center is a fully equipped pyro test facility with the capabilities to perform complex material and process tests and
evaluations, as well as simulating commercial flow sheets. The Test Center is unique in its ability to generate a complete flow sheet with many different unit
operations which can be assembled to represent a commercial plant. In addition, process engineers are involved in the test work to
prepare feasibility studies and interpretation of test results to commercial equipment sizing, design, supply, installation, training and start up.
CARBON BLACK PRODUCTION FROM WASTE TYRES
Development Program
- Concentrate on production of carbon black as the economical driver; maximize carbon black production
- Solve solid material and gas handling problems to make the process reliable as a continuous commercial process
- Process oil, gas and steel should be a recovered products with value
- Major equipment in the plant should be proven design; no mechanical design stretches.
- Jan 1997 laboratory work commenced
- Batch kiln tests were conducted to study time-temperature versus product quality
- Experience showed material handling into and out of the kiln was a major challenge; as well as gas handling and oil collection
- Pilot plant facilities were setup to evaluate the whole system on a continuous basis
Pilot plant runs were conducted to evaluate
- Time-temperature relationships
- Carbon char quality and yield
- Oil quality and yield
- Gas quality and yield
- Mass balance
- Design changes
- Develop analytical data for all products
Materials processed in pilot plant included:
Passenger tyres with steel
Passenger tyres without steel
Off-road tyres
Manufacturer rejects
Mixture of off-road & passenger tyres
Mixture of passenger & truck tyres
Conclusions
- Pyrolysis of scrap tyres can produce economically viable products (carbon black, oil, gas and steel) in an environmentally sound manner using commercially available equipment
- Pyro black has applications in a wide variety of rubber and plastics applications
- Pyro oil can be used for fuel, generation of carbon black, refiner feedstock for chemical recovery
- Pyro gas can be used in numerous applications; process gas, power generation, etc.
- Steel belting can be recycled to electric furnaces
- Tyre pyrolysis offers the opportunity to process millions of tyres each year in an economical and genuine environmentally friendly manner without production of waste materials
