On 24 October, SUNRISE received an inquiry from a German client about a waste tyre pyrolysis plant. The client wants to know more about SUNRISE waste tyre pyrolysis plants because Germany offers financial subsidies and incentives for recycling. Germany produces millions of waste tyres a year and has a big waste management problem. Pyrolysis, a form of WtE, could be the answer. The client wants to know if pyrolysis technology can be used for energy recovery and how. The following is what we talked about with the German client.

Our German clients are interested in this sustainable technology. They asked about the principle of tire pyrolysis technology because they were considering using it in their waste tire management and recovery projects. To answer their questions about waste tire pyrolysis, let’s start with the basics.

Pyrolysis is a process in which organic materials (such as biomass, waste plastics, waste rubber, and sewage sludge) are heated to high temperatures in the absence or near – absence of oxygen. The lack of oxygen prevents complete combustion and instead leads to the breakdown of the chemical bonds in the organic material.

First, waste tires are fed into the pyrolysis furnace. As the tires are heated in the pyrolysis reactor, which is typically heated to a temperature range of around 400 to 600 degrees Celsius, the complex polymers in the tires start to break down. During this thermal decomposition, various products are formed.

One of the main products is pyrolysis oil. This liquid is collected and can be further refined and used in different applications such as fuel additives or in the chemical industry.

Another significant by-product is carbon black. It is a black powder that has many uses, especially in the rubber and plastics industries to enhance material properties.

Simultaneously, combustible gases are produced. These gases are channeled into a gas distribution manifold. The gas distribution manifold plays a crucial role in this process. It collects the gases from different parts of the reactor and then distributes them. Part of the gas can be redirected back to the reactor as a fuel source to maintain the high temperature required for pyrolysis, reducing the need for external energy input. The manifold also regulates the gas pressure and flow, ensuring a stable operation. It can direct other portions of the gas to purification systems for further treatment to remove impurities like sulfur compounds and particulate matter. After purification, the gas can be used in other industrial processes or stored for future use.

If the steel wire is not completely separated during the pre-treatment stage, it will remain in the pyrolysis furnace during the pyrolysis process. Since the melting point of the steel wire is much higher than the pyrolysis temperature (the pyrolysis temperature is generally between 400 and 600 degrees Celsius, while the melting point of the steel wire is around 1300 – 1500 degrees Celsius), it basically remains in a solid state during pyrolysis. After the pyrolysis is completed, the steel wire will be mixed with carbon black and other solid residues. Then, further separation methods such as screening or magnetic separation again can be used to separate the steel wire from the other solid products. The separated steel wire can also be recycled and reused in the steel industry.

So far, waste tire pyrolysis process is completed.

Then we keep discussing with the German client. The client wants to set up a pyrolysis plant to recycle tyres and other rubber waste. They inquire which pyrolysis furnaces are best for their recycling plant.

Actually when choosing a tire pyrolysis furnace, it’s essential to consider different operating modes such as Batch, Semi – continuous, and Fully continuous.

The client wants to invest in a tyre-recycling plant now. Therefore, they asked about the profit from tyre pyrolysis recycling. “We wanted to know how much money this recycling production line could make.” This is also a question that most customers are very concerned about. Actually this depends on many things.

Finally, our German customers want to know how pyrolysis works in specific production case studies. This can help them decide if this technology is right for them. Let’s take a look at some great examples. Click here to know more.

SUNRISE team can provide you not only the tire reycling solutions, but also e-waste disposal plan like batteries recycling solutions, circuit board recycling solutions, and solar panel reycling solutions. Feel free to contact us if you wanna start recycling business.