Tyre pyrolysis oil properties ?

Waste tyre pyrolysis plant

Scrap tyre consists of organic matter that is often disposed illegally in open lands, ultimately causing an environmental problem. Pyrolysis is considered as a useful technique for recycling of scrap tyres by using which liquid, gases, carbon black and steel wires a re obtained. The difficulty in using Tyre Pyrolysis Oil (TPO) as an energy source is its complex chemical composition。

Tyre pyrolysis oil

From 1.5 Litre of TPO 350 ml of distilled oil is obtained in the temperature range of 200 - 270 0 C which is blended with diesel to be used as high grade fuel to run a DI 4 stroke single cylinder diesel engine.

The TPO left in the flask after distillation is found to have high viscosity, high fire point and high pour point; as a result of which it is utility is found in being used as a base for manufacture of lubricants. By employing such techniques the commercial value of TPO is in cre ased and also better results were obtai ned. With increase in utility of TPO it is expected that more such manufacturing plants will come up。

The oil obtained after pyrolysis is termed as Tyre Pyrolysis Oil (TPO). Pyrolysis of tyres yield liquid fuel, gases, carbon black and steel wires. Tyre Pyrolysis Oil can be directly used as fuel in Combustors and IC engines.

Although using in such systems is effective, the complex composition poses h uge challenges for use of TPO as a combustion fuel. They analyzed the properties of TPO and concluded that it can be used as fuel for industrial furnaces and boilers in power plants due to their high calorific value, low ash and sulphur content.

But TPO has higher density, kinematic viscosity and lower cetane value compared to that of diesel. This limits its use as a fuel in IC engines. They proposed to use TPO blended with diesel fuel in various proportions by volume keeping the blend quality under permissible limits.