Introduction

Scrap tyres represents a major environmental problem worldwide. There is a huge problem all over the world with the issue of what do you do with your old worn tyres after being replaced with new ones.

Waste tyres are bulky and difficult to dispose of. The nature of waste tyres does not allow compression or folding in order to reduce the space occupied during disposal at landfills and they do not degrade or degenerate easily through a natural degeneration process like natural waste.

Definition of waste tyres

A tyre is made out of natural or synthetic rubber or a combination there off. It consist of the following compounds which are rubber, carbon black, silica, metal, textile, zinc, oxide, sulphur, copper compounds, cadmium, lead and lead compounds, organic halogen compounds and some additives like solvents, age restrictors, vulcanizing agents, softeners, fillers and processing aids in varying proportions.

Solution

The solution is tyre recycling plants. Initially they are expensive to start but have the potential to pay itself off in two years with the income generated by it.

Pyrolysis may be an environmentally friendly process to transform waste tyres into useful products.

This process mainly transforms used tyres into gas, oil and pyrolytic carbon black. Researchers have shown that the conversion of waste tyres into oils is a feasible process. The derived oils can be used directly as fuel or added to petroleum refinery feedstock. The gaseous products can also be used as fuel. The carbon black can be used as reinforcing filler in rubber, especially in tyres or as activated carbon because of its high carbon content. Activated carbon is widely used for water purification, air purification and also in batteries and fuel cells.

Conversion process at the plant

The process at a plant to convert waste rubber to fuel will typically consists of the following phases which are known as the pyrolysis process.

Scrap tyres (waste rubber)

This will typically be the scrap or waste tyres after being replaced with new ones. It can be arranged that the scrap or waste tyres from retailers be dropped off on site at the plant.

Reactor (pyrolysis process)

The tyres is fed into the drum like shape reactor which is then heated to high temperatures.

Pyrolysis process produces both gas and liquid products. At lower temperature, it produces more liquid products while at higher temperatures more gases are generated

Distiller (distillation process)

The gasses that are produced from the pyrolysis process are put through a condensation process and the output is crud-oil. Further distillation processes will convert the crud-oil into diesel.

Fuel (usable product)

Crude-oil

Fuel (Diesel)

Carbon black

Conclusion

Entrepreneurs can use these recycling plants to start a new business or entrepreneurship which will earn a good income, help environmental protection, help tyre retailers to get rid of the waste tyres and help with job creation which is all problem areas especially in developing countries.

In the end tyre recycling plants is a win-win solution for everyone involved and the environment.