RCB: Recovered Carbon Black from used tires
Over one billion used tires are landfilled every year globally. Current methods of their disposal, i.e. combustion, result in emission of harmful vapors, dusts and chemical compounds into the atmosphere. The Polish start-up Syntoil has found a solution that not only limits a negative impact of tyre disposal on the environment, but also allows to improve functioning of the rubber industry.
The company has developed the most efficient procedure in which rubber waste is first shredded into smaller pieces, and then three components are obtained through a continuous pyrolysis process: gas that produces energy, oil that is used in rubber production, and black pigment. Both the process and product are innovations on a national and global scale.
Carbon black in tire industry
Carbon black is an extremely important component for tyre production. Without this raw material the tyre would only be able to cover 100 km. After that distance it would simply get damaged. More than 14 million tonnes of carbon black are currently consumed annually worldwide. The problem is that it is traditionally obtained as a result of burning fossil fuels, with a high level of carbon footprint.
Syntoil, has developed an innovative, environment friendly treatment of pyro-biochar (contaminated soot) produced in the process of used tyres recycling, resulting in recovered carbon black obtained in sustainable manner.
Instead of burning the biochar, the company came up with the solution to recycles it from used tyres, which substantially reduces carbon footprint of the process and limits use of the fossil fuels. Syntoil collects the pyro-biochar from the companies producing it and puts it back into circulation – after previous purification and postproduction.
While traditional methods of carbon black production emit up to 6 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of the raw material, the new solution brings the emission of CO2 down to one tonne per one tonne of the carbon black. Moreover, there are plans to use all the carbon dioxide in the process of production of recovered carbon black in the near future.
The carbon black recovered in sustainable way returns to the circuit by being used in production of new rubber goods. Higher level of purity distinguishes the raw material from the competitive solutions. A pelletized version of the product can be used in the production of rubber, tyres as well as rubber goods such as car mats or doormats. Additionally, it can also be used as a pigment (powder) in plastics, paints and building materials.
Implementation status
Syntoil S.A. is at the stage of expanding the scale of the installation – from semi-industrial to industrial. The company has signed agreements on sales and cooperation with carbon black distributors and producers of rubber goods. The product is being tested on an ongoing basis.
Team Syntoil
Name of the entity where the solution was developed, including contact details
Syntoil S.A.,
Pl. Powstańców Śląskich 17a/222
Wrocław 53-329
(0048) 606 979 523
office@syntoil.pl
ms@syntoil.pl
Image Credit: FK1954, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
