Method for the determination of tar produced from the pyrolysis of used tires

Abstract

The main issue associated with the disposal of old tires is that they contain harmful chemicals and heavy metals that can contaminate the environment as they break down. One solution to this problem is the use of a process known as pyrolysis, which breaks down the tires and produces useful by-products. This process results in the formation of gas, liquid, and solid phases, with the gas containing tar and other components. A method known as solid-phase adsorption (SPA) is here being studied as a way of determining the concentration of tar compounds. A specific sampling device using an amino-phase sorbent and activated coconut charcoal was found to be effective for collecting the tar and its volatile organic compounds from the gas produced during tire pyrolysis. The study was conducted using a double-layered pyrolysis reactor in Latvia. The amount of tar was measured by drawing varying volumes of pyrolytic gas through the adsorbents and comparing it to the amounts of individual component compounds.