Pyrolysis of waste tires with partial oxidation in a fluidized-bed reactor

Abstract

The effects of feed rate of waste tires (0.21*0.52 kg/h), oxygen concentration (0–11%), pyrolysis temperature (700–800°C), and fluidizing gas velocity (1.5−3.0 μ mf) on product (gas, oil, char) yield, composition, energy recovery, and heating value of the product gas have been determined in a fluidized-bed reactor (0.076 m i.d. × 1.2 m-high). The product yield, composition and heating value of the product-gas, and energy recovery are found to be independent of the feed rate of waste tires. The effects of oxygen concentration (0–6.5%) on the yield and production rate of product gas (H 2, CH 4) are small but both decrease with oxygen concentrations above 6.5%. With increasing pyrolysis temperature, the gas yield and energy recovery increase, oil yield decreases, whereas the char yield remains constant. With increasing fluidizing gas velocity ( u o), the heating value of the product gas increases linearly, the total gas-production rate decreases, but energy recovery remains almost constant.