STUDY ON THE USEFULNESS OF LlQUlD PRODUCTS FROM PYROLYSIS OF USED VEHICLE TIRES AS FUEL FOR DIESEL ENGINES

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-06-5 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 41, 217-224 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/41/S18.028

ABSTRACT

The paper analyzes physicochemical properties of liquid products of waste tyre pyrolysis, and attempts to assess their usefulness as fuel for diesel engines. Every year, the number of produced vehicle tires increases at a very fast pace. Used tyres turn into waste that is difficult to manage simply because, according to relevant EU regulations, vehicle tires should be subject to recycling. To a large extent, the problem of waste tyres management may be resolved by their utilization through pyrolysis. The processing of used tyres by pyrolysis consists in their thermal or catalytic degradation without the presence of oxygen. The liquid fraction generated during the process may be used as liquid fuel. It also constitutes a potential source of aromatic hydrocarbons such as toluene, benzene or xylene. The paper presents the results of tests regarding physical and chemical properties of liquid pyrolysis products obtained from waste tyres. The tests referred to the basic properties of pyrolysis oil and two separated fractions (medium and heavy) such as density, viscosity, flash point, sulfur content, metal content, combustion heat, corrosion, lubricity and the content of impurities. Moreover, the authors examine the morphology of solids in the tested liquids. The tests have been carried out at the Fuel, Hydraulic Fluids and Environmental Protection Research Centre, Maritime University of Szczecin. Based on the tests, it has been found out that the oil obtained by pyrolysis of vehicle tires has not met some of the requirements included in the standards for the quality of liquid fuels. However, it may be applied as an additive to conventional fuels in order to produce fuel mixtures with improved properties at a lower cost.

Keywords: pyrolysis, waste tyres, physicochemical properties, fuel, pyrolysis oil, morphology