Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) is a high-quality carbon black obtained by recycling waste tyres. It effectively alleviates the resource consumption and environmental burden caused by traditional carbon black. Therefore, rCB, a sustainable raw material, is becoming a new favorite in various industrial production links. Read on to learn about the sustainable significance of rCB in the field of waste tyre recycling.
What is rCB?
The rCB is a high-quality carbonaceous material derived from the thermal decomposition of scrap tyres. Similar to conventional carbon black, it consists mainly of elemental carbon. The remainder is residues from tyre additives. Carbon content of rCB is comparable to conventional carbon black. This makes rCB an effective reinforcing filler in rubber and plastic products. However, its production does not involve the intervention of new resources, making it more sustainable.
Existing Problems of Industrial Carbon Black
Fossil Resource Consumption
Traditional carbon black production requires a large amount of fossil fuels as raw materials, mainly heavy oil fractions from refineries. Not only that, the energy consumption in the production process of carbon black is extremely high. However, due to the huge demand for carbon black in various industrial production activities, especially tyre manufacturing, the problem of fossil fuel dependence has long existed.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The production of 1 ton of carbon black usually requires about 1.5 tons of fossil fuels and emits about 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide. This high-emission production model has brought serious problems of climate change and environmental pollution. Traditional carbon black production has become an important part of the industrial carbon footprint. Therefore, producers are in urgent need of finding more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Potential for the Development of rCB Production
Growing Market Demand
The global carbon black market is about 14 million tons, with demand growing by about 4.5% each year. This growth trend has led to an increasing demand for carbon black. As a sustainable alternative material, rCB has the potential to meet market demand. With the increasing demand for carbon black in industrial and consumer products, the market prospects of rCB have become broader, providing companies with important development opportunities.
Huge Inventory of Waste Tyres
Waste tyres are an important raw material for rCB. About 4 billion waste tyres are landfilled worldwide, with about 1.8 billion new waste tyres added each year. Considering that the carbon black content of each car tyre can reach 35%, these waste tyres provide a rich source of carbon black. The huge inventory of waste tyres means that the production of rCB has a stable supply of raw materials, which helps to meet the growing market demand.
Considerable Economic Benefits
As consumers pay more attention to sustainable materials, the market demand for rCB continues to rise. This has driven up the price of rCB from pyrolysis technology, bringing considerable benefits to companies that produce and use rCB. Not only that, the economic value of rCB is not only reflected in the increase in its market price. rCB production brings economic benefits to enterprises by reducing the cost of waste tyre disposal and lowering the cost of new tyre production.
Environmental Advantages of rCB Prodcution
Resource Conservation:
The production of rCB reduces the demand for new carbon black by recycling carbon black from waste tyres. This not only reduces dependence on fossil fuels. Also, it reduces resource consumption in the production of new carbon black. Waste tyres, as the main raw material of rCB, make full use of waste resources. This provides new ideas for the development of circular economy.
Emissions Reduction
The pyrolysis technology involved in the production of rCB is carried out in a micro-oxygen environment to avoid the large-scale formation of carbon oxides. In addition, resource recycling also avoids the landfill and incineration of waste tyres. This production model has significant advantages in reducing industrial carbon footprint. Therefore, this helps to meet the challenges of climate change and environmental protection.
How to Get rCB?
Scrap Tyre Collection:
The first step in producing rCB is collecting scrap tyres. Sorting and processing the scrap tyres ensures their quality and suitability. Scrap tyres usually come from cars, motorcycles, and other vehicles. After processing, these scrap tyres are transported to the production site.
Tyre Shredding:
Crushing scrap tyres into small pieces prepares them for subsequent pyrolysis treatment. The process breaks the tyres into smaller particles, improving the efficiency of pyrolysis and reducing energy consumption and time during treatment. This process also separates the steel wire from the tyres.
⭐Tyre Pyrolysis:
In the tyre pyrolysis plant, heat the crushed tyres with high temperatures. The tyres thermally decompose in an oxygen-free environment. During this process, the rubber and other organic matter in the tyres break down into gas, liquid, and solid carbon black. This process produces by-products, including about 45% pyrolysis oil, 35% carbon black, 10% combustible gas, and 10% steel wire. After the reaction, the carbon black exits the reactor.
Raw rCB Refining:
After pyrolysis, the remaining solid carbon black becomes raw rCB. Raw rCB contains carbon black and ash, with the latter being an additive used in tyre production. The refining process removes these impurities, transforming raw rCB into high-quality rCB. The refining process includes screening, washing and chemical treatment to ensure the purity and performance of the final product.
The following is the tire pyrolysis process for your reference:
Applications of rCB
New Tyre Production
In tyre manufacturing, rCB enhances rubber’s strength, durability, and resistance to wear and UV. Incorporating rCB into tyre production allows manufacturers to reduce reliance on virgin carbon black, cutting production costs and minimizing their environmental footprint.
Technical Rubber Product Processing
rCB plays a significant role in producing technical rubber products, including seals and molded parts. rCB improves the mechanical properties of rubber, making it more resistant to deformation and cracking. This enhancement is crucial for applications involving high stress or repeated motion.
Chemical Product Addition
rCB serves as an important raw material in producing plastics, toners, and inks. As a pigment and filler, rCB enhances color consistency, UV resistance, and mechanical strength. Additionally, rCB provides a deep black coloring effect and excellent dispersibility.
Sustainable Significance of rCB to Tyre-related Industries
Tyre Manufacturing:
In tyre manufacturing, the application of rCB realizes a closed-loop resource cycle. Using pyrolysis process to extract carbon black from waste tyres allows manufacturers to reduce reliance on virgin carbon black. This approach significantly cuts fossil fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during production. The use of rCB not only lowers production costs but also strongly supports the production of green tyres, promoting the sustainable development of the tyre industry.
Tyre Recycling:
Traditional waste tyre recycling methods, such as landfill and incineration, waste resources and negatively impact the environment. Through pyrolysis technology, waste tyres convert into rCB, pyrolysis oil, and combustible gas, maximizing resource utilization. Producing rCB reduces the number of waste tyres and provides a sustainable development path for the tyre recycling industry, promoting the construction of a circular economy across the entire industry chain.
Conclusion
Recovered Carbon Black (rCB) is an innovative material that is transforming tire recycling and industrial production. By addressing the resource consumption and environmental pollution issues associated with traditional carbon black production, rCB offers a sustainable alternative that benefits both the environment and the economy. With ongoing technological advancements and increasing market demand, rCB is poised to play a crucial role in the future of green industry, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability and economic growth.
