Common Feeding Methods for Tire Pyrolysis Equipment

The feeding method is a critical factor affecting the production efficiency, safety, and continuous operation of tire pyrolysis equipment. Below are several common feeding methods and their characteristics:

1. Whole Tire Feeding

• Method: Directly feed entire tires (car tires, truck tires, etc.) into the pyrolysis reactor without pre-processing.

• Advantages:

  • Saves pre-treatment costs (e.g., shredding or cutting).

  • Suitable for small to medium-sized tires or low-capacity systems.

• Disadvantages:

  • Occupies more reactor space, leading to lower heat transfer efficiency and longer pyrolysis time.

  • Steel wires or fibers may cause equipment wear or clogging.

• Application: Small-scale batch pyrolysis systems.

2. Shredded Tire Feeding

• Method: Tires are first shredded into small pieces (typically 3-5 cm) and then fed into the reactor via a conveyor or screw feeder.

• Advantages:

  • Improves pyrolysis efficiency (larger surface area for heat transfer).

  • Reduces damage from steel wires/fibers.

  • Suitable for continuous pyrolysis processes.

• Disadvantages:

  • Requires additional shredding equipment, increasing investment and energy consumption.

• Application: Medium to large-scale continuous pyrolysis plants.

3. Steel Wire-Removed Feeding

• Method: Tires undergo steel wire separation (bead and carcass wires removed) before the remaining rubber blocks are fed into the reactor.

• Advantages:

  • Significantly reduces metal content in pyrolysis residues.

  • Lowers coking risk in the reactor, extending equipment lifespan.

• Disadvantages:

  • Complex pre-treatment process, higher costs.

• Application: Projects requiring high-purity pyrolysis oil/carbon black.

4. Fully Automated Continuous Feeding

• Method: Uses a sealed feeding system (e.g., twin-screw feeder, hydraulic pusher) to continuously feed shredded tire particles while preventing oxygen ingress.

• Advantages:

  • Enables 24/7 continuous production with high efficiency.

  • Ensures safety by avoiding air mixing (explosion risk).

• Disadvantages:

  • Complex equipment with high maintenance requirements.

• Application: Large-scale industrial pyrolysis projects.

5. Batch Feeding (Intermittent Process)

• Method: Tires (whole or shredded) are loaded manually or mechanically in batches, with residue cleared after each cycle.

• Advantages:

  • Simple equipment structure, low investment.

• Disadvantages:

  • Low production efficiency, high energy consumption.

  • Manual operation may pose safety risks.

• Application: Experimental or small-scale production.

6. Hot Melt Feeding (Special Process)

• Method: Tire particles are melted into a rubber slurry at high temperatures and then pumped into the pyrolysis reactor.

• Advantages:

  • Enhances heat transfer uniformity for more complete pyrolysis.

• Disadvantages:

  • Extremely high energy consumption, technically challenging.

• Application: Rarely used, limited to high-end processes.

Selection Guidelines

• Throughput: Continuous feeding suits large-scale production; batch feeding fits small-scale operations.

• Tire Type: Truck tires should be shredded + steel-removed; car tires may allow whole-tire feeding.

• Safety: Prioritize sealed feeding systems (e.g., twin-screw) to prevent oxygen entry.

• Product Quality: More pre-processing (e.g., wire removal) improves pyrolysis oil and carbon black quality.

In practice, a combination of methods (e.g., "shredding + steel removal + continuous feeding") is often used to balance efficiency and cost.