Scrap Tires | Scrap Tire News | Archived Article

A joint venture between Beven Recycling and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has resulted in a full-scale tire recycling plant that uses pyrolysis technology to process scrap tires.

The plant, which has full Integrated Pollution Control Authorization under provision of the UK's EPA, as well as the required planning permission, is located at a customer's site at Witney in Oxfordshire, England, according to Ann Jervis, a spokeswoman for Beven. At the plant, tires are loaded whole (sometimes baled) in 1 ton increments (about 150-175 car tires) into retorts which are suspended over furnaces. As the tires heat, the vapor passes from the retort into water cooled condensation vessels where the liquid phase which is oil, condenses out. The remaining gases pass through a small scrubber before being piped to the gas burners to self fuel the process.

When the process is completed the retorts are cooled and purged with nitrogen. The oil is pumped to storage. The next cycle commences almost at once with a second set of furnaces and retorts. When the contents of the first retorts are cool they are removed and the steel separated from the carbon before the retorts are refilled with tires for the next cycle.

Stack emissions are monitored at regular intervals throughout the run. The Beven technology has also qualified for Entrust approval which means the U.K.'s landfill tax credit financing can be used to help fund installations, Jervis said. The plant is designed to recycle up to 500,000 tires a year.

Income is derived from the by-products it produces and the disposal fee charged for taking scrap tires, Jervis said. One ton of tires produces approximately 230-275 kg of oil, 400-410 kg of carbon, 130-160 kg of steel and 190-210 kg of gas. The company markets the by-products in the U.K. and is participating in several government research grant projects to develop further uses of the by-products, Jervis said. The company is also working with researchers at the Universities of Sheffield and Leeds on a product enhancement program. For more information or to arrange a visit to the Beven plant contact Ann Jervis at +44 01235 435198.