Pyrolysis process for reclaiming desirable materials from vehicle tires

A pyrolysis process for reclamation and recovery of desirable constituent materials from vehicle tires shredded into tire pieces, the process comprising the steps of:

• transferring the tire pieces into a rotary kiln having an infeed end and a discharge end, the rotary kiln having an open interior generally devoid of air and divided into three separate heating zones, a first heating zone being operated at a temperature between 700° C. to 800° C., a second heating zone being operated at a temperature between 600° C. to 700° C., and a third heating zone being operated at a temperature between 500° C. to 600° C.;
• transferring the tire pieces through the three separate heating zones from the infeed end of the rotary kiln to the discharge end of the rotary kiln;
• such that the tire pieces are pyrolyzed as the tire Dieces traverse the rotary kiln;
• removing the pyrolyzed tire pieces from the rotary kiln;
• and
• separating the pyrolyzed tire pieces into the desirable constituent materials.

A pyrolysis process for reclamation and recovery of desirable constituent materials from product pieces, the process comprising the steps of:

• receiving the product pieces from a supply in a feed cylinder having a continuous flight attached to an inner wall of the feed cylinder and extending radially inward therefrom in a helical pattern from a first end of the feed cylinder to a second end of the feed cylinder;
• rotating the feed cylinder such that the continuous flight extending from the inner wall of the feed cylinder moves the product pieces from the first end of the feed cylinder to the second end of the feed cylinder thereby transferring the product pieces from the supply to a pyrolysis chamber;
• heating the product pieces at a first temperature between 700°-800° C. in a first heating zone of the pyrolysis chamber;
• transferring the product pieces from the first heating zone to a second heating zone in the pyrolysis chamber;
• heating the product pieces at a second temperature between 600°-700° C. in the second heating zone, the second temperature being independent from the first temperature;
• transferring the product pieces from the second heating zone to a third heating zone in the pyrolysis chamber;
• heating the product pieces at a third temperature between 500°-600° C. in the third heating zone, the third temperature being independent from the second temperature;
• and
• removing the product pieces from the pyrolysis chamber and separating the desirable materials.

A pyrolysis system for reclamation and recovery of desirable materials from vehicle tires, the system comprising:

• a feed chamber directing a supply of vehicle tire pieces;
• an infeed device positioned to transport the supply of vehicle tire pieces from the feed chamber;
• a pyrolysis section generally devoid of air and having an infeed end and a discharge end, the infeed end positioned to receive the vehicle tire pieces from the infeed device, the pyrolysis section being divided into three heating zones to heat the vehicle tire pieces as the tire pieces move through the pyrolysis section wherein an operating temperature of a first heating zone is between 700° C. to 800° C., an operating temperature of a second heating zone is between 600° C. to 700° C., and an operating temperature of a third heating zone is between 500° C. to 600° C., wherein the vehicle tire pieces are pyrolyzed while traversing the pyrolysis section from the infeed end to the discharge end;
• and
• a separating device positioned adjacent to the pyrolysis section to separate the desirable materials.

A pyrolysis system for the reclamation and recovery of char and scrap steel from vehicle tire pieces, the system comprising:

• a feed chamber directing a supply of the vehicle tire pieces;
• a rotatable feed cylinder extending between a first end and a second end, the first end of the feed cylinder being coupled to the feed chamber, the feed cylinder having a continuous flight extending radially inward from an inner wall of the feed cylinder and extending in a helical pattern between the first end and the second end of the feed cylinder, the flight constructed to direct the vehicle tire pieces from the first end to the second end of the feed cylinder;
• a rotary kiln having an infeed end and a discharge end, the infeed end positioned to receive the vehicle tire pieces from the feed cylinder, the rotary kiln being divided into three heating zones to heat the vehicle tire pieces as the tire pieces move through the rotary kiln, wherein the operating temperature of a first heating zone is between 700° C. to 800° C., the operating temperature of a second heating zone is between 600° C. to 700° C. and the operating temperature of a third heating zone is between 500° C. to 600° C., wherein the vehicle tire pieces are pyrolyzed as the tire pieces pass through the rotary kiln from the infeed end to the discharge end;
• and
• a rotatable trommel coupled to the discharge end of the pyrolysis section, the trommel constructed to separate the char from the scrap steel.