Liquid Hydrocarbons Production by the Steam Gasification of Used Tires: Energy Characteristics and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

The technical characteristics of liquid hydrocarbons obtained by steam gasification of the recycled automobile tires were studied as well as the features of their combustion process. Steam gasification of grinded tires was carried out in a tubular reactor using superheated steam with 500°C temperature and 5 kg/h mass flow rate. The obtained characteristics were compared with a traditional liquid fuel oil. The technical characteristics were determined via the standard analytical methods. An ignition and a combustion of liquid hydrocarbon samples were carried out in the combustion chamber at different temperatures of heating medium Tg = 450–700°C. Gas-phase combustion products were analyzed using a flow-through gas analyzer. It was found that liquid hydrocarbons were characterized by a low pour point (-43°C – (-52) °C) and comparable to calorific value of traditional fuel oil (40.56–43.3 MJ/kg). In addition, the studied samples of liquid hydrocarbons were characterized by a lower ignition delay time (by 56 %, on average) and flame burning time (by 30 %, on average). Combustion process of the studied samples (including traditional fuel oil) was accompanied by the formation of micro-explosions.