Project Information Sheet (attachment D1.9 a)

Recycling of EOL tyres using UHP water jetting and generating reclaim rubber and steel wire/fibers (BTRC)

Programme area: / Installation of the first commercial unit worldwide for the recycling of big rubber tyres (> 1,4 m diameter) with ultra high pressure water cutting and crumbling
Coordinator: / Big Tyre Recycling Corporation B.V.B.A. (BTRC – Belgium)
E-mail:
Tel: +3292237530
Partners: / ATS Contracting N.V. (Belgium) / Van Aarsen International B.V. (Netherlands)
Website: /
Benefits
(max. 150 characters incl. space): / Innovative recycling of big EOL tyres into active rubber powder (used in new rubber tyres/products), steel fibers (reinforcement of concrete elements), and textiles (reinforcement of rubber products)
Keywords: / Big End-Of-Life tyres/rubber powder/Ultra High Pressure water recycling
Sector: / Recyling
Type of solution / Product, process, technology
Duration: / 13/08/2010 – 12/08/2013
Budget: / € 3.936.473 (EU contribution: 25%)
Contract number: / ECO/09/256010/SI2.568290

Summary

  • Description of the project

The solution consists in the use of Ultra High Pressure (UHP) water jetting ( approx 4200 bars) for recycling the rubber crumb/ steelcord of the tyres with the following advantages:

1.The separation of the recuperated natural rubber (NR) and synthetic rubber (mainly SBR).

2.The obtained rubber powder is not an infill material but a regenerated second life material replacing the virgin material.

3.The obtained naked steel is no longer low value scrap but high value steel with a second life.

  • Specific Objectives

The main objective is the recycling of end-of-life (EOL) big tyres.

BTRC has put in place an innovative pilot plant with ecological and economical benefits at EU level.

Until now, there are no technical, economical and ecological solutions worldwide.

Worldwide the only solution for big tyres (diameter larger than 1.4 meter) is dumping or burning.

Traditional car and small truck tyres are shredded with high energy consuming machinery up to a diameter of some 1,4 m.

As there is no incineration of the waste in the BTRC process, the project results in a substantial reduction of the negative ecological footprint and benefits the human health.

The secondary objective is the recycling of the 2 main components: the reclaimed (upgraded ) rubber crumb and the recycled steel reinforcement of the tyres.

Expected and/or achieved results

  • The BTRC project will build and run the first full scale continuous process plant ever built to recycle End-Of-Life big tyres dia. 1.4m to 2.0 to produce second life raw material.
  • BTRC will start the dissemination of commercial applications for reclaimed rubber, recycled textile and recycled steel from big End-Of-Life tires.
  • BTRC will recycle about 7.800 ton/y at the end of year-3. This will result in approximately 5.000 tons of reclaimed rubber powders (Physically Active Rubber), textile and steel cord.
  • These rubber powders (approx 500µm < X < 50µm) can be used as second life raw material in new compounds and high value applications. The recycled textile and rubber-free steel will no longer have a low value scrap but will have several second life applications.
  • Reduction of the use of new ( virgin ) material and consequently the reduction of the CO2 ( reduction of CO2 of about 45000 tonCO2/y/unit), the reduction of energy and the reduction in the amount of fresh water used.( ). The project results in a considerable reduction of the negative ecological footprint and leads to a globally healthier environment

The information sheet will be published in the Eco-Innovation website. The EACI reserves the right to edit the information sheet for content and length

Page 1