Rubber Recycling Steps
Rubbers have become a mainstay in all our endeavors today. In fact, there is a whole industry dedicated to the production of rubber. Well, this isn’t surprising. After all, over 279 million tires get discarded each year. The funny thing is that this is not the only area where rubber gets applied to.
Now, while rubber production can be synthetic – through unsaturated carbon – it can also be natural. In turn, the natural process maximizes latex present in some plants. You can bet that the continuous exploitation of plants is sure to affect the environment.
As a result, one thing that has become prominent is rubber recycling. It allows us to preserve latex-producing plants. Even more, it ensures that over 279 million used tires do not end up in landfills. However, there is hardly much awareness of rubber recycling.
Now straight unto business. One thing that is important for you to understand is rubber recycling. However, while it seems like a recent development, this is far from reality. The fact is that rubber recycling has its first emergence as far back as rubbers’ industrial utilization.
Various legislations mandated the safe disposal of used tires through recycling. It is in this light that rubber recycling became a prominent discourse again.
So, what is this rubber recycling? This refers to a process whereby used tires get processed for new use. Precisely, rather than have them end up in landfills, various companies process them. Then, apply them to a wide variety of other products.
For instance, they are sometimes used in civil engineering and construction application. In other tines, they are used as crumbs rubbers that fill up virgin rubber. They also get used as playground covers. You can even use them on sporting surfaces.
Step-by-Step Process of Rubber Recycling
Now that you know what rubber recycling is all about, this is next. You might be wondering how the whole process of recycling occurs. We’ve got you covered.
Recycling occurs through a step by step process. Here’s what you need to know.
Step 1: Collection of Rubber
The first step is the collection of rubber products that you intend to recycle. In most cases, this is usually in the form of a tire, the major rubber product. In some cases, these materials come from landfills. In some other cases, people deposit it and send it to the recycling center.
Step 2: Shredding the Rubber
The next step involves shredding the rubber into pieces. Typically, a machine performs this function. Typically, most recycling companies use rotary shear shredder. It comes with two counter-rotating barbs that operate at high torque and low speed. It breaks it down into pieces and makes it easier for processing.
Step 3: Sorting
While it is easier to call the next step sorting, it involves removing textile fibers and steel fibers from the rubber. Typically, this occurs during the shredding process. And it occurs using magnets.
These magnets draw out the steel fibers from the whole bunch. On the other hand, there is a complex system that removes polyester fibers. This includes shaking screens, low vacuum suction, and wind sifters. Note that this process is very important as they constitute 30 percent of the whole bunch.
Step 4: Devulcanization
The next step involves making tire mulch from the old tires. The goal is to get the raw material to make new tire materials. However, keep in mind that this process does not cause the rubber to lose its insulation and elasticity capacity. This process then extends to the grounding of the mulch to granules.
Other Processes:
Beyond this, there are other options for the processing of the rubber material. They include:
Freezing
This involves the freezing of the rubber to process its recycling. Keep in mind that while this process is less common, it’s still as effective as Devulcanization. In this process, the rubber gets frozen using liquid nitrogen. Then, it gets processed in mills where it is grounded to create granules. These granules then become useful to create new rubber products.
Tire Pyrolysis
This involves a melting process without oxygen present. The goal is to melt rubber while avoiding the possibility of combustion. In turn, this ensures that toxic fumes do not emerge.
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