Method for recovering materials from waste tires

Abstract

A waste tire processing apparatus ( 10 ) reacts waste tires ( 26 ) with a molten reactant metal ( 19 ) to recover primarily carbon and stainless steel. The apparatus ( 10 ) includes a tire positioning arrangement ( 20 ) for positioning the waste tires ( 26 ) in the molten reactant metal ( 19 ) for a reaction period. After the reaction period, the tire positioning arrangement ( 20 ) removes from the molten metal non-reacted solids remaining after the reaction. The non-reacted solids comprise primarily stainless-steel included in the waste tires. As the waste tires ( 26 ) are reacted in the molten reactant metal ( 19 ), a gas recovery arrangement ( 14 ) collects process gases released from the molten metal. The gas recovery arrangement ( 14 ) recovers primarily carbon, metal salts, hydrogen, and nitrogen.

1 . A method for recovering material from waste tires, the method comprising the steps of: 
 (a) contacting substantially whole waste tires with a molten reactant metal for a reaction period;    (b) collecting process gases released from the molten reactant metal during the reaction period;    (c) containing the waste tires on a tire carrier when the waste tires are contacted by the molten reactant metal; and    (d) removing unreacted solids from the molten reactant metal after the reaction period, the unreacted solids being contained on the tire carrier for removal.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the steps of contacting the waste tires with the molten reactant metal and containing the waste tires on the tire carrier include: 
 (a) lowering the waste tires into the molten reactant metal on the tire carrier; and  
 (b) pressing the waste tires into the molten reactant metal with a tire contactor member extending across an area above the tire carrier.  
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the step of removing unreacted solids from the molten reactant metal includes: 
 (a) lifting the tire contactor member and the tire carrier from the molten reactant metal and allowing the molten reactant metal to drain from around the unreacted solids, tire contactor member, and tire carrier; and  
 (b) cooling the tire carrier and unreacted solids located on the tire carrier.  
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the step of cooling the tire carrier and unreacted solids on the tire carrier comprises: 
 (a) moving the tire carrier to a cooling area and forcing air over the tire carrier and unreacted solids located on the tire carrier.  
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of collecting process gases comprises: 
 (a) positioning a gas recovery hood in an operating position in which a lower edge thereof extends into the molten reactant metal around the area in which the waste tires are to contact the molten reactant metal, the gas recovery hood defining a gas collection area in which the process gases released from the molten reactant metal are trapped.  
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of: 
 (a) directing process gases trapped in the gas collection area to an aqueous scrubber and removing metal salts and carbon from the process gas with the aqueous scrubber.  
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising the step of: 
 (a) purging the gas collection area of air prior to collecting substantial amounts of process gases in the gas collection area.