Fractionation of tire pyrolysis oil into a light fuel fraction by steam distillation

Abstract

© 2018 Elsevier LtdPyrolysis has been identified as a possible process for producing alternative fuels from thermal degradation of residue materials. In this work, a steam distillation process was applied to extract a light fuel fraction from tire pyrolysis oil. The light fuel fraction (LFF) was a light yellow, translucent liquid with a specific gravity of 0.76 g·cm−3 and dynamic viscosity of 0.4 mPa.s at 20 °C. LFF was mainly composed of volatile organic components of the tire pyrolysis oil. GC-MS analysis shows the light fraction composed mostly of benzene-substituted compounds (62.06%), mainly ethylbenzenes (14.84%) and methylbenzenes (13.02%) derivatives. Saturates were mainly branched alkanes containing eight carbon atoms (21.94%) and cycloalkanes in minor amount (1.35%). Olefins were essentially alkyl-branched cyclohexenes (14.66%), highlighting limonene (8.2%). The standard mid-infrared spectroscopy revealed the light fuel fraction resembles very closely the petroleum-derived gasoline. In addition, typical distillation properties (such as T50, T90, and driveability index) and octane number (Motor Octane Number and Research Octane Number) for the light fuel fraction matched to the gasoline properties. The results point out to the feasibility to replace conventional gasoline by the light fraction obtained from tire-derived oil by means of steam distillation.