Big Tyre Recycling Corporation
Rubber Recycling & Tyre Recycling
Rubber Products recycling using water
The UHP water jetting technology
As of 2012 academic and industrial research were successful by BTRC in the upgrading of the UHP water jetting technology for pulverizing rubber directly into surface de-vulcanized ultra fine powder called PAR (Physical Active Rubber).
About us, what we do
BTRC worked out 2 different UHP techniques: one for the ‘small’ car/truck tyres providing a powder of max 180 µm (grade A) and one for the ’big’ tyres and all other rubber products providing powder of max 400 µm (grade B).
Grade A powder < 180 µm / 80 mesh
Grade B powder < 400 µm / 40 mesh
The BTRC technology
The car/truck tyres (with a thin layer of rubber) need 2.000 bar in a specific configuration of the jet stream.
The big OTR tyres need a 4.200 bar jetting to pulverize the rubber.
These technologies do not use any grinding nor milling.
The quality of the recycled rubber powder
Both techniques provide the same quality of the recycled powder.
The first technique, for small car/truck tyres, provides powder (grade A) of max 180 µm and a circularity of 0,88.
The second technique for the big OTR tyres, provides powder (grade B) of max 400 µm and a circularity of 0,85.
These powders have a MC (moisture content) of less than 0,5% and a very large surface area (BET) which facilitates the vulcanization.
The compounding market for the pulverized rubber
The PAR is not a filler but an active rubber powder.
It can replace NR / SBR, in new compounds in a high PHR (30, 50, 100, 300) and save time and money.
The same PHR of additional products (CB, Zn, S, etc.) must be applied in the new compound.
Vulcanization tests of different PHR in new compounds should be carefully checked and adjusted to the quality requirements.
The EOL (end-of-life) rubber products
Initially BTRC did pulverization tests in order to find the best way of fully recycling rubber products.
- The pulverized rubber: the PAR, is ready to be re-vulcanized.
- The steel bead is coiled, clean, not damaged and can be refurbished.
- The steel fibers of the tread (refurbished) can be re-used.
- The purified textile fluff can be re-used.
- The undamaged steel parts: e.g. cleats of tracks, steel cables, coiled steel bars, flanges of oil- and dredging hoses, can be refurbished.
The economic issues
The PAR is sold to car/truck fabricators proving the economic advantage.
The recycling energy is reduced in both jetting technologies and is less than mechanical shredding and consecutive milling because the jetting and drying energy is only used to pulverize the rubber. The steel parts are undamaged.
The profit is due to the high sales value of the pulverized rubber and to the re-use of steel parts.
The sales price of the PAR is not related to the international rubber market.
The ecological issues
The recycling of the rubber elements provides a realistic ecological recycling solution for all EOL (end-of-life) rubber items.
BTRC engineers are member of the WGD, the World Green Design Organization and used a green design for a full circularity of all materials used.
The BTRC UHP water pulverization technology avoids three types of waste:
- no waste water
- no exhaust gas
- no waste residue discharge
Old historical EOL dumps can be recycled in an ecological way with profit.
The recycled products
- Car, truck tyres are fully recycled, the powder is max 180 µm, steel fibres and bead wire are re-used.
- Big OTR tyres are fully recycled, the powder is max 400 µm, steel fibres and bead wire are recovered.
- Steel cord conveyors: the powder is max 400 µm, cables are coiled and recovered. Conveyors can easily be repaired.
- Tracks: the powder is max 400 µm, steel cleats are recovered.
- Agri tracks are recycled or repaired. New studs can be vulcanised on the cleaned locations.
- Aircraft tyres: the powder is max 400 µm. The aramid fibres are recovered.
- Fenders: the powder is max 400 µm, all steel reinforcements are recovered.
- Dredging and oil hoses: the flanges, steel wire and coiled steel bars are recovered.
The CO₂ reduction
Tyres using BTRC UHP recycled material provide a reduction of 170.000 ton CO₂ / year / plant, with a plant of 10.000 ton/y.
The ‘Green Design’ UHP water jet technology was presented in Brussels (January 2025) at the WGDO (World Green Design Organization).
This pulverizing technology has a real green footprint.
For more information about BTRC, contact us!