Abstract: The invention is a process for economically recovering carbon black, oil and fuel gas from used tires. Used tires are physically fragmented. The fragments are pyrolized at slightly subatmospheric pressure in a reactor while process char is being recycled to increase heat transfer and avoid coke on heat transfer surfaces. Entrained char is separated from the vapor phase products of the pyrolysis, and the vapor phase products of the pyrolysis are then fractionated into oil and fuel gas. A preferred embodiment condenses reactor vapors in two stages at two temperature levels to separate dust from an oil-dust mixture, without water in the first stage and light oil in the second stage. The fuel gas can be compressed and burnt to provide process heat. The entrained char dust and some heavy oil is returned to the reactor. Solid phase pyrolysis products are stripped of trash and milled to carbon black.

Abstract: The invention is a process for economically recovering carbon black, tar, oil and fuel gas from used tires. Used tires are physically sliced and fragmented. The fragments are pyrolized in an oxygen-limited, hydrocarbon vapor at subatmospheric pressure while being refluxed with process tar condensate. Vapor phase products of the pyrolysis are fractionated into tar, oil and fuel gas. The fuel gas can be compressed and burnt to provide process heat. Solid phase pyrolysis products are stripped of trash and milled to carbon black in an air swept roller mill. Carbon black is mechanically separated from the effluent air stream of the roller mill and formed into pellets that are dried in a series multi-stage fluid bed dryer.