Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis

Tyre waste chars from pyrolysis are a potential fuel source due to their attractive energy properties and high carbon content. However, the high concentration of sulfur in tyre char and the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned prevent its use as a fuel. In this study, Scenedesmus microalgae...

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Main Authors: Cleopatra T. Dube, Hope Baloyi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academy of Science of South Africa 2025-05-01
Series:South African Journal of Science
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Online Access:https://sajs.co.za/article/view/18082
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author Cleopatra T. Dube
Hope Baloyi
author_facet Cleopatra T. Dube
Hope Baloyi
author_sort Cleopatra T. Dube
collection DOAJ
description Tyre waste chars from pyrolysis are a potential fuel source due to their attractive energy properties and high carbon content. However, the high concentration of sulfur in tyre char and the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned prevent its use as a fuel. In this study, Scenedesmus microalgae and torrefied pine wood waste were blended with tyre waste chars. Blending was done at varying biomass ratios. The aim was to evaluate the effects of biomass additions on tyre char combustion characteristics and gas emission resultants using the thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry method. Results show that the combination of biomass with tyre char significantly affects the physicochemical properties of the tyre char. Biomass enhances the combustion characteristics of tyre char. Ternary blends with optimised proportions of microalgae led to higher burnout temperatures and prolonged combustion phases. Torrefied wood–tyre char blends at a 90:10 ratio showed higher rates of CO2 evolution, but adding torrefied wood at 15–20 wt% and increasing microalgae from 4 to 11 wt% reduced CO2 emissions. The experimental results show that tyre char could be a potential combustion co-fuel with biomass feedstock and suitable for clean combustion applications. The study emphasises the critical role of incorporating clean, renewable biomass sources in mitigating gas emissions during the combustion of tyre waste chars, thereby promoting the sustainable utilisation of carbon resources. Additionally, the integration of biomass to enhance the usability of tyre waste chars presents a promising opportunity to improve the economic viability of the waste tyre pyrolysis process. Significance: Tyre char is a waste by-product from the pyrolysis of waste tyres. It possesses good energy properties and can be used as a fuel, but its combustion is undesirable due to the generation of carbon dioxide during combustion. The blending of tyre char with biomass material influences the physicochemical properties of tyre char and can have a consequent effect on the combustion characteristics of these chars. The addition of microalgae and torrefied wood at various blending ratios had a significant influence on the reduction of CO2 emission patterns in the tyre char–biomass blends. Tyre char–biomass blends can be considered for cleaner combustion processes.
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spelling doaj-art-407a866041a04534be18f4a748091b002025-08-20T03:22:23ZengAcademy of Science of South AfricaSouth African Journal of Science1996-74892025-05-011215/610.17159/sajs.2025/18082Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysisCleopatra T. Dube0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9412-9598Hope Baloyi1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1499-2242Centre for Rubber Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South AfricaDepartment of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, South Africa Tyre waste chars from pyrolysis are a potential fuel source due to their attractive energy properties and high carbon content. However, the high concentration of sulfur in tyre char and the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) when burned prevent its use as a fuel. In this study, Scenedesmus microalgae and torrefied pine wood waste were blended with tyre waste chars. Blending was done at varying biomass ratios. The aim was to evaluate the effects of biomass additions on tyre char combustion characteristics and gas emission resultants using the thermogravimetry-mass spectrometry method. Results show that the combination of biomass with tyre char significantly affects the physicochemical properties of the tyre char. Biomass enhances the combustion characteristics of tyre char. Ternary blends with optimised proportions of microalgae led to higher burnout temperatures and prolonged combustion phases. Torrefied wood–tyre char blends at a 90:10 ratio showed higher rates of CO2 evolution, but adding torrefied wood at 15–20 wt% and increasing microalgae from 4 to 11 wt% reduced CO2 emissions. The experimental results show that tyre char could be a potential combustion co-fuel with biomass feedstock and suitable for clean combustion applications. The study emphasises the critical role of incorporating clean, renewable biomass sources in mitigating gas emissions during the combustion of tyre waste chars, thereby promoting the sustainable utilisation of carbon resources. Additionally, the integration of biomass to enhance the usability of tyre waste chars presents a promising opportunity to improve the economic viability of the waste tyre pyrolysis process. Significance: Tyre char is a waste by-product from the pyrolysis of waste tyres. It possesses good energy properties and can be used as a fuel, but its combustion is undesirable due to the generation of carbon dioxide during combustion. The blending of tyre char with biomass material influences the physicochemical properties of tyre char and can have a consequent effect on the combustion characteristics of these chars. The addition of microalgae and torrefied wood at various blending ratios had a significant influence on the reduction of CO2 emission patterns in the tyre char–biomass blends. Tyre char–biomass blends can be considered for cleaner combustion processes. https://sajs.co.za/article/view/18082microalgaetyre charternary blendsCO2 emissioncleaner combustion
spellingShingle Cleopatra T. Dube
Hope Baloyi
Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
South African Journal of Science
microalgae
tyre char
ternary blends
CO2 emission
cleaner combustion
title Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
title_full Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
title_fullStr Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
title_full_unstemmed Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
title_short Co-combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric analysis
title_sort co combustion of tyre waste char and biomass blends using thermogravimetric mass spectrometric analysis
topic microalgae
tyre char
ternary blends
CO2 emission
cleaner combustion
url https://sajs.co.za/article/view/18082
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