Scale-Up Study on Converting and Recycling Shredder Residue into a Fuel Oil

Approximately 20 percent by weight of each end of life automobile ends up in a waste stream known as shredder residue (SR) that goes to disposal into a land fill. When an automobile reaches the end of its useful life it enters a complex infrastructure designed to recover usable parts and materials of value, primarily the ferrous and non-ferrous metals. The remaining material, a mixture of glass, rubber, plastics and foam becomes part of SR. Based on earlier research, a new recycling process has been identified that can convert the organic material in this waste stream into a fuel oil. The Thermal Conversion Process (TCP) developed by Changing World Technologies (CWT) may make it possible to convert SR into useful products. The Vehicle Recycling Partnership (VRP) and its partners are investigating the capability of the TCP to process SR. This process converts hydrocarbons and other organic materials into marketable oils and specialty chemicals for potential industrial and commercial use. Early research has demonstrated the ability to convert SR into a light hydrocarbon oil, syngas, and carbon. Findings reported in this paper are from a larger scale pilot plant study in order to provide insight to the commercial potential of CWT's TCP for handling SR.