Recycling of Scrap Tires by Exposure to an Arc Discharge with the Addition of Water to Intensify the Formation of Carbon Structures and the Release of a Methane-hydrogen Mixture

The paper presents the experimental results with a combined electric arc method for processing rubber waste to produce gases and solids from them. The paper reveals the peculiarity of the applied approach which lies in its effectiveness in the formation of an autonomous gas environment of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide, which were mainly generated during combustion of an arc discharge in an open air. The optimal operating modes of the arc reactor were identified to ensure an increase in the yield of combustible gases during thermal conversion with the addition of water to the reaction zone. The operating parameters of the arc reactor for processing rubber products to produce graphite-like material with the carbon content of up to 96.7% by weight were clarified.

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