Recycling methods for waste rubber, methods for producing pyrolysis products, pyrolysis products, methods for producing rubber products, rubber products, methods for producing tires, tires

Abstract

A method for recycling waste rubber that can improve the quality and recycling efficiency of the products produced in recycling, a method for producing pyrolysis products, pyrolysis products, a method for producing rubber products, rubber products, a method for producing tires, and tires are provided. [Solution] The waste rubber recycling method includes a collection step (S1) of collecting waste rubber, a data acquisition step (S2) of acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, a classification step (S3) of determining whether the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber based on the waste rubber data, and if the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the type of components or parts other than rubber, and a recycling processing step (S4) of carrying out recycling processing for each group of classified waste rubber using appropriate processes or conditions.

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , ,

[0005] , ,

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing a pyrolysis product, a pyrolysis product, a method for producing a rubber product, a rubber product, a method for producing a tire, and a tire.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, organic waste has been recycled by pyrolysis, and the pyrolysis product has been extracted from the generated oil and reused. For example, recycling is carried out to recover materials from rubber products such as tires. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for recovering liquid rubber by performing a pretreatment of applying a shearing force to a rubber molded product, extracting with an organic solvent to separate a solvent extract and an extraction residue, and removing the solvent from the separated solvent extract.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Here, in the recycling of waste rubber, waste rubber may be classified by size based on, for example, the upper limit size, etc., but conventionally, there has been almost no classification of waste rubber other than that. Therefore, waste rubber having various components is recycled together, and the quality of the obtained pyrolysis product varies. It is difficult to maintain the quality of tires etc. (recycled products) using the pyrolysis product obtained by recycling as a raw material. Also, additional treatment is required to make the quality of the pyrolysis product uniform, and generally, the recycling efficiency deteriorates, which is also a problem.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a method for identifying the properties of rubber materials, but it assumes that this is performed by trained workers or that all final products are tagged with composition labels. Therefore, it is difficult to use the technology of Patent Document 2, for example, when recycling finely crushed waste rubber.

[0006] In view of these circumstances, the purpose of this disclosure is to provide a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing pyrolysis products, a method for producing pyrolysis products, a method for producing rubber products, a method for producing rubber products, a method for producing tires, and a tire, which can improve the quality of the products produced and the recycling efficiency in recycling. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] (1) A waste rubber recycling method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is: The collection step for collecting waste rubber, A data acquisition step to acquire waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber; A classification step in which, based on the waste rubber data, it is determined whether the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, and if the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, the waste rubber is classified into groups based on the type of components or parts other than rubber, The process includes a recycling step in which the classified waste rubber is recycled using appropriate processes or conditions for each group. This configuration can improve the quality of the recycled products and the recycling efficiency.

[0008] (2) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1), The aforementioned waste rubber includes buffing powder, peeling rubber, and scraps of the aforementioned rubber products. This configuration allows for the classification of waste rubber with smaller size or particle size, enabling recycling with reduced heating time and decreased use of solvents and catalysts.

[0009] (3) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1) or (2), In the data acquisition step, the information read from the waste rubber or the information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber includes the identification number of the waste rubber, and the waste rubber data is acquired by accessing a database via a network in which the identification number and the waste rubber data are associated. This configuration eliminates the need for the recycling facility to own all the waste rubber data; instead, it allows for accurate classification of waste rubber and proper recycling to be carried out using a database managed by the tire manufacturer.

[0010] (4) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (3), The waste rubber data includes at least one piece of data regarding the category, type, size, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. This configuration allows for the indirect classification of waste rubber by component, based on its classification as a rubber product.

[0011] (5) In one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (4), The components other than rubber include at least one of metal, organic fiber, resin, and urethane, and the components other than rubber include at least one of steel cord, organic fiber cord, resin component, urethane component, and electronic component. This configuration allows for the direct classification of waste rubber by its component.

[0012] (6) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (5), The components other than rubber or the parts other than rubber include organic fibers or resins. The classification step classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the types of organic fibers or resins contained in the waste rubber. With this configuration, the waste rubber can be classified for each component of the organic fiber or resin.

[0013] (7) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (6), The classification step classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the types of atoms contained in the structural formula of the organic fiber or resin contained in the waste rubber. With this configuration, the waste rubber can be classified even more finely for each component of the organic fiber or resin.

[0014] (8) The method for producing a pyrolysis product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is By the recycling method of waste rubber according to any one of (1) to (7), the classified waste rubber is subjected to a recycling process of pyrolysis under appropriate processes or conditions for each group, including an extraction step of extracting the pyrolysis product generated by the pyrolysis. With this configuration, the quality of the product in recycling and the recycling efficiency can be improved.

[0015] (9) The pyrolysis product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to (8). With this configuration, a high-quality pyrolysis product can be obtained.

[0016] (10) The method for producing a rubber product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is A rubber product is produced using, as part of the raw material, the pyrolysis product produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to (8). With this configuration, a high-quality rubber product can be produced.

[0017] (11) The rubber product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is produced by the method for producing a rubber product according to (10). With this configuration, high-quality rubber products can be obtained.

[0018] (12) The method for manufacturing a tire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure manufactures a tire using, as part of the raw materials, a pyrolysis product produced by the method for manufacturing the pyrolysis product of (8). With this configuration, high-quality tires can be manufactured.

[0019] (13) The tire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is manufactured by the method for manufacturing the tire of (12). With this configuration, high-quality tires can be obtained. [Advantages of the Invention]

[0020] According to the present disclosure, there can be provided a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for manufacturing a pyrolysis product, a pyrolysis product, a method for manufacturing a rubber product, a rubber product, a method for manufacturing a tire, and a tire, which can improve the quality of products in recycling and the recycling efficiency. [Brief Description of the Drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration example of a recycling system that executes a method for recycling waste rubber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is another diagram showing a configuration example of the recycling system of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating first waste rubber data. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating second waste rubber data. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of a method for recycling waste rubber according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Modes for Carrying Out the Invention]

[0022] Hereinafter, a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing pyrolysis products, pyrolysis products, a method for producing rubber products, rubber products, a method for producing tires, and tires according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each figure, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of the same or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0023] Figures 1 and 2 show an example configuration of a recycling system 1 that implements a waste rubber recycling method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The recycling system 1 includes an information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 is, for example, installed in a recycling facility and is a device that controls the recycling facility. Figure 1 is a block diagram including an example of the internal configuration of the information processing device 10. Figure 2 shows the overall configuration of the recycling system 1.

[0024] Recycling System 1 recycles waste rubber. Waste rubber is discarded rubber, also referred to as rubber scraps or rubber waste material. Waste rubber is not limited to that generated from rubber products, but refers to all discarded rubber, including unwanted scraps generated during the production or repair of rubber products. Furthermore, waste rubber is not limited to cross-linked rubber, but also includes unvulcanized rubber. Rubber products include tires 30, etc. In this embodiment, the rubber product is described as a tire 30, but rubber products are not limited to tires 30. Rubber products include, for example, final products such as rubber hoses and rubber conveyor belts, as well as rubber parts or components in the manufacturing stage of final products. Tire 30 may be, for example, newly manufactured, retreaded, or a waste tire generated from tire replacement, vehicle scrapping, etc., and an ELT (End-of-Life Tire) that has reached the end of its lifespan as a tire. Retreading refers to the process of scraping off the tread rubber of a tire 30, attaching new rubber, and vulcanizing it for reuse. In this embodiment, the tire 30 is described as being for vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, and buses, but it may be for aircraft, mining, agricultural use, etc., and is not limited by tire type.

[0025] In this embodiment, the waste rubber recycled by the recycling system 1 includes buffing powder, peeling rubber, and rubber product scraps. Buffing powder is fine rubber generated in the buffing process during retreading, where the remaining tread portion on the base tire is scraped off. Peeling rubber is long pieces of rubber, for example, 1-2 cm wide, that are peeled off the surface of the tire 30 (see Figure 2). Peeling rubber is generated by scraping the surface of the tire 30 using a knife with a U-shaped or V-shaped tip like a peeler. Rubber product scraps are excess rubber generated in the manufacturing process of rubber products such as tires 30. Buffing powder, peeling rubber, and rubber product scraps have smaller size or particle size compared to other rubber materials that can be recycled. Therefore, by appropriately classifying buffing powder, peeling rubber, and rubber product scraps, which are waste rubber materials with small size or particle size, it becomes possible to recycle them with a shortened heating time and reduced use of solvents and catalysts.

[0026] When waste rubber is pyrolysis in a pyrolysis furnace, gas, oil, carbon black, ash, etc. are produced. In this embodiment, the oil produced will be described as the pyrolysis product 82. However, the pyrolysis product 82 is not limited to oil, and may be, for example, carbon black. The extracted pyrolysis product 82 is processed into a state that can be used as a raw material as needed, and is recycled by being used as part of the raw materials for tires 30 at a tire 30 factory. Here, the extracted pyrolysis product 82 and its processed products may be used as part of the raw materials for rubber products at rubber product factories other than tire 30. The oil and other substances extracted by pyrolysis of waste rubber have components (for example, sulfur content [wt%]) corresponding to the waste rubber. In order to maintain the quality of tires 30 or rubber products that use the pyrolysis product 82 as a raw material, it is important to suppress variations in the quality of the pyrolysis product 82.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, the information processing device 10 comprises a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 comprises a data acquisition unit 131, a classification unit 132, and an output unit 133. The information processing device 10 may be a computer as its hardware configuration. Details of the components of the information processing device 10 will be described later. Here, the recycling facility in which the information processing device 10 is installed is not limited to a facility that performs all processing up to pyrolysis in one place, but may be configured such that, for example, the facility that performs waste rubber classification and the facility that performs pyrolysis are carried out in different locations or by different businesses. When the recycling facility consists of multiple facilities, the information processing device 10 may not be a single device, but may consist of multiple devices that are placed in each facility and can send and receive data from each other via the network 40. The information processing device 10 may consist of a single computer as its hardware configuration, or it may consist of multiple computers connected by the network 40. When it consists of multiple computers, the storage unit 12 may be a shared memory that can be accessed by each computer.

[0028] The information processing device 10 may constitute a recycling system 1 together with a server 60 connected via a network 40. The network 40 is, for example, the Internet. The network 40 may also be configured to include, for example, a LAN (Local Area Network) in part. Furthermore, the recycling system 1 may also include a reading unit 70 and recycling equipment connected to the information processing device 10.

[0029] Server 60 is, for example, a separate computer from the information processing device 10. In this embodiment, Server 60 is the computer of the tire manufacturer 30, and stores and manages information about the manufactured tires 30 in a database. The information processing device 10 can access the database via the network 40. For proper recycling, the information processing device 10 obtains waste rubber data from the database regarding at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber (or rubber products that generated the waste rubber). Conventionally, information about tires 30 has been limited to use at the manufacturing site (factory) and has rarely been used for recycling. In this embodiment, a system as shown in Figure 2 is configured so that the information processing device 10 can utilize the waste rubber data and use it for classification in recycling, as described later.

[0030] The reading unit 70 is, for example, a general-purpose mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet, but is not limited to such a mobile terminal as long as it is a device equipped with an imaging function. The reading unit 70 may also be an imaging device such as a camera. The reading unit 70 may be used by the manager or operator of the recycling facility. The reading unit 70 may also be provided on the server 60. In this case, the reading unit 70 may be used by the manufacturer or operator at the manufacturing site.

[0031] In this embodiment, the tire 30 that generates waste rubber is fitted with an indicator 31 that includes an identifier 32. The indicator 31 may be attached to the tire 30 by adhesion, printing, or kneading into the rubber. The reading unit 70 may capture an image of the identifier 32 attached to the tire 30 using its imaging function and output an image of the identifier 32 to the information processing device 10. The control unit 13 of the information processing device 10 may identify information such as an identification number and model number based on the identifier 32. The imaging function is realized, for example, by a camera provided in the reading unit 70. The identifier 32 is, for example, a two-dimensional barcode, but is not limited to this. As the identifier 32, for example, a barcode, a marker indicating a specific color, a serial code, etc., may be used. In addition, the identification number may consist not only of numbers but also of letters, symbols, etc. In this embodiment, the identification number is a number unique to the tire 30 that generates waste rubber, but will be referred to as the waste rubber identification number below.

[0032] Here, the recycling system 1 is not limited to a configuration that includes an indicator 31 and a reader unit 70 equipped with an imaging function. As another example, the recycling system 1 may be configured to include an RFID tag and a reader unit 70 that reads radio waves from the RFID tag. In this case, the control unit 13 may obtain information such as the tire number and model number from the reader unit 70. As yet another example, the recycling system 1 may be configured to include a marker substance compounded in the rubber and a reader unit 70 that detects the marker substance. The marker substance is a substance that serves as an identifier to distinguish a particular rubber from other rubbers. Here, if the waste rubber is large in size, the indicator 31 may be attached to the waste rubber itself (and scraped off from the tire 30 together with the indicator 31). Also, if the waste rubber is, for example, in the form of fine particles, the indicator 31 may be attached to the container in which it is stored for transport. In the recycling system 1, the reading unit 70 may read the identifier 32 from the waste rubber, the reading unit 70 may read the identifier 32 from the rubber product (tire 30) that generated the waste rubber, or the reading unit 70 may read the identifier 32 from the container. For example, if the waste rubber is in the form of fine particles and the storage container does not have an indicator 31, information regarding the identifier 32 read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber may be obtained via the network 40.

[0033] The components of the information processing device 10 are described below in detail. The communication unit 11 is composed of one or more communication modules connected to the network 40. The communication unit 11 may include communication modules that support mobile communication standards such as 4G (4th Generation) and 5G (5th Generation). The communication unit 11 may also include communication modules that support wireless LAN standards (for example, IEEE802.11). Furthermore, the communication unit 11 may also include communication modules that support wired LAN standards.

[0034] The storage unit 12 is one or more memories. The memories are, for example, semiconductor memories, magnetic memories, or optical memories, but are not limited to these and can be any type of memory. The storage unit 12 is, for example, built into the information processing device 10, but it can also be configured to be accessed externally by the information processing device 10 via any interface.

[0035] The storage unit 12 stores various data used in various calculations performed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 12 may also store the results and intermediate data of various calculations performed by the control unit 13.

[0036] Furthermore, the storage unit 12 may store waste rubber data acquired via the communication unit 11. As described above, the waste rubber data includes data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. The waste rubber data is referenced for classifying and recycling the waste rubber. The waste rubber data stored in the storage unit 12 may be updated, for example, periodically or when the recycling equipment is started, based on a database of tire 30 manufacturers.

[0037] Figure 3 illustrates the first waste rubber data. The first waste rubber data mainly consists of data about the specifications of the rubber product (tire 30) that generated the waste rubber. In the example in Figure 3, the first waste rubber data is a table in which specifications such as model number are associated with the identification number of the waste rubber. The first waste rubber data may also include at least one piece of data on the rubber product's category, type, size, manufacturer, and manufacturing date. The rubber product category may be a classification by vehicle type, such as PSR (passenger car radial tire) or TBR (truck / bus radial tire). The rubber product type may be a classification by function, such as studless, run-flat, or summer. The rubber product size may be a numerical specification such as width, aspect ratio, or rim diameter. The rubber product manufacturer may be a manufacturer name. The rubber product manufacturing date may be information such as the year and month of manufacture. The first waste rubber data may be part of the data managed by the manufacturer of the tire 30, which is the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and stored in a database. The information processing device 10 may access the database via the network 40, acquire the first waste rubber data, and store it in the storage unit 12. Here, as shown in the example in Figure 3, the first waste rubber data may further include data on rubber properties. The rubber properties of the rubber product may be numerical values ​​indicating performance, such as the rolling resistance coefficient and the modulus of elasticity.

[0038] Figure 4 illustrates the second type of waste rubber data. The second type of waste rubber data mainly consists of data about the components of the waste rubber. The second type of waste rubber data is a table that associates some of the specifications (model number and manufacturing date) of the rubber product (tire 30) that generated the waste rubber with information about the rubber components, such as the molecular weight of the polymer in the waste rubber, and information about non-rubber components such as metal, organic fiber, resin, and urethane. The non-rubber components are components based on the non-rubber parts that make up the rubber product (tire 30). Examples of non-rubber parts include steel cords, organic fiber cords, resin parts, urethane parts, and electronic parts. Urethane parts include, for example, urethane sponge. Electronic parts include, for example, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. Organic fibers include, for example, nylon, aramid, rayon, and polyester (PET). The second type of waste rubber data may include data about the rubber components of at least one of the waste rubber's polymer, fillers, and sulfur. Data regarding the polymer components of waste rubber may include information such as molecular weight and whether or not it contains butyl rubber. Here, fillers are added to reinforce the rubber composition, and carbon black is an example. In the example in Figure 4, the filler is labeled as a reinforcing material. In addition to carbon black, inorganic fillers such as silica, clay, talc, calcium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide are also mentioned. Data regarding the components of the fillers in waste rubber may include information such as whether or not it contains silica and the grade of the carbon black. The grade of carbon black may be classified as, for example, SAF (Super Abrasion Furnace) or ISAF (Intermediate SAF). Data regarding the sulfur components of waste rubber may be numerical values ​​such as the amount added (content). The second waste rubber data may include data regarding components other than rubber for at least one of metal, organic fiber, resin, and urethane. The second waste rubber data may also include data regarding components other than rubber for at least one of steel cord, organic fiber cord, resin parts, urethane parts, and electronic parts.Data relating to metals or steel cords may include information such as whether or not they contain metal as a component, or whether or not they contain steel cord as a part. In this case, if at least one of metal and steel cord is included, it may be stated as "includes," and information on the type of metal may be further indicated. Data relating to organic fibers or organic fiber cords may include information such as whether or not they contain organic fibers as a component, or whether or not they contain organic fiber cord as a part. In this case, if at least one of organic fibers and organic fiber cord is included, it may be stated as "includes," and information on the type of organic fiber may be further indicated. Data relating to resins or resin parts may include information such as whether or not they contain resin as a component, or whether or not they contain resin parts as a part. In this case, if at least one of resin and resin parts is included, it may be stated as "includes," and information on the type of resin may be further indicated. Data relating to urethane or urethane parts may include information such as whether or not they contain urethane as a component, or whether or not they contain urethane parts as a part. In this case, if at least one of urethane and urethane parts is included, it may be stated as "includes." Data relating to electronic components may include information such as whether or not they contain electronic components as parts. In this case, if one or more electronic components are included, it may be stated as "includes," and information on the type of electronic component may be further indicated. The second waste rubber data may be part of the data managed by the manufacturer of the tire 30, which is the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and stored in a database. The information processing device 10 may access the database via the network 40, acquire the second waste rubber data, and store it in the storage unit 12. Here, the second waste rubber data may further include data on polymers, fillers, sulfur, and other compounding materials and regulated substances.

[0039] Here, as described above, the second waste rubber data is a table in which information on the composition of waste rubber is associated with a part of the specifications of the waste rubber. Therefore, the first waste rubber data and the second waste rubber data can be related through the common specifications of the waste rubber. In this embodiment, the waste rubber data is managed as two tables, but it may be integrated and managed as a single table. In this case, it may be integrated by partial joining, that is, by extracting a part of the first waste rubber data and a part of the second waste rubber data. Also, in this embodiment, the waste rubber data is stored in the storage unit 12 by the information processing device 10. As another example of management, distributed management may be performed for the waste rubber data. For example, the waste rubber data may be stored and managed using blockchain technology.

[0040] The control unit 13 is one or more processors. The processors are, for example, general-purpose processors or dedicated processors specialized for specific processing, but are not limited to these and can be any processor. The control unit 13 controls the overall operation of the information processing device 10. The control unit 13 also controls the recycling process in the recycling facility where the information processing device 10 is installed.

[0041] Referring again to Figure 2, the recycling equipment includes a recovery unit 80 used to recover waste rubber. The recovery unit 80 is a device different from the information processing device 10, controlled by the information processing device 10, and may include, for example, a robotic hand. In this embodiment, the recycling equipment also includes a sorting device 81 used to classify the waste rubber into groups. The sorting device 81 is a device different from the information processing device 10, controlled by the information processing device 10, and may include, for example, a conveyor belt. In the example in Figure 2, three groups, G1 to G3, are shown, but the number of groups is not limited to three. In this embodiment, the recycling equipment also includes a recycling processing unit for recycling processing according to the conditions of each group. The recycling processing unit is a device different from the information processing device 10, controlled by the information processing device 10, and may be, for example, a pyrolysis processing unit. In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 controls the recycling processing in the recycling equipment by controlling the recovery unit 80, the sorting device 81, and the recycling processing unit.

[0042] The information processing device 10 may have the following software configuration: One or more programs used to control the operation of the information processing device 10 are stored in the storage unit 12. When the programs stored in the storage unit 12 are read by the processor of the control unit 13, the processor is made to function as a data acquisition unit 131, a classification unit 132, and an output unit 133.

[0043] The data acquisition unit 131 acquires waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. In this embodiment, the read information includes the identification number of the waste rubber. The data acquisition unit 131 may acquire waste rubber data from the storage unit 12 if the waste rubber data already stored in the storage unit 12 contains the identification number of the target waste rubber. If the waste rubber data in the storage unit 12 does not contain the identification number of the target waste rubber, the data acquisition unit 131 may acquire waste rubber data by accessing a database where the identification number and the waste rubber data are associated via the network 40. In other words, the recycling facility does not need to own all of the waste rubber data, and it becomes possible to accurately classify the waste rubber and perform appropriate recycling by using a database managed by the tire manufacturer 30, as described later.

[0044] The classification unit 132 classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. A group is a collection of waste rubber that is similar in terms of the components it contains. The waste rubber is grouped in order to suppress variations in the quality of the products (thermal decomposition products 82 in this embodiment) produced by the recycling process (thermal decomposition in this embodiment) and to achieve the desired quality.

[0045] The classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on the specifications of the waste rubber or rubber products that generated the waste rubber included in the waste rubber data. For example, using the first waste rubber data, the classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on at least one of the categories, types, sizes, rubber properties, manufacturers, and manufacturing dates of the rubber products that generated the waste rubber. In this case, the waste rubber can be indirectly classified by component by distinguishing it as a tire 30. For example, tires 30 of a specific type from the same manufacturer are considered to have similar components. Therefore, by grouping them by manufacturer and type of rubber product (tire 30), variations in the quality of the pyrolysis products 82 can be suppressed. Furthermore, if the manufacturing dates are the same or close, it is considered that there will be no significant changes in the components of the tires 30. Therefore, by grouping them by manufacturer, type, and manufacturing date, variations in the quality of the pyrolysis products 82 can be further suppressed. The classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on the specifications of the waste rubber or rubber product that generated the waste rubber, which is included in the waste rubber data, even if, for example, the manufacturer of the tire 30 does not provide data on its composition (corresponding to the second waste rubber data).

[0046] Furthermore, for example, using the second waste rubber data, the classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on data of components other than rubber included in the waste rubber data. The classification unit 132 determines, based on the waste rubber data, whether the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber. If the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, the classification unit 132 classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the type of components or parts other than rubber. As described above, the components other than rubber may include at least one of metal, organic fiber, resin, and urethane. The parts other than rubber may include at least one of steel cord, organic fiber cord, resin parts, urethane parts, and electronic parts. In this case, the waste rubber can be directly classified by component. Therefore, compared to indirect classification, the effect of suppressing variations in the quality of the pyrolysis products 82 can be enhanced.

[0047] It is known that the presence of organic fibers and resins significantly affects the recycling conditions, such as the thermal decomposition temperature. It is also known that the presence of PET and similar materials significantly affects the recycling conditions. Therefore, it is preferable for the classification unit 132 to classify the waste rubber into groups based on the type of organic fibers or resins contained in the waste rubber, when components other than rubber or parts other than rubber contain organic fibers or resins. In this case, the waste rubber can be classified according to the organic fiber or resin components, and recycling conditions, such as the thermal decomposition temperature, can be appropriately set for each group.

[0048] Furthermore, the classification unit 132 may classify waste rubber into groups based on the types of atoms contained in the structural formula of the organic fibers or resins contained in the waste rubber. For example, the classification unit 132 may classify waste rubber into groups depending on whether the structure of the organic fibers or resins contained in the waste rubber consists only of carbon (C) and hydrogen (H), or whether it also contains oxygen (O) or nitrogen (N). Here, the structural formula may be included in the second waste rubber data, or if it is not included, analysis data from prior experiments may be used. In this case, the waste rubber can be further classified according to the components of the organic fibers or resins, and recycling treatment conditions such as the thermal decomposition temperature can be appropriately set for each group. As another example, if the waste rubber contains PET, the classification unit 132 may classify it into a specific group so that it can be removed before thermal decomposition (so that a removal step is included in the recycling treatment). As yet another example, instead of the types of atoms contained in the structural formula, the classification unit 132 may classify waste rubber into groups using the temperature at which the organic fibers or resins are decomposed by heat.

[0049] Furthermore, the classification unit 132 can also classify waste rubber based on data on the rubber components included in the waste rubber data. For example, using the second waste rubber data, the classification unit 132 may classify waste rubber based on data on the components of at least one of the polymer, filler, and sulfur of the waste rubber.

[0050] The output unit 133 may output information such as the groups into which the waste rubber has been classified by the classification unit 132 to a display device or the like, so that the manager or operator of the recycling facility can understand it. The display device may be, for example, the display provided by the reading unit 70. The display device may also include a display connected to the information processing device 10.

[0051] Figure 5 is a flowchart showing the processing of the waste rubber recycling method according to this embodiment, as performed by the recycling system 1.

[0052] The waste rubber is collected by the collection unit 80 (step S1, collection step). The identifier 32 of the collected waste rubber is read by the reading unit 70. In this embodiment, the information read from the waste rubber includes the identification number of the collected waste rubber (i.e., the waste rubber that is the target of processing). Here, if neither the collected waste rubber nor the waste rubber storage container has an indicator 31, the identification number of the waste rubber is obtained via the network 40. For example, as shown in Figure 2, the identifier 32 is also read from the tire 30 in a process such as scraping the surface of the tire 30 to generate peeling rubber. If the identification number of the collected waste rubber cannot be obtained directly, it can be obtained via the network 40 by tracing back to the previous process. Here, the history of the previous processes of the collected waste rubber may be obtained via the network 40 from a database of the manufacturer or retreading worker, etc., and stored in the storage unit 12 in the same way as the waste rubber data.

[0053] The data acquisition unit 131 acquires waste rubber data from the manufacturer's database via the storage unit 12 or network 40, as described above, based on the information read from the waste rubber (or rubber products that generated the waste rubber) (step S2, data acquisition step).

[0054] The classification unit 132 classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data (step S3, classification step). The control unit 13 may also control the classification device 81 so that the waste rubber is transported to the recycling processing unit of the group to which it has been assigned.

[0055] The recycling processing unit performs recycling processing on the classified waste rubber according to appropriate processes or conditions for each group (Step S4, Recycling Processing Step). Here, the recycling processing conditions are, for example, the operating conditions of the pyrolysis processing device. For example, the temperature setting and processing time of the pyrolysis processing device may be changed depending on the group. In this way, the waste rubber is grouped, and in each group, recycling processing is performed according to appropriate processes or conditions for each group, and pyrolysis products 82 are obtained for each group. Since the pyrolysis products 82 of each group are produced from waste rubber with similar components, the products will be of the desired quality with little variation. Here, appropriate processes or conditions are operating conditions such as temperature settings and processing times that are determined for each group and adjusted to improve the efficiency of the recycling processing. For example, for a group classified as rubber products containing aramid fibers, which are organic fibers, the melting temperature may be set higher than for other groups (for example, 500°C or higher) and recycling processing may be performed. Here, appropriate processes or conditions generally differ from group to group, but it is possible that different groups may end up with the same conditions.

[0056] The waste rubber recycling method shown in Figure 5 comprises a method for producing pyrolysis products, which includes a recycling process of pyrolysis and an extraction step for extracting the pyrolysis products 82 generated by the pyrolysis. This method for producing pyrolysis products produces high-quality pyrolysis products 82. Furthermore, high-quality tires 30 or rubber products can be manufactured by using the pyrolysis products 82 or their processed products produced by this method as part of the raw materials. In other words, the method for producing pyrolysis products and the step of manufacturing tires 30 or rubber products constitute a method for manufacturing tires 30 or rubber products. Here, as described above, the tire 30 may be newly manufactured or a retreaded tire. In other words, the method for manufacturing tires 30 includes a method for manufacturing retreaded tires.

[0057] As described above, the waste rubber recycling method according to this embodiment can improve the quality of the recycled products and the recycling efficiency through appropriate classification of the components. Furthermore, a method for producing pyrolysis products, a method for producing rubber products, and a method for producing tires 30 are provided that can be used to produce high-quality raw materials (pyrolysis products 82) or products. The pyrolysis products 82, rubber products, and tires 30 produced by these methods are of higher quality than conventional ones.

[0058] While embodiments of this disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art will find it easy to make various modifications or alterations based on this disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications or alterations are included within the scope of this disclosure. For example, the functions included in each component can be rearranged in a logically consistent manner, and multiple components can be combined into one or separated. Embodiments relating to this disclosure can also be realized as methods executed by a processor in a device, programs, and storage media recording programs. These should also be understood to be included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0059] In the above embodiment, it was explained that the recovered rubber products such as tires 30 are sorted (classified) according to type or the content of specific substances, and then thermally decomposed in groups. However, a "disassembly and downsizing" process may be carried out between sorting and thermal decomposition. Disassembly and downsizing is a series of processes in which rubber products such as tires 30 are crushed and separated into materials. Disassembly and downsizing may further involve the processes of "separation," "cutting," "chipping," "crushing," and "grinding" in this order. Separation is the process of separating the rubber products into materials (rubber and metal, etc.). Cutting is the process of cutting the rubber products into fragments according to parts (tread and sidewall, etc.). Chipping is the process of scraping or drilling holes in the rubber products. Crushing is the process of crushing the rubber products into chips of several inches in size. Grinding is the process of grinding the rubber products into granules.

[0060] Methods for separation include pulling, induction heating, punch cutting, magnetic separation, cutting separation, mechanical separation, cooling, and water jetting. Pulling is a method of pulling the bead out of the tire 30 by hooking it with a hook or the like. Induction heating is a method of separating the metal bead and rubber by reducing the adhesive force between them through induction heating. Punch cutting is a method of removing the bead from the tire 30 by making a series of overlapping punch cuts (holes) in the sidewall of the tire 30 around the bead. Magnetic separation is a method of separating the metal bead and rubber by utilizing magnetic force. Cutting separation is a method of cutting and separating the metal bead and rubber using a blade, cutter blade, knife, or rotary milling machine. Mechanical separation is a method of separating the metal and rubber by applying sufficient mechanical force to separate them. Cooling is a method of separating the rubber after it has been embrittled by cooling with liquid nitrogen or the like. Water jetting is a method of separating the rubber and metal by spraying water at high pressure.

[0061] Cutting methods include rotary blade cutting, blade cutter cutting, L-shaped knife cutting, water jet cutting, and pneumatic cutting. Rotary blade cutting is a method of cutting by applying a rotating blade (including blades, circular saws, etc.) to the object. Blade cutter cutting is a method of cutting using a blade or cutter blade. L-shaped knife cutting is a method of cutting using an L-shaped knife. Water jet cutting is a method of cutting by spraying water (including water containing sand) at high pressure. Pneumatic cutting is a method of cutting using compressed air.

[0062] Two methods of chipping away at the tire surface are punch cutting and filing. Punch cutting is a method of making holes using a punch blade. Filing is a method of filing away at the tire surface using a file.

[0063] Methods of crushing include rotary blades, blade cutters, and cutting wheels. A rotary blade crushes an object by applying a rotating blade (including blades, circular saw blades, etc.) to it. A blade cutter crushes an object using a blade or cutter blade. A cutting wheel crushes an object by placing a cutting blade on a wheel-shaped crushing component and applying it to the object.

[0064] Methods of grinding include roller mills, pin mills, and water jets. A roller mill grinds materials through a "grinding and abrasive action" that combines the compressive force from the centrifugal force of the rollers with the shearing force from the roller rotation. A pin mill grinds materials by attaching dozens of pins to the surfaces of two opposing discs and rotating them at high speed. A water jet grinds materials by spraying water at high speed and impacting the material.

[0065] Furthermore, regarding separation, the following separation methods may be selected depending on the object to be separated. When the object to be separated is metal, magnetic separation, "drawing, peeling, tearing", melting, crushing, punching, high-pressure jetting, cutting / machining, sedimentation, and centrifugal classification may be selected. Magnetic separation separates metal and rubber using magnetic force. Drawing, peeling, and tearing separate metal such as bead wire from rubber by drawing, peeling, and tearing it. Melting includes vibration melting, heated steam, and induction heating. Vibration melting separates metal components by vibrating the tire 30 with ultrasound or the like and melting it. Heated steam melts the rubber by blowing heated steam and separates the metal cords. Induction heating heats the tire 30 by electromagnetic induction and separates the metal cords. Crushing separates the metal cords from rubber by crushing the tire 30 with rollers or the like. Punching removes metal cords from the tire 30 by creating a series of overlapping punching cuts in a circumferential pattern on the sidewall of the tire 30 around the bead. High-pressure jetting separates metal from rubber by spraying with high pressure using water or the like. Cutting and cutting separates the metal and rubber parts by mechanically cutting and cutting. Sedimentation separates the rubber and wires that have settled at the bottom by placing them in a water-soluble polyol at a temperature exceeding 160°C for several hours to tens of hours. Centrifugal classification is a type of wind classification that separates metal from rubber using centrifugal force.

[0066] When the material to be separated is fiber, the following methods may be selected: sieving, vibrating screen, melting, wind classification, centrifugal classification, gravity classification, friction, "drawing, peeling, tearing", high-pressure jet, electrostatic separation, mechanical thermal control, cutting / cutting. Sieving separates fibers from rubber using a sieve. Vibrating screens sieve by vibrating the sieve up and down. Melting includes heated steam and induction heating. Heated steam melts the rubber by blowing heated steam and separates the metal cords. Induction heating heats the tire 30 by electromagnetic induction and separates the metal cords. Wind classification separates fibers from rubber powder by utilizing the differences in the hydrodynamic behavior of particles (centrifugal force, gravity, inertial force, etc.). Centrifugal classification is a type of wind classification that separates fibers from rubber using centrifugal force. Gravity classification is a type of wind classification that separates fibers from rubber using gravity. Friction generates friction by applying pressure to the tire 30, forming agglutinators from the fibers, and separating the agglutinators from the rubber granules using a sieve or similar. Pulling, peeling, and tearing separate the fiber-reinforced portion from the rubber by pulling, peeling, or tearing it. High-pressure jetting separates the fibers from the rubber by spraying water or other materials at high pressure. Electrostatic separation charges the particles using electrostatic force and separates the fibers from the rubber based on the difference in the amount of charge or electric field strength. Mechanical thermal control separates the rubber from the fiber-reinforced elements under controlled thermal conditions. Cutting and shaping separates the fiber portion from the rubber portion by mechanical cutting and shaping.

[0067] When the material to be separated is a sealant, mechanical abrasion after solidification and the use of processing aids may be selected. Mechanical abrasion after solidification involves removing the sealant layer by mechanical abrasion after solidification using liquid nitrogen or the like. The use of processing aids involves removing the sealant layer using water or a soap solution.

[0068] When the material to be separated is resin, crushing, cutting, melting, or peeling may be selected. Crushing involves crushing the tire 30 with a roller or the like to separate the resin from the rubber. Cutting involves cutting along the interface between the rubber layer and the resin to separate the resin. Melting includes vibration melting. Vibration melting involves vibrating the tire 30 with ultrasound or the like to melt it and separate the resin. Peeling involves foaming the unfoamed rubber by heating, applying a peeling force between the rubber and the resin component to separate the resin component from the rubber. Contribution to the United Nations-led Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

[0069] The SDGs have been proposed to realize a sustainable society. One embodiment of this disclosure is considered to be a technology that can contribute to "No. 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure" and other goals. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1. Recycling System 10 Information Processing Devices 11 Communications Department 12 Storage section 13 Control Unit 30 tires 31 Indicators 32 Identifiers 40 Networks 60 servers 70 Reading section 80 Recovery Section 81 Classification device 82 Pyrolysis products 131 Data Acquisition Unit 132 Classification Department 133 Output section

Claims

1. The collection step for collecting waste rubber, A data acquisition step to acquire waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber; A classification step in which, based on the waste rubber data, it is determined whether the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, and if the waste rubber contains components or parts other than rubber, the waste rubber is classified into groups based on the type of components or parts other than rubber, A method for recycling waste rubber, comprising a recycling step of performing a recycling process on the classified waste rubber in an appropriate process or condition for each group.

2. The method for recycling waste rubber according to claim 1, wherein the waste rubber includes buffing powder, peeling rubber, and scraps of the rubber product.

3. The waste rubber recycling method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the data acquisition step, the information read from the waste rubber or the information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber includes an identification number of the waste rubber, and the waste rubber data is acquired by accessing a database linked to the identification number and the waste rubber data via a network.

4. The waste rubber recycling method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the waste rubber data includes at least one piece of data on the category, type, size, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber.

5. The method for recycling waste rubber according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component other than rubber includes at least one of metal, organic fiber, resin, and urethane, and the component other than rubber includes at least one of steel cord, organic fiber cord, resin component, urethane component, and electronic component.

6. The components other than rubber or the parts other than rubber include organic fibers or resins. The waste rubber recycling method according to claim 5, wherein the classification step classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the type of organic fiber or resin contained in the waste rubber.

7. The waste rubber recycling method according to claim 6, wherein the classification step classifies the waste rubber into groups based on the types of atoms contained in the structural formula of organic fibers or resins contained in the waste rubber.

8. The waste rubber classified by the waste rubber recycling method described in claim 1 or 2 is subjected to a recycling treatment, which is thermal decomposition, in an appropriate process or condition for each group. A method for producing a thermal decomposition product, comprising an extraction step of extracting the thermal decomposition product generated by the aforementioned thermal decomposition.

9. A thermal decomposition product produced by the method for producing a thermal decomposition product described in claim 8.

10. A method for manufacturing rubber products, comprising using a thermal decomposition product produced by the method for manufacturing thermal decomposition products described in claim 8 as part of the raw materials to manufacture rubber products.

11. A rubber product manufactured by the method for manufacturing a rubber product described in claim 10.

12. A method for manufacturing a tire, comprising using a thermal decomposition product produced by the method for manufacturing a thermal decomposition product described in claim 8 as part of the raw materials.

13. A tire manufactured by the tire manufacturing method described in claim 12.

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