Method for recycling waste rubber, method for producing pyrolysis product, pyrolysis product, method for producing rubber product, rubber product, method for producing tire, tire, and method for producing rubber composition

Abstract

The method for recycling waste rubber comprises: a recovery step (S1) for recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step (S2) for acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product that has generated the waste rubber on the basis of information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that has generated the waste rubber; a classification step (S3) for classifying the waste rubber into a group on the basis of the waste rubber data; and a recycling processing step (S4) for performing recycling processing on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group.

Description

Method for recycling waste rubber, method for producing pyrolysis products, method for producing pyrolysis products, rubber products, tire manufacturing methods, tire, method for producing rubber composition

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

[0002] Conventionally, recycling has been carried out by pyrolyzing organic waste and extracting pyrolysis products from the resulting oil for reuse. 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 subjecting a rubber molded product to a preliminary treatment of applying a shear force, extracting the product with an organic solvent to separate a solvent extract from an extraction residue, and then removing the solvent from the separated solvent extract.

[0003] JP 2003-041045 A JP 2013-512134 A

[0004] When recycling waste rubber, it is sometimes sorted by size, for example, based on a size limit. However, traditionally, waste rubber has rarely been sorted by any other criteria. As a result, waste rubber containing various components is recycled together, resulting in variations in the quality of the resulting pyrolysis products. It is difficult to maintain the quality of recycled products such as tires, which are made from pyrolysis products obtained through recycling. Furthermore, additional processing is required to ensure that the quality of the pyrolysis products is consistent, which generally results in reduced recycling efficiency.

[0005] For example, Patent Document 2 discloses identifying the properties of rubber materials, but it is assumed that the process is performed by trained workers or that all final products are tagged with a composition label, making it difficult to use the technology of Patent Document 2, for example, in cases where shredded waste rubber is recycled.

[0006] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing pyrolysis products, a method for producing pyrolysis products and rubber products, a method for producing rubber products and tires, and a method for producing tires and rubber compositions, which can improve the quality of products and recycling efficiency in recycling.

[0007] (1) A method for recycling waste rubber according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a collection step of collecting waste rubber; a data acquisition step 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 based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber; a classification step of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; and a recycling processing step of carrying out a recycling process on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group.

[0008] (2) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1), the waste rubber includes buffing powder, peeling rubber, and scraps of the rubber product.

[0009] (3) As 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 an identification number of the waste rubber, and the waste rubber data is acquired by accessing via a network a database in which the identification number and the waste rubber data are associated.

[0010] (4) As an embodiment of the present disclosure, in any one of (1) to (3), the waste rubber data includes at least one of data on the category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and the classification step classifies the waste rubber based on at least one of data on the category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber.

[0011] (5) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any one of (1) to (3), the waste rubber data includes data on components of at least one of polymers, fillers, and sulfur of the waste rubber, and the classification step classifies the waste rubber based on the data on components of at least one of polymers, fillers, and sulfur of the waste rubber.

[0012] (6) A method for producing a pyrolysis product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recovery step of recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step 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 based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber; a classification step of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; a recycling step of performing a recycling process, which is pyrolysis, on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group; and an extraction step of extracting pyrolysis products produced by the pyrolysis.

[0013] (7) A pyrolysis product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product described in (6).

[0014] (8) In a method for producing a rubber product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure, a rubber product is produced by using a pyrolysis product produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to (6) as part of a raw material.

[0015] (9) A rubber product according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is manufactured by the method for manufacturing a rubber product according to (8).

[0016] (10) A tire manufacturing method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes manufacturing a tire using a pyrolysis product manufactured by the pyrolysis product manufacturing method according to (6) as part of a raw material.

[0017] (11) A tire according to one embodiment of the present disclosure is manufactured by the tire manufacturing method of (10).

[0018] (12) A method for producing a rubber composition according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a recovery step of recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step of acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of 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 of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; a recycling step of performing a de-crosslinking recycling process on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group; and an extraction step of extracting a rubber composition produced by the de-crosslinking.

[0019] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing pyrolysis products, a method for producing pyrolysis products and rubber products, a method for producing rubber products and tires, and a method for producing tires and rubber compositions, which can improve the quality of products and recycling efficiency in recycling.

[0020] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a recycling system that executes a waste rubber recycling method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is another diagram showing an example configuration of the recycling system of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating first waste rubber data. Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating second waste rubber data. Fig. 5 is a flowchart illustrating processing of a waste rubber recycling method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021] Hereinafter, a method for recycling waste rubber, a method for producing a pyrolysis product, a method for producing a pyrolysis product, a method for producing a rubber product, a method for producing a tire, and a method for producing a tire and a rubber composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated 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.

[0022] 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example configuration of a recycling system 1 that executes a waste rubber recycling method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The recycling system 1 includes an information processing device 10. The information processing device 10 is a device that is installed in, for example, a recycling facility and controls the recycling facility. FIG. 1 is a block diagram including an example internal configuration of the information processing device 10. FIG. 2 shows the overall configuration of the recycling system 1.

[0023] The recycling system 1 recycles waste rubber. Waste rubber is discarded rubber, also referred to as scrap rubber or scrap rubber. Waste rubber is not limited to rubber generated from rubber products, but refers to all discarded rubber, including unnecessary scraps generated during the production or repair of rubber products. Furthermore, waste rubber is not limited to crosslinked rubber, but also includes unvulcanized rubber. Rubber products include tires 30 and the like. In this embodiment, the rubber product is described as a tire 30, but the rubber product is not limited to tires 30. Rubber products include final products such as rubber hoses and rubber conveyor belts, as well as rubber parts or components used in the manufacturing stage of final products. The tire 30 may be, for example, a newly manufactured tire, a tire to be retreaded, or a waste tire generated due to tire replacement, scrapping, or an ELT (End-of-Life Tire) that has reached the end of its life as a tire. Retreading refers to scraping the tread rubber of a tire 30, attaching new rubber, and vulcanizing the tire for reuse. In this embodiment, the tire 30 is described as being for vehicles such as automobiles, trucks, and buses, but may also be for aircraft, mining, agricultural, etc., and is not limited by tire type.

[0024] In this embodiment, the waste rubber recycled by the recycling system 1 includes buffing dust, peeled rubber, and scrap rubber products. Buffing dust is fine rubber generated during the buffing process of retreading, which scrapes off the tread portion remaining on the base tire. Peeled rubber is a long piece of rubber, for example, 1 to 2 cm wide, peeled off from the surface of the tire 30 (see FIG. 2). Peeled rubber is generated by scraping the surface of the tire 30 using a U-shaped or V-shaped knife like a peeler. Scrap rubber products are excess rubber generated during the manufacturing process of rubber products such as the tire 30. Buffing dust, peeled rubber, and scrap rubber products have smaller sizes or particle diameters than other rubbers to be recycled. Therefore, by appropriately sorting the small sizes or particle diameters of waste rubber, such as buffing dust, peeled rubber, and scrap rubber products, recycling can be performed with a shorter heating time and reduced amounts of solvents and catalysts.

[0025] When waste rubber is pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis furnace, gas, oil, carbon black, ash, and the like are produced. In this embodiment, the pyrolysis product 82 is specifically described as the oil produced. 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 form usable as a raw material as needed and recycled by being used as part of the raw material for the tire 30 at a tire 30 factory. Here, the extracted pyrolysis product 82 and its processed products may be used as part of the raw material for rubber products at a factory for rubber products other than the tire 30. The oil and the like extracted by pyrolysis of waste rubber have components corresponding to the waste rubber (for example, sulfur content [wt %]). In order to maintain the quality of the tire 30 or rubber products made from the pyrolysis product 82, it is important to suppress variation in the quality of the pyrolysis product 82.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1 , the information processing device 10 includes a communication unit 11, a storage unit 12, and a control unit 13. The control unit 13 includes a data acquisition unit 131, a classification unit 132, and an output unit 133. The information processing device 10 may be, for example, a computer in 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 in which all processes up to pyrolysis are performed in one location. For example, the facility for sorting waste rubber and the facility for pyrolysis, which will be described later, may be performed in different locations or by different operators. When the recycling facility is composed of multiple facilities, the information processing device 10 may not be a single device, but may be composed of multiple devices located in each facility and capable of transmitting and receiving data to and from each other via a network 40. The information processing device 10 may be, for example, a single computer or multiple computers connected via a network 40. When composed of multiple computers, the storage unit 12 may be a shared memory accessible by each computer.

[0027] The information processing device 10 may constitute a recycling system 1 together with a server 60 connected via a network 40. The network 40 may be, for example, the Internet. The network 40 may also be configured to include, for example, a local area network (LAN) in part. The recycling system 1 may also be configured to include a reading unit 70 and recycling equipment connected to the information processing device 10.

[0028] The server 60 is, for example, a computer separate from the information processing device 10. In this embodiment, the server 60 is a computer of the tire 30 manufacturer, and stores and manages information about the tires 30 being manufactured in a database. The information processing device 10 can access the database via the network 40. For appropriate recycling, the information processing device 10 acquires waste rubber data related to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber (or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber) from the database. Conventionally, information about tires 30 has only been used at the manufacturing site (factory) and has rarely been used in recycling. In this embodiment, a system such as that shown in FIG. 2 is configured, and the information processing device 10 uses the waste rubber data, which can be used for classification in recycling, as described below.

[0029] The reading unit 70 is, for example, a general-purpose mobile terminal such as a smartphone or tablet terminal, but is not limited to such a mobile terminal as long as it is a device with an imaging function. As another example, the reading unit 70 may be an imaging device such as a camera. The reading unit 70 may be used by a manager or operator of the recycling facility. The reading unit 70 may also be provided in the server 60. In this case, the reading unit 70 may be used by a manufacturer or operator at the manufacturing site.

[0030] In this embodiment, an indicator 31 including an identifier 32 is attached to the tire 30 that generated the waste rubber. The indicator 31 may be attached to the tire 30 by gluing, printing, or kneading into the rubber. The reading unit 70 may use an imaging function to capture an image of the identifier 32 attached to the tire 30 and output the 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. The identifier 32 may be, for example, a barcode, a marker showing a specific color, a serial code, or the like. The identification number may include not only numbers but also letters, symbols, and the like. In this embodiment, the identification number is a number unique to the tire 30 that generated the waste rubber, but will be referred to as the waste rubber identification number in the following description.

[0031] Here, the recycling system 1 is not limited to a configuration including an indicator 31 and a reading unit 70 with an imaging function. As another example, the recycling system 1 may be configured to include an RFID tag and a reading unit 70 that reads radio waves from the RFID tag. In this case, the control unit 13 may acquire information such as the tire 30 number and model number from the reading unit 70. As another example, the recycling system 1 may be configured to include a marker substance blended into the rubber and a reading unit 70 that detects the marker substance. The marker substance is a substance that serves as an identifier to distinguish a specific rubber from other rubbers. Here, when 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). Furthermore, when the waste rubber is, for example, in the form of fine particles, the indicator 31 may be attached to a container that stores the waste rubber for transportation. 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 attached, information about the identifier 32 read from the rubber product that generated the waste rubber may be obtained via the network 40.

[0032] The components of the information processing device 10 will be described in detail below. The communication unit 11 is configured to include one or more communication modules connected to the network 40. The communication unit 11 may include a communication module compatible with a mobile communication standard such as 4G (4th Generation) or 5G (5th Generation). The communication unit 11 may include a communication module compatible with a wireless LAN standard (IEEE 802.11 as an example). The communication unit 11 may also include a communication module compatible with a wired LAN standard.

[0033] The storage unit 12 is one or more memories. The memory may be, for example, a semiconductor memory, a magnetic memory, an optical memory, or the like, but is not limited to these, and may be any memory. The storage unit 12 is, for example, built into the information processing device 10, but may also be configured to be accessed from outside by the information processing device 10 via any interface.

[0034] The storage unit 12 stores various data used in various calculations performed by the control unit 13. The storage unit 12 may also store results and intermediate data of various calculations performed by the control unit 13.

[0035] The memory unit 12 may also store waste rubber data acquired via the communication unit 11. As described above, the waste rubber data includes data regarding at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or data regarding at least one of the specifications and components of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. The waste rubber data is referenced to classify and recycle the waste rubber. The waste rubber data stored in the memory unit 12 may be updated based on a database of the tire 30 manufacturer, for example, periodically or when the recycling facility is started up.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of first waste rubber data. The first waste rubber data mainly includes data on the specifications of the rubber product (tire 30) that generated the waste rubber. In the example of FIG. 3, the first waste rubber data is a table in which the identification number of the waste rubber is associated with specifications such as model number. The first waste rubber data may also include at least one of data on the category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product. The category of the rubber product may be classified by vehicle type, such as PSR (radial tire for passenger cars) or TBR (radial tire for trucks and buses). The type of rubber product may be classified by function, such as studless, run-flat, or summer. The size of the rubber product may be numerical specifications such as width, aspect ratio, and rim diameter. The rubber physical properties of the rubber product may be numerical values ​​indicating performance such as rolling resistance coefficient and elastic modulus. The manufacturer of the rubber product may be, for example, the manufacturer name. The manufacturing date of the rubber product may be information such as the year and month of manufacturing. The first waste rubber data may be part of data managed by the manufacturer of the tire 30, which is the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and accumulated 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.

[0037] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating second waste rubber data. The second waste rubber data mainly includes data on the components of the waste rubber. In the example of FIG. 4, the second waste rubber data is a table in which component information, such as the molecular weight of the polymer in the waste rubber, is associated with part of the specifications (model number and manufacturing date) of the rubber product (tire 30) that generated the waste rubber. The second waste rubber data may include data on at least one of the components of the waste rubber, such as the polymer, filler, and sulfur. The data on the components of the polymer in the waste rubber may be information such as molecular weight and whether or not butyl rubber is included. Here, fillers are compounded to reinforce the rubber composition, and examples thereof include carbon black. In the example of FIG. 4, fillers are described as reinforcing materials. In addition to carbon black, examples of fillers include inorganic fillers such as silica, clay, talc, calcium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide. The data on the components of the filler in the waste rubber may be information such as whether or not silica is included and the grade of carbon black. The grade of carbon black may be classified, for example, as SAF (Super Abrasion Furnace, ultra-abrasion resistant) or ISAF (Intermediate SAF, semi-ultra-abrasion resistant). Data regarding the sulfur component of the waste rubber may be a numerical value, for example, a compounding amount (content). The second waste rubber data may be part of data managed by the manufacturer of the tire 30, which is the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and accumulated 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 memory unit 12. Here, the second waste rubber data may further include data on polymers, fillers, compounds other than sulfur, and regulated substances.

[0038] As described above, the second waste rubber data is a table in which information on the components of the waste rubber is associated with a portion of the specifications of the waste rubber. Therefore, the first waste rubber data and the second waste rubber data can be associated through the common waste rubber specifications. In this embodiment, the waste rubber data is managed as two tables, but they may also be integrated and managed as a single table. At this time, partial combination may be performed, i.e., a portion of the first waste rubber data and a portion of the second waste rubber data may be extracted and integrated. 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, the waste rubber data may be managed in a distributed manner. For example, the waste rubber data may be stored and managed using blockchain technology.

[0039] The control unit 13 is one or more processors. The processor may be, for example, a general-purpose processor or a dedicated processor specialized for a specific process, but is not limited to these and may 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 at the recycling facility where the information processing device 10 is installed.

[0040] Referring again to FIG. 2 , the recycling facility is provided with a recovery unit 80 used to recover waste rubber. The recovery unit 80 is a device controlled by the information processing device 10 and different from the information processing device 10, and may include, for example, a robot hand. In this embodiment, the recycling facility is also provided with a sorting device 81 used to classify the waste rubber into groups. The sorting device 81 is a device controlled by the information processing device 10 and different from the information processing device 10, and may include, for example, a belt conveyor. In the example of FIG. 2 , three groups, G1 to G3, are shown, but the number of groups is not limited to three. In this embodiment, the recycling facility is also provided with a recycling processing unit that performs recycling processing according to conditions for each group. The recycling processing unit is a device controlled by the information processing device 10 and different from the information processing device 10, and may be, for example, a pyrolysis processing device. In this embodiment, the information processing device 10 controls the recovery unit 80, the sorting device 81, and the recycling processing unit, thereby controlling the recycling processing in the recycling facility.

[0041] 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, they cause the processor to function as a data acquisition unit 131, a classification unit 132, and an output unit 133.

[0042] The data acquisition unit 131 acquires waste rubber data related 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 the waste rubber data from the storage unit 12 if the identification number of the target waste rubber is included in the waste rubber data already stored in the storage unit 12. If the identification number of the target waste rubber is not included in the waste rubber data in the storage unit 12, the data acquisition unit 131 may acquire the waste rubber data by accessing a database in which identification numbers and 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. Instead, by using a database managed by the tire 30 manufacturer, it is possible to accurately classify the waste rubber and perform appropriate recycling, as described below.

[0043] 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 classified into groups in order to suppress variations in the quality of the product (pyrolysis product 82 in this embodiment) generated by the recycling process (pyrolysis in this embodiment) and to achieve a desired quality.

[0044] The classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on data on the specifications of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, which is 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 category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. In this case, the classification as tires 30 can indirectly classify the waste rubber by component. For example, tires 30 of a specific type manufactured by the same manufacturer are considered to have similar components. Therefore, by grouping the rubber products (tires 30) by manufacturer and type, it is possible to suppress variation in the quality of the pyrolysis products 82. Furthermore, it is considered that there is no significant change in the components of tires 30 manufactured at the same or similar times. Therefore, by grouping by manufacturer, type, and manufacturing date, it is possible to further suppress variation in the quality of the pyrolysis products 82. For example, even if data regarding the components (corresponding to the second waste rubber data) is not provided by the manufacturer of the tire 30, the classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on the data regarding the specifications of the waste rubber or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber contained in the waste rubber data.

[0045] The classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on component data included in the waste rubber data. For example, using the second waste rubber data, the classification unit 132 may classify the waste rubber based on data on at least one of the components of the waste rubber, including polymer, filler, and sulfur. In this case, the waste rubber can be directly classified by component. Therefore, compared to indirect classification, the effect of suppressing the variation in the quality of the pyrolysis product 82 can be enhanced.

[0046] 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 a manager or operator of the recycling facility can understand the information. The display device may be, for example, a display included in the reading unit 70. The display device may also include a display connected to the information processing device 10.

[0047] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the process of the waste rubber recycling method according to this embodiment, which is executed by the recycling system 1.

[0048] 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 to be processed). Here, if neither the collected waste rubber nor the waste rubber storage container has an indicator 31 attached, the identification number of the waste rubber is obtained via the network 40. For example, as shown in FIG. 2 , the identifier 32 is also read from the tire 30 during a process such as scraping the surface of the tire 30 to generate peeled rubber. If the identification number of the collected waste rubber cannot be obtained directly, the identification number of the waste rubber can be obtained via the network 40 by tracing the previous process. Here, the history of the previous process of the collected waste rubber, etc., may be obtained via the network 40 from a database of the manufacturer or retreader, etc., and stored in the memory unit 12 along with the waste rubber data.

[0049] Based on the information read from the waste rubber (or the rubber product that generated the waste rubber), the data acquisition unit 131 acquires waste rubber data from the manufacturer's database via the memory unit 12 or the network 40 as described above (step S2, data acquisition step).

[0050] The sorting unit 132 sorts the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data (step S3, sorting step). The control unit 13 may also control the sorting device 81 so that the waste rubber is transported to the recycling processing unit of the assigned group.

[0051] The recycling processing unit recycles the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group (step S4, recycling processing step). Here, the recycling conditions refer to, for example, the operating conditions of the pyrolysis processing device. For example, the temperature setting and processing time of the pyrolysis processing device may vary depending on the group. In this manner, the waste rubber is divided into groups, and each group undergoes recycling under appropriate conditions, resulting in a pyrolysis product 82 for each group. Because the pyrolysis products 82 in each group are produced from waste rubber containing similar components, they are products of the desired quality with little variation. Here, the appropriate conditions refer to operating conditions, such as temperature setting and processing time, that are determined for each group and adjusted to improve the efficiency of the recycling process. For example, for a group classified into buffing powder, peeling rubber, and rubber products, which are waste rubbers with small sizes or particle sizes, a recycling process may be performed using a shorter heating time and reduced amounts of solvent and catalyst than for other groups. Here, the appropriate conditions generally vary from group to group, but the same conditions may ultimately be used for different groups.

[0052] The waste rubber recycling method of FIG. 5 constitutes a method for producing a pyrolysis product by using pyrolysis as the recycling process and further including an extraction step of extracting a pyrolysis product 82 produced by the pyrolysis. This method for producing a pyrolysis product produces a high-quality pyrolysis product. Furthermore, the pyrolysis product 82 produced by this method for producing a pyrolysis product or a processed product thereof can be used as part of the raw materials to produce a high-quality tire 30 or rubber product. In other words, this method for producing a pyrolysis product and the step of producing the tire 30 or rubber product constitute a method for producing a tire 30 or rubber product. Here, as described above, the tire 30 may be a newly produced tire or a retreaded tire. In other words, the method for producing a tire 30 includes a method for producing a retreaded tire.

[0053] As described above, the waste rubber recycling method according to this embodiment can improve the quality and recycling efficiency of the recycled product by appropriately classifying the components. Furthermore, this recycling method can be used to provide a method for manufacturing a pyrolysis product, a method for manufacturing a rubber product, and a method for manufacturing a tire, which can produce high-quality raw materials (pyrolysis products 82) or products. The pyrolysis products, rubber products, and tires manufactured by these methods are of higher quality than conventional products.

[0054] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described based on the drawings and examples, it should be noted that those skilled in the art would easily be able to make various modifications or alterations based on the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that these modifications and alterations are included within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, functions included in each component may be rearranged so as not to cause logical inconsistencies, and multiple components may be combined or divided into one. The embodiments of the present disclosure may also be realized as a method, a program executed by a processor included in an apparatus, or a storage medium on which a program is recorded. It should be understood that these are also included within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0055] In the above embodiment, the recycling system 1 was described as recycling waste rubber by pyrolysis in a pyrolysis furnace. However, the recycling system 1 may also be configured to decrosslink and plasticize the waste rubber and recycle it as a raw material for rubber products. Recycling by decrosslinking is effective for tire products, etc., which contain crosslinked rubber as a primary component. Known methods include the PAN method, in which the crosslinked rubber is separated from the product, crushed into particles of 3 mm or less, and then subjected to pressure and heat to cleave the crosslinked structure of the crosslinked rubber, thereby regenerating natural rubber. Generally, the decrosslinking process mainly includes a step of separating the uncrosslinked rubber from the crosslinked rubber and a step of decrosslinking only the crosslinked rubber. The decrosslinking process can yield a rubber composition having a polymer molecular weight of 150,000 or more. The waste rubber recycling method according to this embodiment can be targeted for such recycling by decrosslinking. That is, the above-mentioned recycling process step may involve a recycling process that involves decrosslinking. In this case, the recycling process conditions are, for example, the operating conditions of the decrosslinking treatment device. For example, the pressure and heat settings and processing time applied to the separated and crushed crosslinked rubber may be changed depending on the group. In addition, the extraction step extracts the rubber composition produced by decrosslinking. By extracting the rubber composition to be recycled in this manner, a method for producing a rubber composition is provided that can improve the quality and recycling efficiency of the rubber composition.

[0056] To further improve quality, waste rubber may be classified into groups at recycling facilities based on the compounding content and reduction rate of oils, antioxidants, waxes, adhesive materials, etc. contained in the waste rubber. This classification allows for appropriate removal of impurities (e.g., Co, etc.) from carbon black, oils (e.g., terpene oils), antioxidants, etc. obtained by pyrolysis. The compounding content and reduction rate may be estimated based on information from the time of new manufacture of the waste rubber product (hereinafter referred to as the "original product") before it is discarded. The information from the time of new manufacture may be acquired from a computer or the like of the manufacturer of the original product from which the waste rubber was discarded. The information from the time of new manufacture may include, for example, the compounding content, compounding ratio, manufacturing date, raw material recycling information, etc. Furthermore, the compounding content and reduction rate may be estimated based on information from the time of new manufacture and the information from use obtained from the original product. The compounding content and reduction rate may be estimated by preparing a degradation model based on past performance data in advance and inputting information from the time of new manufacture, etc., into the degradation model. The degradation model may be generated, for example, by machine learning.

[0057] Here, the original product needs to be managed individually, particularly to obtain information about the original product at the time of use. For example, if the original product is a tire 30, the indicator 31 identifies information such as an identification number and model number. The recycling system 1 may further include a tire 30 management device (such as a computer connected via the network 40) that manages this information. The tire 30 management device may manage usage information in association with the identification number, model number, etc., in a table or the like. Furthermore, the information processing device 10 may be able to access the table managed by the tire 30 management device. Usage information may include, for example, a driving history, the wear state of the tire 30, and other measurement values ​​input by a worker at a maintenance and inspection site for a vehicle equipped with the original tire 30, and the information may be sent to the tire 30 management device as usage information. Furthermore, if the tire 30 has been retreaded, information such as the number of retreads may be input by the worker and sent to the tire 30 management device as usage information. In the process of classifying waste rubber into groups, the estimated formulation and wear level may be corrected (for example, the wear level may be increased) depending on the usage state of the original product (for example, whether the original product has been retreaded multiple times, whether it is heavily worn, etc.) Here, the wear level may be an actual measurement value, or a predicted value obtained by a known prediction method based on the running history or the date of manufacture, etc.

[0058] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 recycling system 10 information processing device 11 communication unit 12 storage unit 13 control unit 30 tire 31 indicator 32 identifier 40 network 60 server 70 reading unit 80 recovery unit 81 classification device 82 pyrolysis products 131 data acquisition unit 132 classification unit 133 output unit

Claims

1. A method for recycling waste rubber comprising: a recovery step of recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step of acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product which generated the waste rubber based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product which generated the waste rubber; a classification step of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; and a recycling step of carrying out a recycling process on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions 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. A method for recycling waste rubber as described in 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 via a network a database in which the identification number and the waste rubber data are associated.

4. A method for recycling waste rubber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the waste rubber data includes at least one of data on the category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber, and the classification step classifies the waste rubber based on at least one of data on the category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, and manufacturing date of the rubber product that generated the waste rubber.

5. A method for recycling waste rubber according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the waste rubber data includes data on components of at least one of polymers, fillers, and sulfur of the waste rubber, and the classification step classifies the waste rubber based on data on components of at least one of polymers, fillers, and sulfur of the waste rubber.

6. A method for producing a pyrolysis product, comprising: a recovery step of recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step of acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of the specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product which generated the waste rubber based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product which generated the waste rubber; a classification step of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; a recycling step of carrying out a recycling process which is pyrolysis on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group; and an extraction step of extracting a pyrolysis product produced by the pyrolysis.

7. A pyrolysis product produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to claim 6.

8. A method for producing a rubber product, comprising the steps of: producing a rubber product by using the pyrolysis product produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to claim 6 as a part of a raw material.

9. A rubber product produced by the method for producing a rubber product according to claim 8.

10. A method for manufacturing tires, comprising the step of using the pyrolysis product produced by the method for producing a pyrolysis product according to claim 6 as a part of the raw materials for manufacturing tires.

11. A tire manufactured by the tire manufacturing method according to claim 10.

12. A method for producing a rubber composition, comprising: a recovery step of recovering waste rubber; a data acquisition step of acquiring waste rubber data relating to at least one of specifications and components of the waste rubber or the rubber product which generated the waste rubber based on information read from the waste rubber or information read from the rubber product which generated the waste rubber; a classification step of classifying the waste rubber into groups based on the waste rubber data; a recycling step of carrying out a recycling process which is a de-crosslinking process on the classified waste rubber under appropriate conditions for each group; and an extraction step of extracting a rubber composition produced by the de-crosslinking.

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