Method for producing carbon black, rubber composition, and tire

Abstract

A method for producing carbon black comprising: an oil acquisition step (S1) in which pyrolysis oils obtained by pyrolyzing waste rubbers are acquired; a data acquisition step (S2) in which component-related data relating to components of the pyrolysis oils is acquired; and production steps (S3 to S5) in which carbon black is produced on the basis of information on the components of the pyrolysis oils that are specified by the component-related data.

Description

Carbon black manufacturing method, rubber composition, and tire

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a method for producing carbon black, a rubber composition, and a tire.

[0002] Conventionally, recycling has been carried out by pyrolyzing waste and extracting the pyrolysis products that are generated for reuse. For example, recycling is carried out to recover materials from rubber products such as tires. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a pyrolysis facility that can recover charcoal from polymer waste, including tire waste, and improves the facility's productivity.

[0003] JP 2013-144744 A

[0004] Here, in recycling waste rubber, the waste rubber is sometimes sorted by size, for example, based on an upper size limit, but traditionally, waste rubber has rarely been sorted in any other way. As a result, waste rubber containing various components is recycled together, resulting in variations in the quality of the resulting pyrolysis products. In addition, cracked oil (an example of a pyrolysis product) obtained by pyrolyzing waste rubber is sometimes recovered and recycled. In this case, too, cracked oil containing various components has traditionally been used together, with no classification by component. As a result, it has been difficult to maintain the quality of carbon black produced from pyrolysis products and rubber compositions, tires, etc. containing that carbon black.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a method for producing carbon black, a rubber composition, and a tire that can improve the quality of carbon black produced from pyrolysis products obtained by recycling.

[0006] (1) A method for producing carbon black according to one embodiment of the present disclosure includes: an oil obtaining step of obtaining a cracked oil obtained by thermally decomposing waste rubber; a data obtaining step of obtaining component-related data, which is data related to components of the cracked oil; and a production step of producing carbon black based on information on the components of the cracked oil identified by the component-related data.

[0007] (2) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (1), the thermal decomposition conditions of the cracked oil are associated with the groups of waste rubber, and the groups of waste rubber are classified based on 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.

[0008] (3) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in (2), the thermal cracking conditions of the cracked oil include temperature.

[0009] (4) As an embodiment of the present disclosure, in any one of (1) to (3), the component-related data is data obtained by analyzing the density, the type and amount of aromatics, or the viscosity of the cracked oil.

[0010] (5) As one embodiment of the present disclosure, in any of (1) to (4), the manufacturing step classifies the cracked oil into groups based on information on the components of the cracked oil, and selects appropriate manufacturing conditions and manufacturing methods for each group of the classified cracked oil.

[0011] (6) A rubber composition according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes carbon black produced by the carbon black production method according to any one of (1) to (5).

[0012] (7) A tire according to one embodiment of the present disclosure contains carbon black produced by the method for producing carbon black according to any one of (1) to (5).

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a method for producing carbon black, a rubber composition, and a tire that can improve the quality of carbon black produced from pyrolysis products obtained by recycling.

[0014] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example configuration of a recycling system that executes a carbon black manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Fig. 2 is another diagram showing the 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 diagram illustrating cracked oil data. Fig. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of a carbon black manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015] A carbon black manufacturing method, a rubber composition, and a tire 30 (see FIG. 2 ) according to one embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, identical or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals. In the description of this embodiment, the description of identical or corresponding parts will be omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0016] 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example configuration of a recycling system 1 that executes a carbon black manufacturing 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.

[0017] The recycling system 1 recycles recycled materials. The recycled materials include waste rubber and cracked oil. The cracked oil is an example of a pyrolysis product 82, which will be described later. The waste rubber is discarded rubber and is also called scrap rubber or scrap rubber. The 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. The waste rubber is also not limited to cross-linked rubber, but also includes unvulcanized rubber. The rubber product includes a tire 30. In this embodiment, the rubber product is described as a tire 30, but the rubber product is not limited to the tire 30. The rubber product includes, for example, final products such as rubber hoses and rubber conveyor belts, as well as rubber parts or components used in the manufacturing stage of the final product. The tire 30 may be, for example, a newly manufactured tire, a tire to be retreaded, a waste tire generated due to tire replacement or scrapping, or an end-of-life tire (ELT) that has reached the end of its life as the tire 30. Retreading refers to scraping off the tread rubber of the tire 30, applying new rubber, and vulcanizing the tire for reuse. In this embodiment, the tire 30 is described as being for vehicles such as passenger cars, trucks, and buses, but may also be for aircraft, mining, agricultural use, etc., and is not limited by type.

[0018] 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.

[0019] When waste rubber is pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis furnace, gas, oil, char, ash, and the like are produced. In this embodiment, the pyrolysis product 82 is specifically described as the oil (cracked oil) produced. Carbon black can be produced by treating the cracked oil using a known method. The method for producing carbon black is not limited to a specific method, and the method described in Japanese Patent No. 6,553,959, for example, may be used.

[0020] The pyrolysis product 82 and carbon black produced from the pyrolysis product 82 are processed into a state that can be used as a raw material as needed, and are recycled by being used as part of the raw material for the tire 30 at a tire 30 factory. Here, the carbon black may be used as part of the raw material for a rubber composition. The rubber composition contains at least a rubber component and carbon black, and is used as a material for various rubber products. Furthermore, the carbon black may be used as part of the raw material for rubber products at a factory for rubber products other than the tire 30. Here, the cracked oil produced by pyrolyzing waste rubber in a pyrolysis furnace has components corresponding to the waste rubber (for example, sulfur content [wt %]). It is important to suppress variation in the quality of the cracked oil in order to maintain the quality of the carbon black made from cracked oil as a raw material, the tire 30 containing carbon black, and the rubber composition.

[0021] 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.

[0022] 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.

[0023] The server 60 is, for example, a computer separate from the information processing device 10. In this embodiment, the server 60 includes a computer of the tire 30 manufacturer, 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 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 to enable classification, etc., in recycling, as described below.

[0024] 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.

[0025] 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.

[0026] 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 identification element 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.

[0027] Furthermore, the recycling system 1 may receive and recycle pyrolysis products 82, such as cracked oil, produced elsewhere. At this time, an identifier 32 may be attached to the cracked oil container or the like, and may be read in the same way as for waste rubber. The server 60 may also include a computer of a provider of the pyrolysis products 82, such as cracked oil, and necessary information (cracked oil data, see FIG. 5 ) may be obtained from the provider's computer.

[0028] 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 or wired LAN standard, for example.

[0029] 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.

[0030] 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.

[0031] 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 memory unit 12 may also store decomposed oil data acquired via the communication unit 11. The decomposed oil data may include information on the components of the decomposed oil, information on the waste rubber that was the source of the decomposed oil, or information on the rubber product that generated the waste rubber. Here, the waste rubber data and the decomposed oil data may be collectively referred to as recycled raw material data. In other words, the waste rubber and the decomposed oil may be collectively referred to as recycled raw materials. The recycled raw material data is referenced to classify and recycle recycled raw materials. The recycled raw material data stored in the memory unit 12 may be updated, for example, periodically or when the recycling equipment is started up, based on information from the computers of the tire manufacturer 30 and the decomposed oil provider.

[0032] 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 the following data: rubber product category, type, size, rubber physical properties, manufacturer, manufacturing date, and non-rubber mixed material information. The rubber product category may be classified by vehicle type, such as PSR (radial tires for passenger cars) or TBR (radial tires for trucks and buses), or by product type, such as rubber hoses, seismic isolation rubber, conveyor belts, or rubber crawlers. The rubber product type may be classified by function, such as studless, run-flat, or summer tires, or by application area, such as tread, side, or bead. The size of the rubber product may be numerical specifications such as width, aspect ratio, or rim diameter. The rubber physical properties of the rubber product may be numerical values ​​indicating performance, such as rolling resistance coefficient or elastic modulus. The manufacturer of the rubber product may be, for example, the name of the manufacturer. The manufacturing date of the rubber product may be, for example, information such as the year and month of manufacture. The non-rubber inclusion information may be, for example, information about the type of material other than rubber, such as metal or organic fiber. 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 memory unit 12.

[0033] 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 as, for example, 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 such as the 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.

[0034] 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.

[0035] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating cracked oil data. Information in the table in FIG. 5 is indicated only with "***," but in reality, specific numerical values ​​or names are entered for each item. The cracked oil data is a table in which information such as components is associated with the cracked oil's identification number. The cracked oil data includes component-related data, which is data related to at least the cracked oil's components. For example, the component-related data is data analyzing the cracked oil's density, the type and amount of aromatics, or viscosity. As described above, the recycling system 1 may receive and recycle cracked oil produced elsewhere. However, it is important to minimize variation in the cracked oil's quality in order to maintain the quality of tires 30, rubber compositions, and other products made from cracked oil. Obtaining information on the cracked oil's density, the type and amount of aromatics, or viscosity enables more appropriate recycling based on the cracked oil's properties. All of the data related to the cracked oil's components may be obtained from the cracked oil provider, or some of it may be obtained through analysis.

[0036] Furthermore, the cracked oil data may include information regarding the thermal cracking conditions of the cracked oil. The thermal cracking conditions of the cracked oil may include temperature. Based on information about temperature, which significantly affects the properties of the cracked oil, it becomes possible to carry out appropriate recycling. The temperature of the thermal cracking is preferably high, for example, 500°C or higher.

[0037] Furthermore, the cracked oil data may include, as other information, information on the tire 30 (as raw material) that was pyrolyzed in a pyrolysis furnace to obtain the cracked oil, or information on the rubber compounding of the tire 30. The cracked oil data includes information on the raw material tire 30, making it possible to associate the cracked oil data (particularly the pyrolysis conditions) with the waste rubber data (particularly the waste rubber group described below). Here, the information on the tire 30 may be a combination of the size and aspect ratio of the tire 30. The type of tire 30 can be identified by the combination of the size and aspect ratio of the tire 30. Furthermore, the information on the tire 30 may be a grading related to wet performance. The content rate of high styrene rubber, etc., can be identified from the grading related to wet performance. The information on the tire 30 may be shown by component, such as the tread. The rubber compounding information may be the amount of styrene in the polymer, which is highly relevant to the type of tire 30. Here, in cases where some of the components of the cracked oil are not provided, it is possible to estimate the components of the cracked oil based on information on the tire 30 or the rubber compounding of the tire 30. The components of the decomposed oil may be estimated using performance data from past recycling that indicates the correlation between the components of the decomposed oil and the type of raw material tire 30. Here, the information processing device 10 may access the computer of the decomposed oil provider via the network 40, acquire the decomposed oil data, and store it in the memory unit 12. The decomposed oil data may be stored and managed in the same way as the waste rubber data.

[0038] 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.

[0039] 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.

[0040] The recovery unit 80 can also recover cracked oil produced elsewhere. That is, in the example of Figure 2, the pyrolysis product 82 includes both that produced at the recycling facility (lower right of Figure 2) and that produced elsewhere (upper right of Figure 2).

[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 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. Similarly, the data acquisition unit 131 acquires cracked oil data for cracked oil produced at another location based on information read from a cracked oil container or the like.

[0043] The classification unit 132 classifies the recycled materials into groups based on the recycled material data acquired by the data acquisition unit 131. A group is a collection of recycled materials that are similar in terms of the components they contain. The recycled materials are classified into groups in order to reduce variations in the quality of the product (carbon black in this embodiment) produced by the recycling process and 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 are 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, manufacturing date, and non-rubber mixed material information 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 classification unit 132 may also classify the decomposed oils based on component-related data included in the decomposed oil data. For example, the classification unit 132 may classify the decomposed oils based on density information, with high-density decomposed oils grouped together. The classification unit 132 may also classify the decomposed oils based on information on thermal decomposition conditions included in the decomposed oil data. For example, the classification unit 132 may classify the decomposed oils by thermal decomposition temperature classification. The classification unit 132 may also classify the decomposed oils by associating the thermal decomposition conditions of the decomposed oils with waste rubber groups based on information on the raw tire 30 or the rubber compounding of the tire 30 included in the decomposed oil data. In other words, when classifying the decomposed oils, the classification unit 132 may use waste rubber groups classified based on 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. The method of classifying decomposed oils using waste rubber groups enables accurate classification of waste rubber using a database managed by the tire 30 manufacturer, thereby enabling more appropriate recycling.

[0047] 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.

[0048] 6 is a flowchart showing the process of the carbon black production method according to this embodiment, which is executed by the recycling system 1. In the following description, the recycled raw material is specifically assumed to be cracked oil obtained by thermally decomposing waste rubber.

[0049] The recycling material is collected (acquired) by the collection unit 80 (step S1, oil acquisition step). The identifier 32 of the collected recycling material is read by the reading unit 70. In this embodiment, the information read from the recycling material includes an identification number of the collected recycling material (i.e., decomposed oil). Here, if the storage container of the collected recycling material does not have an indicator 31 attached, the identification number may be obtained from the computer of the decomposed oil provider via the network 40.

[0050] The data acquisition unit 131 acquires recycled raw material data (decomposed oil data) from the database of the decomposed oil provider via the memory unit 12 or the network 40 based on information read from the storage container of the recycled raw material, etc. (step S2, data acquisition step). Here, the decomposed oil data includes component-related data, which is data related to the components of the decomposed oil.

[0051] The classification unit 132 classifies the recycled materials into groups based on the recycled material data (step S3).

[0052] The recycling processing unit performs recycling processing on the classified recycled materials under appropriate conditions for each group (step S4). Here, the recycling processing conditions are, for example, operating conditions for the production of carbon black. For example, the temperature setting of the manufacturing equipment, the processing time, etc. are changed depending on the group. In this way, the recycled materials (cracked oil) are divided into groups, and appropriate operating conditions are set for each group.

[0053] Then, appropriate operating conditions are set for each group, and carbon black is produced from the cracked oil by a production device (step S5). Steps S3 to S5 correspond to the production step. These processes can improve the quality of the carbon black produced from the pyrolysis product 82 obtained by recycling. In particular, the production step classifies the cracked oil into groups based on information about the cracked oil's components, and appropriate production conditions and production methods can be selected for each group of classified cracked oil. For example, even when receiving cracked oil produced elsewhere and recycling it, high-quality carbon black can be produced.

[0054] Furthermore, a high-quality tire 30 or rubber composition can be manufactured by using the manufactured carbon black as part of the raw materials. In other words, the manufacturing method of the tire 30 or the rubber composition can be constituted by this manufacturing method of the carbon black and the step of manufacturing the tire 30 or the rubber composition. Here, as described above, the tire 30 may be a newly manufactured tire, or may be a retreaded tire. In other words, the manufacturing method of the tire 30 includes the manufacturing method of a retreaded tire. Then, a high-quality tire 30 or rubber composition can be manufactured by such a manufacturing method of the tire 30 or the rubber composition.

[0055] As described above, the method for producing carbon black according to this embodiment can improve the quality of carbon black produced from pyrolysis products 82 obtained by recycling by appropriately classifying the components. Furthermore, a rubber composition or a tire 30 can be produced using carbon black obtained using this recycling method. The produced rubber composition and tire 30 are of higher quality than conventional ones.

[0056] 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.

[0057] In the above embodiment, it has been described that recovered rubber products such as tires 30 are sorted (classified) based on type or the content of specific substances, and then pyrolyzed for each group. However, a "dismantling / downsizing" process may be performed between sorting and pyrolysis. Dismantling / downsizing is a series of processes in which rubber products such as tires 30 are crushed and separated into individual materials. Dismantling / downsizing may further include the processes of "separation," "cutting," "chipping," "crushing," and "pulverization" performed in this order. Separation is a process in which a rubber product is separated into individual materials (e.g., rubber and metal). Cutting is a process in which a rubber product is cut into pieces into individual parts (e.g., tread and sidewall). Chipping is a process in which a rubber product is scraped or drilled. Crushing is a process in which a rubber product is crushed into chips on the order of several inches. Crushing is a process in which a rubber product is crushed into granules.

[0058] Separation techniques include pulling, induction heating, punch cutting, magnetic separation, cutting separation, mechanical separation, cooling, and water jetting. Pulling is a technique in which a bead is hooked and pulled out of the tire 30 using a hook or the like. Induction heating is a technique in which induction heating is used to reduce the adhesive force between the metal, such as a bead, and the rubber, thereby separating the metal and rubber. Punch cutting is a technique in which a bead is removed 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 technique in which a metal, such as a bead, is separated from the rubber using magnetic force. Cutting separation is a technique in which a metal, such as a bead, is cut and separated from the rubber using a blade, cutter blade, knife, or rotary milling machine. Mechanical separation is a technique in which metal and rubber are separated by applying a mechanical force sufficient to separate them. Cooling is a technique in which the rubber is cooled using liquid nitrogen or the like to embrittle the rubber before separation. Water jetting is a technique in which rubber and metal are separated by spraying water at high pressure.

[0059] Cutting methods include rotary blades, blade cutters, L-knives, water jets, and pneumatic cutting. Rotary blades are a method of cutting by bringing a rotating blade (including blades and circular saws) into contact with an object. Blade cutters are a method of cutting using a blade or cutting edge. L-knives are a method of cutting using an L-shaped knife. Water jets are a method of cutting by spraying water (including water containing sand) at high pressure. Pneumatic cutting is a method of cutting using compressed air.

[0060] The chipping method includes punch cutting and filing. Punch cutting is a method of making holes using a punch blade. File filing is a method of scraping the tire 30 using a file.

[0061] Crushing methods include rotary blades, blade cutters, and cut-off wheels. Rotary blades are a method of crushing materials by applying a rotating blade (including blades, circular saws, etc.) to the material. Blade cutters are a method of crushing materials using a blade or cutter blade. Cut-off wheels are a method of crushing materials by applying a cutting blade to a wheel-shaped crushing component and applying it to the material.

[0062] Pulverization methods include roller mills, pin mills, and water jets. Roller mills are a method of pulverizing materials by a "grinding and grinding action" that combines the compressive force caused by the centrifugal force of the rollers with the shearing force caused by the rotation of the rollers. Pin mills are a method of pulverizing materials by attaching dozens of pins to the surfaces of two opposing circular plates that are rotated at high speed. Water jets are a method of pulverizing materials by spraying water at high speed and causing it to collide with the object.

[0063] Furthermore, for separation, the following separation techniques may be selected depending on the material to be separated. When the material to be separated is metal, magnetic separation, "pulling, peeling, and tearing," melting, crushing, punching, high-pressure jet, cutting / machining, sedimentation, and centrifugal classification may be selected. Magnetic separation separates metal and rubber using magnetic force. Pulling, peeling, and tearing separate metal, such as bead wire, from the rubber by pulling it out, peeling it off, 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 to melt them. Heated steam melts the rubber by spraying heated steam and separates the metal cord. Induction heating heats the tire 30 using electromagnetic induction to separate the metal cord. Crushing separates the metal cord from the rubber by crushing the tire 30 with a roller or the like. Punching removes metal cord 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 the metal and rubber by spraying water or other materials at high pressure. Cutting and milling separates the metal and rubber portions by mechanical cutting and milling. Sedimentation involves placing the wire in a water-soluble polyol at temperatures exceeding 160°C for several to several tens of hours, separating the rubber and wire that settle to the bottom. Centrifugal classification is a type of air classification that uses centrifugal force to separate the metal and rubber.

[0064] When the material to be separated is fiber, methods that may be selected include sieving, vibrating screen, melting, air classification, centrifugal classification, gravity classification, friction, "pulling, peeling, tearing," high-pressure jet, electrostatic separation, mechanical heat control, and cutting / milling. Sieving uses a sieve to separate fiber and rubber. Vibrating screen performs sieving by vibrating a sieve up and down. Melting includes heated steam and induction heating. Heated steam is sprayed onto the tire 30 to melt the rubber and separate the metal cord. Induction heating heats the tire 30 using electromagnetic induction to separate the metal cord. Air classification separates fiber and rubber powder by utilizing differences in the hydrodynamic behavior of particles (centrifugal force, gravity, inertia force, etc.). Centrifugal classification is a type of air classification that uses centrifugal force to separate fiber and rubber. Gravity classification is a type of air classification that uses gravity to separate fiber and rubber. Friction involves applying pressure to the tire 30 to generate friction, forming agglomerates from the fibers, and then separating the agglomerates from the rubber granules using a sieve or similar. Pulling, peeling, and tearing involve pulling, peeling, or tearing the fiber reinforcement portion to separate it from the rubber. High-pressure jetting involves spraying water or similar at high pressure to separate the fiber and rubber. Electrostatic separation involves charging particles using electrostatic force, and separating the fiber and rubber due to the difference in charge or electric field strength. Mechanical heat control involves separating the rubber from the fiber reinforcement elements under controlled thermal conditions. Cutting and milling involves mechanically cutting and milling to separate the fiber and rubber portions.

[0065] When the object to be separated is a sealant, mechanical lubrication after solidification or the use of a processing aid may be selected. Mechanical lubrication after solidification involves solidifying the sealant using liquid nitrogen or the like, and then removing the sealant layer by mechanical lubrication. The use of a processing aid involves removing the sealant layer using water or a soap solution.

[0066] When the object to be separated is resin, crushing, cutting, melting, or peeling may be selected. Crushing separates the resin from the rubber by crushing the tire 30 with a roller or the like. Cutting separates the resin by cutting along the boundary surface between the rubber layer and the resin. Melting includes vibration melting. Vibration melting separates the resin by vibrating the tire 30 with ultrasound or the like to melt the resin. Peeling foams unfoamed rubber by heating, applying a peeling force between the rubber and the resin member, and peels the resin member from the rubber.

[0067] 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 producing carbon black, comprising: an oil obtaining step of obtaining cracked oil obtained by thermally decomposing waste rubber; a data obtaining step of obtaining component-related data which is data related to the components of the cracked oil; and a production step of producing carbon black based on information on the components of the cracked oil identified by the component-related data.

2. The method for producing carbon black according to claim 1, wherein the thermal decomposition conditions of the cracked oil are associated with groups of the waste rubber, and the groups of the waste rubber are classified based on waste rubber data relating to at least one of specifications and components of the waste rubber or a rubber product that generated the waste rubber.

3. The method for producing carbon black according to claim 2, wherein the conditions for thermal decomposition of the cracked oil include temperature.

4. The method for producing carbon black according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the component-related data is data obtained by analyzing the density, the type and amount of aromatics, or the viscosity of the cracked oil.

5. A method for producing carbon black according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the production step classifies the cracked oil into groups based on information about the components of the cracked oil, and selects appropriate production conditions and a production method for each of the classified groups of cracked oil.

6. A rubber composition comprising carbon black produced by the method for producing carbon black according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A tire comprising carbon black produced by the method for producing carbon black according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

Images