Klean taps Chemex to engineer US tire pyrolysis plant

Vancouver, Canada – Canadian tire pyrolysis company Klean Industries Inc has named Chemex Global as a contractor to “engineer, procure and fabricate” its flagship waste tire recycling plant in Boardman, Oregon.

The two sides intend to execute the design-build contract, which includes process and schedule guarantees, in the first quarter of 2023, said Klean in a statement 11 Oct.

According to Klean, the former ReKlaim site in Boardman facility will convert 20 kilotonnes per annum (ktpa) of end-of-life-tires into recovered carbon black (rCB) and recovered fuel oil (rFO).

Once blended with carbon black oil, rFO can be used in the creation of new virgin biobased carbon blacks, as it has a bio content of 35-40% originating from the natural rubber found in scrap tires, said Klean.

As part of the deal, Chemex will provide a modular back-end pyrolysis oil condensing and fractionation system, and control systems for the project.

According to Klean, the pyrolysis oil is condensed and then split into two streams of which 85% is a hydrocarbon product of similar quality to VLSFO 1% and 15% is a naphtha-like product.

The lighter naphtha-like product will be destined for California for the production of low-carbon intensity road fuels, diesel, and other valuable products.

The remaining product will processed in an oil upgrading unit, which will be supplied by Chemex Global’s parent company the Shaw Group.