Tire to Energy Alternatives

The largest scrap tires combustion system is the Oxford Energy plant in Modesto, California. It consumes about 4.9 million tires per year and generates 14 MW of power. A second Oxford Energy power plant, designed to burn about 9-10 million tires per year, is under construction in Connecticut. Commercial operation is planned for 1991. 

Seven cement kilns in the United States utilize about 6 million scrap tires per year to replace conventional fuels. Cement kilns appear to be ideal for scrap tires because of their high operating temperatures (2,600 F) and good conditions for complete combustion, which minimize air pollution problems. Also, there is no residue, since the ash is incorporated into the cement product. Of the 240 cement kilns in the United States, about 50 are equipped with precalciner/preheaters, making them most suitable for tire combustion. 

Many furnaces designed to burn wood chips at pulp and paper plants are suitable for burning tire-derived-fuel without major modifications. Frequently, only wire-free tdf can be used in these boilers, thus increasing the tire processing costs. An estimated 12 million tires per year are currently being consumed by the pulp and paper industry. 

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