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A tire shredder is an essential machine in the rubber recycling process. Many landfill operators refuse this waste rubber because it poses several environmental risks. For one, about 75 percent of its volume is void space, which means it quickly fills up waste dumps. Also, discarded wheels can trap methane, causing them to rise to the surface of the landfill. Along the way, it may put enough stress on the landfill lines to cause a crack, releasing toxins in to the groundwater. When many discarded wheels are stored in one location, it also poses a major fire risk as well. For these reasons, it is extremely important that discarded tires be repurposed.
The first step in this process usually involves a tire shredder. While whole wheels can be used for several purposes, the material is much more versatile when it is reduced in size. Industrial-scale machines are used for reducing waste rubber size. They usually come with two rotating, toothed drums that sit at the bottom of a feed shaft. Waste rubber is tossed into the shaft or fed into it using a conveyor system. The toothed rotors can be calibrated to rotate at any speed, though lower speeds are normally required for larger wheels. A tire shredder must generate a lot of torque to grip and pull the rubber through the machine. Industrial-size devices are capable of handling large volumes of material at a fast pace. Their power allows them to chew through thousands of pounds of rubber every day.
A tire shredder is also able to detect problematic material that may damage the machine. When this occurs, the device will halt the process before any damage occurs. Some devices are also equipped to separate the metal lining from the waste rubber in discarded wheels. This is an important part of the process, because the waste metal will contaminate recycled products or pose an environmental hazard. Once discarded wheels pass through the dial rotor system, they will be reduced in size, but not uniformly. If a smaller, uniform size is desired, a four-shaft tire shredder can be placed further along the material stream where it will finish the job.
There are many applications for repurposed rubber. When it is ready to be recycled, waster rubber can be converted into tire derived fuel, or TDF. TDF can be used as a fuel source for some applications, because the waste rubber is rich in carbons. Shredded rubber, known as tire derived aggregate (TDA), can also be used in many engineering applications, including insulation for roads and buildings, sub-grade fill and embankments and abutments for bridges. TDA can also be employed in retaining walls, vibration dampening structures for railroads and collecting wells.
When waste rubber is reduced to extremely small crumb-like sizes, it can be placed nearly anywhere. It can be used in asphalt, concrete, athletic courts, mulch, sidewalks, bricks, patios, flooring and dock bumpers. Its versatility can make it an extremely cost effective construction material.
These applications are not possible without machines to reduce the rubber to smaller sizes. These devices have greatly reduced environmental stress while also providing durable building materials.
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