Tire Derived Fuel

Summary
! Rubber Type: Shredded, 1-inch to 2-
inches
! Tires Used: 155 million tires used
annually for TDF
o Cement industry: 58 million
o Pulp and paper mills: 39 million
o Electric utilities: 27 million
o Industrial/institutional boilers: 21
million
o Dedicated tire-to-energy facilities: 10
million

Cement
Industrial Kilns
Boilers 37% (58
14% (21 Million)
Million)
Tire-to-
Energy
Facilities Pulp &
7% (10 Electric Paper
Million) Utilities 25% (39
17% (27 Million)
Million)

! Energy Comparison
o Generates up to 33% more energy
than coal and up to 220% more
energy than wood
o TDF: up to 15,500 BTU per pound
o Coal: 12,750 BTU per pound
o Wood: 4,375 BTU per pound
! Disadvantages
o Lack of public awareness (general
16000
public and public officials)
14000 o NIMBY syndrome (not-in-my-
12000 backyard)
BTU per pound

10000 o Public perception (black smoke looks

8000 bad)
6000
4000 ! Sources:
2000 o A Laboratory and Field Evaluation of
0 the Use of Waste Materials in
TDF Coal Wood Highway Construction (S.N.
Amirkhanian, 1999)
o U.S. Scrap Tire Markets in the United
! Advantages
States: 2005 Edition (Rubber
o More energy potential per pound than
Manufacturers Association, 2006)
coal or wood
o Conservation of other resources (coal
and wood)
o TDF produces lower emissions of
Sulfur Oxides, Nitrogen Oxides, and
total Hydrocarbons than coal.
Asphalt Rubber Technology Service • Clemson University
2002 Hugo Drive • Clemson, SC 29634
Phone: (864) 656-6799 • Fax: (864) 656-6186 • Email: arts@ces.clemson.edu
Website: www.ces.clemson.edu/arts