Can Pyrolysis Oil Be Used in Cars or Vehicles?

As a professional supplier specializing in solid waste recycling equipment for over a decade, DOING Company is dedicated to providing efficient and environmentally friendly solutions for recycling waste materials such as tires and plastics. Pyrolysis oil, extracted from waste tires, plastics, and other materials through pyrolysis technology, has garnered significant attention for its potential energy applications. However, many customers question whether pyrolysis oil can be directly used in cars or vehicles. As a professional project consultant, I would like to give you an accurate response here. The answer is no. But it's not completely impossible.

Waste pyrolysis oil

Characteristics of Pyrolysis Oil:

Pyrolysis oil, also known as crude oil, is obtained by directly cracking waste tires without further refining. At normal pressure and 15℃, its density is 0.9146g/cm³, and its total calorific value is 44.32MJ/kg. Compared to conventional automotive fuels, pyrolysis oil has the following characteristics:

Chemical Composition: Pyrolysis oil contains a high proportion of resins, cycloalkanes, and aromatics. The high aromatic content can reduce fuel quality, lead to incomplete combustion, increase the amount of fine particulate matter in exhaust emissions, and negatively impact air quality.

Viscosity: Pyrolysis oil has relatively high viscosity, which can result in poor atomization and fluidity, unstable engine operation, carbon deposits, and other issues, thereby limiting its direct application in automotive and internal combustion engines.

Impurities: Pyrolysis oil contains certain impurities, such as sulfur compounds and water, which can corrode engine components and affect vehicle performance.

Characteristics of pyrolysis oil

Application Scope of Pyrolysis Oil:

Given its characteristics, pyrolysis oil is not suitable for direct use in cars or vehicles but can be applied in the following areas:

Industrial Fuel: Pyrolysis oil can be directly sold as fuel oil to glass factories, cement plants, power plants, steel mills, and other industrial facilities. Its high calorific value can meet the energy demands of industrial production.

Heavy Oil Generators: Pyrolysis oil can be directly used in heavy oil generators to provide power support for specific scenarios.

Application scope of pyrolysis oil

Refining Pyrolysis Oil into Automotive Fuel:

Although pyrolysis oil cannot be directly used in cars or vehicles, it can be refined into automotive fuel through advanced refining processes. DOING Company offers a distillation plant capable of upgrading pyrolysis oil into diesel fuel. Below is a detailed introduction to the refining process and the performance of the refined diesel:

Distillation Process: The waste oil distillation plant heats pyrolysis oil to separate it into different fractions based on boiling points. Components with boiling points similar to diesel are collected and further purified to remove impurities and harmful substances.

Diesel Performance: The refined diesel exhibits significantly improved quality compared to pyrolysis oil. Its viscosity, sulfur content, cetane number, and other key indicators approach those of conventional diesel, enabling its use in agricultural machinery, large ships, and other equipment.

Application Precautions: Even when refined into non-standard diesel, DOING Company advises against using it directly in small family cars. The engineering team can provide customers with specific blending ratios and usage recommendations based on actual conditions.

Usages of pyrolysis oil refined diesel

In summary, pyrolysis oil cannot be directly used in cars or vehicles due to its chemical composition, viscosity, and impurities. However, it holds broad application prospects in industrial fuel and heavy oil generator sectors. By leveraging DOING Company's waste oil distillation plant technology, pyrolysis oil can be refined into diesel fuel for use in agricultural machinery, large ships, and other equipment. If you have questions about pyrolysis oil or its refining processes, please feel free to contact DOING Company. Our professional team will provide you with technical solutions and support tailored to your needs.