ASR Pyrolysis

Pyrolysis decomposes material by heating it in the absence of oxygen, breaking long molecular chains into smaller ones. Applied to automotive shredder residue, it separates the mixed plastics and rubber into a combustible oil, a non-condensable gas and a solid char — without combustion.

Because pyrolysis does not burn the feed, its products are captureable rather than consumed: the oil and gas can be used as fuel or chemical feedstock, and the char carries the carbon and mineral content of the residue for further recovery.

How It Differs From Combustion

Where incineration reduces material to ash and heat, pyrolysis retains the molecular value. For a heterogeneous feed like shredder residue, that distinction matters — the polymer fraction becomes product rather than flue gas, and the metals and minerals remain recoverable in the char.

The trade-off is operating temperature and product quality. Pyrolysis runs cooler than gasification’s ash-melting regime, so the solid output needs downstream treatment to separate and upgrade its metal and mineral fractions into saleable forms.

Choosing the Right Thermal Route

The choice between pyrolysis and other thermal routes comes down to the output the operator wants. Where the goal is recovering metals and a stable aggregate alongside energy, an integrated gasification-and-melting approach handles the whole residue in one platform.

Learn More About Thermal Treatment of Shredder Residue

• Automotive Shredder Residue Gasification Plant
• Solid Waste Recycling
• What Is Gasification?
• Feasibility Studies

Partner With The KleanTeam to Pick the Right Thermal Route

Safe. Clean. Profitable. One Proven Partner.

Klean Industries matches the thermal process to the output you need — applying proven gasification and ash-melting technology that recovers energy, metals and aggregate from shredder residue in one commercial platform.

Klean’s Key Advantages:

• ✅ An operating ASR gasification reference plant treating up to 20 t/h of shredder residue.
• ✅ Thirty-plus years engineering commercial gasification and waste-to-energy plants.
• ✅ 3 recovered carbon black (rCB) plants built in India over the past 2 years.
• ✅ KBR added Klean’s proprietary TyreNova technology to its IP portfolio.

Ready to evaluate the right thermal route for your residue?

Speak with a Solid Waste Expert at Klean Industries » GO.