In November 2020 Scandinavian Enviro’s UK partner 2G BioPOWER began a study into the feasibility of running a largescale tyre pyrolysis plant in the UK. The project has now been completed and found that there are “favourable conditions” for such a pyrolysis plant that “derive primarily from the large domestic demand for recovered oil for the production of renewable vehicle fuel.”
Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. launched its Ecorax Nature family of plant-based carbon black products. According to the company, Ecorax Nature 100, which was launched on 17 June 2021, is “the first highly reinforcing carbon black grade made from renewable feedstocks which can be used in critical tyre tread construction”. The product is currently being tested by customers and will go into high volume manufacturing in the second half of 2022. Orion further reports that Ecorax Nature is the first “renewable carbon black” to be produced for the tyre industry.
“Wastes to energy: Improving the poor properties of waste tire pyrolysis oil with waste cooking oil methyl ester and waste fusel alcohol – A detailed assessment on the combustion, emission, and performance characteristics of a CI engine”, published in the journal Energy on 22 January 2021; and “Thermodynamic comparison of pyrolysis and gasification of waste tyres”, which was published in the Journal of Environment Chemical Engineering on 30 January 2021 complete our recent review of the latest peer-reviewed pyrolysis research.
Liqui Moly’s turnover increased by 7.1 per cent to a record 611 million euro in 2020. The United Kingdom, where Liqui Moly more than doubled its sales, played a particularly important role in this. Given the devastating effects of the pandemic on the global economy and the decline in global consumption of oil and fuel, this is a great achievement. Revenue halved to 25 million euro – partly because the company invested almost 45 million euro in marketing measures during the crisis. In addition, more than 100 new employees were hired. This brings the total number of employees to 989 at the end of 2020.
BASF SE has signed an uptake supply agreement with New Energy, which specializes waste tyre pyrolysis and is headquartered in Budapest, Hungary. According to the agreement, New Energy will supply BASF with up to 4,000 metric tonnes of pyrolysis oil per year derived from waste tyres. In a pilot phase, the first volumes of the pyrolysis oil have already been used in BASF’s integrated chemical production site in Ludwigshafen, Germany.
Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB is reporting a “dramatic increase in interest” the pyrolysis oil the company extracts from end-of-life tyres. According to the company, the oil has a high bio content due to the natural rubber in tyres and is therefore “of great interest to many players in the market because it could replace fossil-based alternatives”. This, in turn, is likely to help Enviro’s sales revenues. “Based on the market response and our own calculations, we judge that the oil recovered from end-of-life tyres could contribute to a strong increase of revenues from recycling plants that use our technology,” Thomas Sörensson, CEO of Enviro, explained.
Motor oil has developed from a simple lubricant to a high-tech liquid. At the same time, the number of oil grades and specifications has increased significantly. Oliver Kuhn, deputy head of the oil laboratory at Liqui Moly, provides more insight and explains what really matters.
The Parts Alliance will supply two popular Petronas Syntium oil grades in limited edition Formula One 200 litre barrels. The June promotion celebrates the six consecutive Formula One World Championships won by the Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team, with an eye-catching barrel design.
The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Asset Control (OFAC) has confirmed that Nynas is no longer being blocked pursuant to the Venezuela Sanctions Regulations. As a result of a corporate restructuring of the ownership of Nynas AB, sanctions are lifted.
The headaches surrounding oil grades are set to increase for automotive professionals over the coming years, a leading lubricant expert has warned. The number of different engine oils on the market has soared in the last decade – whereas once most cars required a basic 15W-40 viscosity oil or a 10W-40, there is now a much wider range available depending on OEM and vehicle.
Exol Lubricants has launched a highly specialised low SAPS engine oil, one of the first on the market, specifically designed for modern Renault and Nissan diesel vehicles and covering ACEA C3 and C4 specifications.
Nynas is attending Tire Technology Expo in Hannover, Germany, 25-27 February 2020 where the company is showing how tyres made with Nynas oils provide “low rolling resistance, reducing energy losses and fuel consumption, while maintaining wet grip for improved control on snow and ice.” Performance of naphthenic oil in winter tyres will also be examined in a presentation by Technical Advisor Dr. Kamyar Alavi, entitled “Get a grip: performance of naphthenic oil in winter tyres.”
Ellie Burgin; Pexels
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Exol
Nynas
Goodyear
BASF
Scandinavian Enviro Systems AB
Liqui Moly
The Parts Alliance
Nynas