Pyrolysis
Controlled thermal decomposition, in the absence of oxygen, that turns hard-to-recycle waste into recoverable oil, gas and carbon.
Urstag solutions
What is pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a thermal process that breaks down organic materials by heating them to high temperatures in an oxygen-free atmosphere. Because there is no oxygen, the material does not burn, it decomposes chemically into simpler fractions that can be recovered and put to use.
The process is especially suited to waste that is hard to recycle by conventional mechanical methods, such as used tires, mixed or contaminated plastics, and certain complex components. Instead of landfilling or incineration, the material becomes a source of oil, gas and solid carbon.
We import premium-class pyrolysis plants and integrate them into complete lines, alongside the shredding and feed-preparation stages. The solution is configured around your waste type, the volume processed and the products you want to recover.
Simplified diagram of the pyrolysis flow
How it works
The pyrolysis process, step by step
From feeding in shredded material to separating the recovered products, every stage runs in a closed, controlled flow.
Feed
The shredded, prepared material is fed into the reactor through a sealed system that limits how much air gets in.
Oxygen-free reactor
In an inert atmosphere the material is gradually heated. With no oxygen it does not burn, it decomposes thermally into simpler components.
Vapours and condensation
The resulting vapours are cooled in a condenser. Part of them turns into oil, the rest stays as syngas.
Recovered products
The process yields three usable fractions: pyrolysis oil, syngas and solid carbon.
What is recovered
Pyrolysis turns a single waste stream into several products that can be reused or valorized.
Pyrolysis oil
The liquid fraction condensed from the vapours, which can be used as a fuel or as a feedstock for further processes.
Syngas
The non-condensable gas is often recirculated to help heat the reactor, reducing the energy drawn from outside.
Solid carbon
The carbon-rich solid residue which, depending on the input material, can be valorized as carbon black or a solid fuel.
Materials suited to pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is most useful where conventional mechanical recycling reaches its limit. We recommend it especially for the waste streams below, but we configure the plant around your specific material.
Want to find out if pyrolysis fits your material?
Tell us what waste you process and what volumes you handle, and our engineering team will recommend the right configuration.
Talk to a consultant