Technology
XPYRO's patented continuous pyrolysis process converts end-of-life tyres into pyrolysis oil, recovered carbon black and steel, with the process gas supplying its own heat. Demonstrated at a 10 tonne-per-day pilot plant in Trondheim, Norway.
XPYRO's process is a self-sustaining, continuous pyrolysis technology engineered for industrial-scale operation and the highest safety standards. Its differentiation lies in integration: a multi-auger reactor with zoned temperature control, full recovery of process gas and steam, and a modular plant design that can be deployed as regional units close to the tyre collection point.
Process
End-of-life tyres are shredded to 20–30 mm chips – a coarser feed than most processes accept, reducing pre-treatment cost.
A conveyor and double-flap airlock feed the reactor continuously while excluding oxygen.
Three stacked augers carry the material through a furnace-heated hot box at 450–600 °C, with each zone controlled independently.
Pyrolysis vapours are condensed and the oil collected; the non-condensable gas continues to the furnace.
The process gas fires the furnace and flue-gas heat raises steam, which is returned to the reactor – no external fuel in operation.
The carbon-rich solid is discharged through a cooled auger and airlock; steel wire is separated for recycling and the carbon finished into recovered carbon black.
Advantages
Tighter residence-time control and less char attrition than a rotary kiln; tolerant of the steel and textile content of tyre chips.
Zoned temperature control reduces batch-to-batch variance – the basis for consistent product quality.
Process gas and waste heat are recovered in full, lowering operating cost and the CO₂ footprint of the products.
10 t/day units scale by addition. Regional plants of 5–10,000 tonnes a year can be sited at the waste source, with PLC/HMI automation and remote monitoring built in.
How the XPYRO reactor differs from the rotary-kiln pyrolysis plants in common use.
| Dimension | Rotary-kiln plant | XPYRO | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reactor | Rotary kiln | Multi-auger, steam-looped | Tighter residence-time control; less char attrition |
| Temperature control | 500–550 °C | 450–600 °C, zoned | Product slate can be tuned to the buyer |
| Feed preparation | < 30 mm shreds | 20–30 mm chips | Less shredding energy and pre-treatment cost |
| Energy integration | Partial gas recycle | Full gas + steam recovery | Self-sufficient heat; lower operating cost and CO₂ |
| Deployment model | Large centralised plants | Regional 5–10 kt/y modules | Sited at the waste, not at the port |
Pilot plant · Heimdal, Trondheim
Designed and built with Inrigo AS, supported by Innovation Norway, and operated with SINTEF Energi and Ragn-Sells as industrial partners.
| 2020–2021 | Concept, Innovation Norway grant, patent filed |
| 2022 | Second-generation reactor design with SINTEF Energi |
| 2023 | Ragn-Sells partnership; scale-up to a 10 t/day pilot |
| Jan 2025 | Demo facility installed and commissioned |
| Dec 24 – Mar 25 | Plant testing programme completed |
| 8 July 2025 | Pilot run on tyre chips, 200 kg fed in 10 batches |
Results
Indicative yields by weight from batch-fed pilot runs. Product characterisation has been carried out by SINTEF Energi, Inrigo and Norner AS (oil ~40–42 MJ/kg, 180–340 °C boiling range; carbon 81 ± 5 wt% C, ~18 wt% ash). Qualification against customer specifications on representative production lots is in progress – see Products.
Analytical programme on representative lots, rubber-compound screening, and safety and regulatory documentation.
Continuous feeding with replicated runs, closed mass and energy balance, and permitting for the demonstration case.
A 50 t/day plant with offtake agreements secured ahead of commissioning, followed by licensed regional units.
Intellectual property
The XPYRO process is protected by a Norwegian patent granted in June 2024, an international PCT application published as WO 2023/128769 and a European application published as EP 4457299 – the basis for licensing and deployment beyond Norway.
Origin
Inrigo AS developed the technology, validated it with SINTEF Energi at laboratory scale and built the 10 t/day pilot plant with support from Innovation Norway. XPYRO AS was established as a spin-off to license and deliver the technology to the market.