Carbon black is an engineered compound found in countless items used on a daily basis. It is an essential ingredient in tires and other mechanical rubber goods, improving their strength, durability and overall performance. It also is used as a pigment in printing inks, paints and plastics.Carbon black is made primarily from a petroleum-based feedstock. The oil is pumped into a specially designed furnace, where it is heated above 2,000 degrees F. This process "cracks" the oil to produce a gas stream laden with carbon black powder. The gas stream passes through a series of filters, where the carbon black is separated from the gases. The carbon black powder then is bound with water to create larger beads or granules, which are passed through a dryer and packaged for delivery to customers in every part of the world.
HOW IS IT SHIPPED ?
The finished product is delivered in 25 & 50 lb bags to the smaller customers and in bulk to the larger consumers. The large customers receive their carbon black in covered hoppers which are unloaded pnuematically into large silos.
A couple examples of these hoppers CCX577 and SRCX345 are at George Elwoods site; Another example is Richardson Chemical at Chris Butts website.
WHAT IS IT USED FOR ?
AUTOMOBILE AND OFF-ROAD TIRES
There are two basic types of tires, automobile and off-road/airplane tires. Tractors, earth moving machines, backhoes, golf carts are examples of tires used off-road. Tires are manufactured using a mix of natural rubber and compounds derived from carbon black, oils and esters. Automobile tires use a small amounts of natural rubber, oils and esters and large proportions of the carbon black. This gives them better traction and wearing properties. Off-road/airplane tires are made from larger amounts of natural rubber, oil and esters. This gives them better resistance to cuts, bruises, abrasions etc. The natural rubber is delivered in the open sided cars in aluminum containers which are handled by forklifts. The oils and esters are delivered by trucks and smaller tank cars. A picture of OTDX6162 shows this type car to handle the natural rubber.Natural rubber(latex) is imported from several overseas sites. It is gotten from rubber trees by cutting diagonal slits and gathering the latex in containers, much as maple syrup and turpentine resin is gathered. The lates is boiled similarly to turpentine resin and the thick remains are packaged and shipped in various small(boxes, bags etc.)containers. After unloading from the port of entry it is loaded into the Aluminum Containers for shipment to the Tire Plants. Other consumers have theirs shipped by truck in small containers.
OTHER USES ARE HOSES, BELTS, WIRE INSULATION, ETC.
For those who might desire further information the web site for several carbon black manufacturers are: Continental Carbon, Coloumbian Chemicals and Richardson Chemical The web sites for several tire manufacturers Goodyear, Firestone, Gates Gates manufacturers many types hoses, belts, hydraulic hoses etc. Several "tire" companies also manufacture "rubber" for sale to other users one of these is Firesyn© S.A. McCall