The Process

The Reverse Polymerization (RP) Process involves the direct application of high-energy microwaves to organic waste to break down the materials into simpler chemical components. Microwave energy is used to excite and break molecular bonds. The RP Process is unique and can be differentiated for other processes based on three key characteristics:

1. Application of microwaves occurs in a nitrogen-rich environment (oxygen depleted). Therefore, oxidation of the waste does not occur.
2. Reaction occurs at relatively low chamber temperatures of 150º C to 350º C, depending on the application.
3. Control of the process is more precise as the microwave energy is focused and the energy input is variable, allowing the desired amount of energy input per unit mass of waste to be applied.

Reverse Polymerization is not incineration, which is an oxidation process that occurs at higher temperatures. Oxidation of organic waste materials can lead to the formation of undesirable by-products such as dioxins or furans.

Reverse Polymerization is not pyrolysis, which is generally conducted at higher temperatures and which heats from the outside in. Neither incineration nor pyrolysis can be precisely controlled in the same manner as Reverse Polymerization. Less controlled reactions lack the ability to control the composition and quality of the end-products. This has major implications in the scrap tire application and is one of the reasons that EWI’s RP process creates such high-quality byproducts from tires.