Thermal Plasma-Assisted Gasification and Pyrolysis of Coal Tar Pitch for Syngas and Carbon Black Production

This work presents an analysis of the thermal conversion of coal tar pitch (CTP), a toxic waste from the steel industry, into high-added-value products, such as syngas (H2 and CO) and nanostructured carbon black. A Double-Vortex Chamber Plasma Torch (DVCPT) was used to perform the gasification and pyrolysis of CTP. The electrical characteristics of DVCPT were experimentally investigated, operating at a power of 6–10 kW. Simultaneously, nanostructured carbon black (CB) with particle sizes of 70–100 nm and surface areas up to 130 m2/g was obtained. In addition, the composition of the gas was estimated theoretically, reaching up to 98% in syngas of the total volume of gas produced. These results highlight the advancement of industrial innovation, promoting a sustainable solution for the circular economy and mitigating environmental impacts associated with the management of carbonaceous industrial waste.