A full cycle of the production process with waste processing minimizes the amount of environmental pollution. Against the background of the popularization of this approach in industry, technologies arise for specialized utilization of products of industrial activity with the aim of forming new raw materials. Such processes include the processing of waste oil, which results in fuel.
What oil is processed?
As the main raw materials, synthetic oils are used, which contain impurities that do not allow to restore the primary working composition as intended. According to GOST, waste mixtures may include industrial and transport technical fluids used to lubricate mechanisms and motor additives. That is, suppliers can be industrial complexes, energy enterprises and even private motorists. Moreover, the raw materials are used in different forms. Large Russian plants for the processing of used oils accept oil products, emulsions, sludges, effluents, greasy waste, etc. The concentration of foreign inclusions in the received fluid may be different - the coefficient is determined by the filtration facilities available to a particular enterprise. Now you can turn directly to the technology of oil processing.
Settling Method
The easiest and most affordable way to process industrial fluids that does not require the connection of sophisticated equipment. Its principle is the natural deposition of impurities and water under the influence of a gravitational load. Sludge can be used as one of the preliminary stages of processing before deeper cleaning, or as a completed process. In the first case, the processing of used oil by settling is a preparatory step before filtering. The disadvantages of this method include the duration of the procedure (waiting for settling of particles) and the ability to eliminate only mechanical impurities of a large fraction of more than 50 microns. In this case, there is no question of chemical cleaning.
Coagulation technology
A method of enlarging unwanted particles that are present in the used oil in a finely divided or colloidal state. The activator of the coagulation process is special substances - electrolytes of organic and inorganic origin, high molecular weight hydrophilic compounds, as well as surface-active components without electrolytic properties. The efficiency of the processing of used oil by this technology is determined by the amount of coagulant introduced, the temperature of the working medium and the mixing method. In contrast to the sedimentation technique, this method takes only 25-30 minutes in runtime. Another thing is that coagulation does not give a deep effect of physico-chemical processing, requiring subsequent filtration or centrifugal treatment.
Adsorption processing
The use of adsorbents makes it possible to retain substances polluting the oil on a sufficient surface of the capillaries that penetrate the granules. In this capacity, natural (clay, zeolites, bauxites) and synthetic components (aluminosilicates, silica gel, artificial zeolites) can be used. The technology provides for the contact interaction of active substances with a technical fluid. The oil is mixed by the percolation method or collides with the adsorbent during the counterflow. The disadvantage of this method is the disposal of large quantities of raw materials that pollute the environment. On the other hand, this is the optimal processing of used oil into medium-quality fuel - usually diesel. Although the method requires the use of sophisticated equipment and the conditions themselves for the processing process are close to laboratory, the final result justifies the investment. This confirms the widespread use of the method in various fields.
Ion Exchange Processing
The technology is based on the ability of ion exchangers to retain contaminants that, when dissolved, decay into ions. What are ion exchangers? These are hygroscopic solid gels produced in the process of polycondensation and polymerization of organic substances. The fact that they do not dissolve in hydrocarbons and water allows them to be used in a wide range of engine fluids. As with adsorption, the ion-exchange processing of used oil is carried out by the contact method under the conditions of mixing of the raw materials and ionite grains with a fraction of the order of 0.2-2 mm. The use of the precolation method is also practiced, in which the liquid is passed through a column containing ion exchangers. Ion exchange gives a high cleaning effect, but does not remove resinous substances from the processed composition. The ion exchangers themselves can be restored after use. Their properties can be returned using a solvent (washing), by drying or dilution with a solution of caustic soda 5%.
Waste Oil Processing Equipment
The specific types of apparatus for processing technical fluids will be determined by the technology used, as well as the requirements for the volume of the product. Standard equipment of this type is a cleaning stand, in which the following functional bodies are used:
- Cracking column.
- Fluid condenser.
- Centrifuge.
- Capacity with automatic level control.
- Cooler.
- Shutoff valves.
- Pipeline infrastructure
- Pump equipment.
- Feed lines.
- Remote Control.
The operation of an average waste oil processing unit is provided by electric motors with power ranging from 2 to 15 kW. At the output, raw materials with a volume of 3 to 5 tons per day, ready for further operation, are obtained. As for the cost, the complex provision of a mini-plant with a modular installation will cost about 1-1.5 million rubles, if we focus on the initial production level.
Conclusion
Organization of a line for the processing of technical oils can bring considerable profit if we correctly calculate the entire technological path of raw materials from the supplier to the final product. In this case, it is necessary to take into account not only the technological, but also the legal nuances of this activity. To obtain a license for the processing of used oil, it is necessary to develop a project for the operation of an oil refinery, and then approve it at the local authorities of Rosprirodnadzor. According to the application, an environmental review is carried out, and then a package of documents is compiled for the provision of a license for waste management. But that is not all. Already in the process of operating the equipment, it is necessary to adhere to rather strict regulatory rules regarding not only processing, but also storage and transportation of oil.