Chemicals
Based Technologies - Re-Refining of Used Lubricating
Oil
Introduction
Indian company has developed technology
for re-refining of used lubricating oil without acid
refining and use of complicated equipments like thin
film evaporator. The technology is particularly suitable
for small and medium sized enterprises in developing
countries and can be easily integrated with existing
acid refining plants by simply replacing acid refining
section with the total vaporisation and fractional condensation
section offered by the company. In this unit, dehydrated
used oil is continuously vaporized under vacuum through
re-circulating flue gas convection heater. The dehydrated
oil along with additive is pumped at a controlled rate
to the vaporizer by feed pump. The oil vaporizes during
its passage through vaporizer. The heating is accomplished
by burning gas oil in the vaporizer, which is generated
in the plant. The heating is done by convection alone
by re-circulating flue gases over the tubes by flue
gas circulation blower in the convection section of
the vaporizer. The vaporized oil along with bitumen,
carbon and other non vaporizing matter enters the separator
where the vapors disengage from the non vaporized bituminous
type residue material which is directly pumped into
barrels by bitumen pump to be disposed of for blending
with bitumen. The level in the separator is controlled.
The vapors from the separator enter the direct contact
heavy base oil condenser, where the vapors partially
condense and the temperature of condensation is controlled
by refluxing the condensed heavy base oil. The viscosity
of the condensed heavy base oil is thus controlled.
The heat of condensation in the heavy base oil condenser
is utilized to generate steam in the steam drum by circulating
hot water through heavy base oil circulation cooler
by hot water circulation pump. The steam generated is
used in booster ejector. Part of the condensed heavy
base oil is pumped through a level controller to the
heavy base oil cooler as recovered heavy base oil. Cooling
water is used in heavy base oil cooler. The non-condensable
along with uncondensed oil vapors enter light base oil
condenser. The temperature and level control on this
condenser is similar to that of heavy base oil condenser,
except that the condensing temperature is set at a lower
value to allow the condensation of light base oil. The
viscosity of the light base oil is thus controlled.
The heat of condensation of light base oil is utilized
to preheat feed through light base oil circulation cooler.
Part of the condensed light base oil is pumped through
a level controller to the light base oil cooler as recovered
light base oil. Cooling water is used in light base
oil cooler. The non-condensable along with remaining
oil vapors enter gas oil condenser. The temperature
and level control on this condenser is similar to that
of light base oil condenser except that the condensing
temperature is set at a lower value to allow the condensation
of maximum gas oil and allow only non-condensable to
go to vacuum system. Part of the condensed gas oil is
pumped through a level controller on the gas oil circulation
cooler as recovered gas oil. Cooling water is used in
gas oil circulation cooler.
The entire operation is carried out under vacuum which
is maintained by a combination of booster ejector, inter
cooler and a two stage vacuum pump in the system. Steam
required for booster ejector, is produced in the plant
itself. The company also provides technology for grass-roots
plants complete with following sections: 1. Unloading,
storage and dehydration 2. Total vaporization with fractional
condensation 3. Hot contact bleaching and filtration
4. Additive blending and packaging (optional) 5. Offsite
facilities (optional)
Areas of application
Chemical industry: Refining of used
lubricating oil for use as lubricating oil base stock
suitable for blending of additives and use as finished
lubricants
Advantages
Environment
friendly process
Lower capital investment
Low utility cost
Low operating and maintenance cost
No fire and explosion hazard
No additional fuel requirement
No sophisticated vacuum system
No secondary heating system
required
Inputs Required
Manpower : 20
Power : 55 KWH per ton of dry used oil
Raw Materials : Used lubricating oil drained from engines
Other Inputs : fuel (captive generation)-65 kgs, CW
circ. - 40 cu.m., boiler feed water - 200 litres per
ton of dry used oil
Transfer forms
Know-how, Engineering Consultancy,
production equipment, Joint Venture, Marketing Assistance,
others
For More Information
Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer
of Technology,
APCTT Building,
C-2 Qutab Institutional Area,
P.O.Box - 4575
New Delhi - 110 016
India
