RE-REFINING OF

USED LUBRICATING
OILS
Re-Refining Of Used Lubricating Oils
Presented by
◦ Jaydeep Tayade
Roll No-55
◦ Sumedh Inamdar
Roll No-12
◦ Harshal Babar
Roll No-1
SEMESTER III
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
Lubricating Oils - Introduction
◦ DEFINITION
Lubricating oil, sometimes simply
called lubricant/lube, is a class
of oils used to reduce the friction, heat,
and wear between mechanical
components that are in contact with
each other. Lubricating oil is used in
motorized vehicles, where it is known
specifically as motor oil and transmission
fluid.
Functions Of Lubricating Oils
◦ Reduce friction
◦ Prevent wear
◦ Protect the equipment from corrosion
◦ Control temperature (dissipate heat)
◦ Control contamination (carry contaminants to a filter
or sump)
◦ Transmit power (hydraulics)
◦ Provide a fluid seal
◦ Sometimes the functions of reducing friction and
preventing wear are used interchangeably. However,
friction is the resistance to motion, and wear is the loss
of material as a result of friction, contact fatigue and
corrosion. There is a significant difference. In fact, not
all that causes friction (e.g., fluid friction) causes wear,
and not all that causes wear (e.g., cavitational
erosion) causes friction.
◦ Lubricants are primarily used to reduce friction stress between
surfaces. They have the following uses:
◦ As antiwear, antioxidants, and antifoaming agents.
Uses of
◦ As demulsifying and emulsifying agents.
Lubricating
◦ As rust and corrosion inhibitors. Oils
◦ In machinery as engine oils, compressor oils, gear oils, and piston
oils.
◦ As hydraulic, brake, and gear box fluids.
◦ Used in the soap and paint industries.
◦ Some specific uses of certain variants of lubricants are:
◦ Synthetic lubricants are used in turbines, vacuum pumps, and
semiconductor devices.
◦ Molybdenum is used as a paint pigment and as a catalyst.
◦ Liquid lubricants are used in medicines.
◦ Lubricants are also used as cutting fluids in many industries. Oil,
water, and oil emulsion are used as cutting fluids
Lubricating Oils
Importance and Benefits

Recycling efforts can no doubt minimize non

discriminatory disposal of waste oils into landfills
and surface waters other benefits include:
◦ Reduce dependence on base oil imports saving foreign imports.
◦ Prevent ground water contamination and pollution.
◦ Preserve natural resources such as coal and crude oil.
◦ Reduce sewage treatment costs.
◦ Eliminate improper burning of waste oil as fuel,which generate toxic fumes and air
pollution.
Process involved in used Oil Re-
Refining
Physical Methods:
◦ Mechanical Filteration:Mechanical Filteration is widely used method of recycling.Here
contaminants are separated mechanically or by absorption or adsorption by passing
through materials of controlled porosity.
◦ Vacuums Dehydration:It is a well known oil recycling method.Water and oil,for all
practical purpose,are immiscible liquids.If not agitated,water introduced into
lubricating oil separates readily by gravity.
◦ Centrifugal Separation:It is efficiently used in some commercial oil purifying equipment
to separate solids and free water from the oil.The method involves whirling the dirty oil
to separate it into layer of insoluble contaminants,water and clean oil.
◦ Magnetic Separation:Several types of magnetic filters are used principally for the
removable of ferrous metal contaminants from low viscosity oils and water soluble oil
coolants.
Re-Refining Technologies-
Conventional Methods
◦ Acid-Clay
◦ Solvent Extraction
◦ Vacuum Distillation
◦ Hydrogenation
◦ Membrane Technology
◦ Catalytic Process
From the above methods Acid-Clay,Solvent
Extraction and Vacuum Distillation are
Explained in detail in the further slides.
Acid-Clay
It was considered for a long time as the
standard process, it remains the most
globally applied. However, its
application is on the decline, and is
even prohibited in industrialized
countries, for ecological reasons. But,
low capital investment makes it most
cost effective for small and tiny scale
plants for the under- developed
countries like Nepal.
After a coarse filtration using coarse
filters ranging from simple gratings to
catch unwanted objects, to eliminate
particles, for example, >3 mm, the oil is
processed as follows:
1. Dehydration
Dehydration is almost always the first step. The temperature is of the order of 160-
180°C at atmospheric pressure. Heat is supplied by steam or heated fluid through a
heat exchanger. The dehydration column is in two sections: in the lower section, oil is
pumped at a high flow rate to avoid formation of deposits and oil cracking by
ensuring a good heat transfer. A part of the oil is injected at the top of the upper
section where dehydration is achieved. This column helps to eliminate variable
amounts of water in the lower section and, finally, dehydrate the oil in the upper
section. The lighter fractions removed at the top are used as fuels.
2. Acid treatment and clay adsorption
Dehydrated oil is cooled to about 30°C before reacting with sulphuric acid. Settling
time is of the order of 24 h. Decanted oil is mixed with clay before injection into the
high temperature vessel, (high-speed flash boiler), heated at 270°C by a heated fluid
to avoid superheating of the oil. During clay treatment, small acid droplets as well as
sulphonic acids and oxidized or sulphurized products resulting from acid action in
suspension are coalesced and adsorbed. Diesel and spindle oils are removed at the top
and the oil at the bottom is cooled to a maximum of 120°C before filtration. The
pressure in the vessel is 80 mmHg. According to this process, clay consumption is of
the order of 3.5 wt % of the settled oil.
Acid Clay
Advantages Disadvantages
1. Acid-Clay process is old and popular. This is a 1. Causes Environmental pollution due to
proven technology worked for many years generation of acid sludge and acid gas emission.
worldwide. This can be set-up for very small Disposal of acid sludge is a problem.
capacity.
2. Causes corrosion of equipments reducing its
2. Low capital investment makes it most cost life.
effective for small and tiny scale plants.
3. Gives lower yield, due to loss of oil in sludge as
3. Non sophisticated, very simple process, simple well as clay since higher dosage of clay is
to operate, no advanced instruments, low required.
energy input.
4. As most of the government has adopted
stringent pollution control regulations, this process
is on its way out.
5. Unable to treat modern multi-grade oils
6. Difficult to remove asphaltic impurities.
Solvent Extraction
The solvent extraction technology has the potential to produce oil products that are
superior to those produced by the low-temperature distillation process currently in
use. Figure shown below presents a simplified, conceptual process flow diagram for
the solvent extraction technology. Used oil is mixed in the reactor column with an
aliphatic solvent such as liquefied propane (butane, heptanes or hexane may also be
used). In this unit, the solvent acts selectively, dissolving the oil fraction and leaving
the less soluble impurities. The oil-laden solvent is transported from the top of the
reactor column to the solvent still (a distillation column) where the solvent fraction is
separated from the oil for recycling within the process. The impurities (bottoms)
slowly settle and coalesce in the bottom of the reactor column where they are pumped
to the bottoms still (a second distillation column).Residual solvent is also separated in
this unit. The recovered solvent is liquefied through a compressor and cooling system
and re-injected into the reactor column through the solvent recycle tank to repeat the
cycle.
Solvent Extraction
Advantages Disadvantages
1. In this process propane is used as 1. Has to operate at higher pressure (10
solvent to remove bitumen, additives, atm.) at ambient temperature (270 0C)
metals, tar etc. require high pressure sealing systems
(making system expensive and
2. Solvent is recyclable. complicated).
3. Does not cause pollution. 2. Involves operational solvent losses and
4. Produce good quality base oils. highly skilled operating and maintenance
personnel and system is required.
3. Economical only for high capacity
plants.
4. Propane being very hazardous, fire &
explosion hazard is associated with this
process.
Vacuum Distillation
In this process the used oil is passed through three
distillation column viz; dehydration column, light
distillation column, lubricating oil distillation
column after centrifugation. The lube oil distillate
is finally treated with 2-3 % clay. This process
involves the following steps:
Vacuum Distillation
1. Centrifuging/Filtration
The used oil passed through filters and centrifuge under high centrifugal force to remov e suspended impurities and moisture in
the form of sludge and water.
2. Preparation of feed stock
Sample of used oil is tested in lab and based on this sample the contamination quality is determined and the process cycle is
formulated.
3. Dehydration column
In the dehydration column the used oil is heated at 110° C by circulating thermic fluid from the boiler which is made to flow in the
internal coil.
4. Light distillate column
The dehydrated oil is heated at 250° C in this column. The entire light distillate content is distilled and conv erted into v apors.
5. Lube Oil distillation column
The v apors condensed are collected in receiv er and heated to the maximum temperature of 300° to 350° C under 1 Torr v acuum
so that the lube oil is condensed.
6. Bottom Residue Collection
After the entire lube oil distillate is distilled, it leav es behind some residue.
7. Clay finishing/Polishing
The lube distillate oil recov ered need partial clay treatment which is around 2 % to saturate.
8. FiltrationThe clay treated oil is then passed through cloth filter pass under pressure where the
cloth filter of 5 micron filter traps the clay particles.
9. Percolation
In certain oils this process is carried out to make the product odorless and colorless.
10. Blending
Based on the analysis of base oil, the suitable additiv e blending is carried out on the base oil to get the finished product.
 Re-Refining Technologies-
Combined Technologies/Methods
These are advance methods that combines two or more generic methods in its process. Due
to the complex nature of contaminants removal in used lube oils, using a single method may
not give you the desired standard emission-controlled process.
◦ Vaxon Process
◦ Chemical Engineering Partners(CEP) Process
◦ Ecohuile Process
◦ Cyclon Process
◦ Studi Tecnologie Progetti S.p.A. (STP)Method
◦ Interline Process
◦ Propak Thermal Cracking Process
From the above methods Vaxon Process and Ecohuile Process are Explained in detail in the
further slides.
 Vaxon Process Ecohuile Process
The re-refining process was based on v acuum distillation and acid-
This process contains chemical treatment, clay treatment steps until the end of 2000. Clay adsorption was
vacuum distillation and solvent refining banned on 1 January 2001 and the plant was modified and
units. The advantage of Vaxon process is upgraded to the Sotulub process. Moreov er, the addition of
the special vacuum distillation, where the injection facilities of so-called Antipoll-additiv e (1–3 wt% of pure
cracking of oil is strongly decreased.The sodium hydroxide) has been prov ided and has allowed solv ing the
chemical final stage does not, however following basic problems:
• Corrosion of dehydration column and cracking column top section
allow the high-quality base oils due to organic acidity of used oil.
production; although in Spain the • Plugging of equipment and piping due to polymer formation in
Catalonia refinery produces base stocks cracking section.
accepted by an original equipment • High losses of base oil in oily clay due to high consumption of clay.
manufacturer (OEM). In connection with The Sotulub process is based on treatment of used oil with an alkali
this fact, the lube distillate obtained from additiv e called Antipoll and high v acuum distillation. The used oil is
pre-heated to about 160◦C and mixed with a small amount of
Vaxon process (Denmark) or North Antipoll-additiv e, which decreases equipment fouling. This process,
Refining (Netherlands) are precursors for allows a final product to be obtained with acceptable quality
Avista Oil base. without any additional finishing stage. Oil obtained is additionally
fractionated to obtain v arious base oil cuts. The process prov ides
base oils with a yield of 82–92%.
Necessity of used oil management
Used oil are one of the greatest source
of pollution worldwide mainly because of
the high quantity generated, their high
toxicity level and mostly because of their
mismanagement. Well organized waste
oil management system will result in
positive economical and environmental
impacts.
Environment Issues
◦ Oil in any form is potentially harmful to the environment.
◦ In aquatic communities oil residue tends to settle on the
bottom, coating the substrate and whatever organisms live
there.
◦ Oil film on water can reduce the penetration of light into
the water and, consequently, reduce the rate of
photosynthesis. When photosynthesis is reduced, oxygen
production is also reduced.
◦ The oil film may also inhibit the movement of oxygen from
the air through the surface of the water.
◦ In ground, oil can rapidly percolate through the soil
particles and create similar problems for soil microbes and
macroscopic invertebrates.
◦ Eventually this oil may make its way into the water table or
into a water body such as a lake
Re-Refining Of Used Lube Oils
Conclusion Recommendations
◦ Mismanagement of use lubricating oil results in ◦ Government should bring proper rules and
severe environmental hazard. regulations for proper management of used oil
as soon as possible.
◦ Thus,proper management of used oil is
necessary. ◦ Public awareness programs should be
launched to make people aware about the
◦ Re-refining is best alternative among possible harmful effect of mismanagement of used
management option of used oil for country like lubricating oil and to encourage them to use
Nepal which solely depends on import of the re-refined lubricating oil.
lubricating oil.
◦ Collection system should be set up to collect
the used lubricating oil.
◦ Study of possibility of used lubricating oil re-
refining should be performed for whole
country.
◦ Detail design of the plant should be formed.
References
◦ Study on Re-refining of Used Lubricating Oil in Bagmati Zone By Guru Prasad
Chaudhari,Rabin Basnet,Rudra Mani,Ghimire Sudeep and Raj Subedi.
◦ A Review of Methods for Removal of Contaminants in Used Lubricating Oil By K. O.
Boadu1,2,3*, O. F. Joel1, D. K. Essumang2 and B. O. Evbuomwan3.
◦ RE-REFINING OF USED LUBE OIL, I- BY SOLVENT EXTRACTION AND VACUUM DISTILLATION
FOLLOWED BY HYDROTREATING Eman A. Emam, Abeer M. Shoaib.
◦ Re-refining of used lubricating oil.By Merai Yash P
THANK YOU
Re-Refining Of Used Lubricating Oils