WO2013061302A1 - Method for recovering oil from used lubricants - Google Patents
Method for recovering oil from used lubricants Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2013061302A1 WO2013061302A1 PCT/IB2012/055925 IB2012055925W WO2013061302A1 WO 2013061302 A1 WO2013061302 A1 WO 2013061302A1 IB 2012055925 W IB2012055925 W IB 2012055925W WO 2013061302 A1 WO2013061302 A1 WO 2013061302A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- solvent
- filtration
- used lubricant
- mixture
- lubricant
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
- C10M175/00—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning
- C10M175/0058—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning by filtration and centrifugation processes; apparatus therefor
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10M—LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS; USE OF CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES EITHER ALONE OR AS LUBRICATING INGREDIENTS IN A LUBRICATING COMPOSITION
- C10M175/00—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning
- C10M175/0016—Working-up used lubricants to recover useful products ; Cleaning with the use of chemical agents
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10N—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS
- C10N2020/00—Specified physical or chemical properties or characteristics, i.e. function, of component of lubricating compositions
- C10N2020/01—Physico-chemical properties
- C10N2020/04—Molecular weight; Molecular weight distribution
-
- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10N—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS C10M RELATING TO LUBRICATING COMPOSITIONS
- C10N2040/00—Specified use or application for which the lubricating composition is intended
- C10N2040/25—Internal-combustion engines
- C10N2040/252—Diesel engines
Definitions
- the present invention concerns a method for recovering oils from a used lubricant.
- the method of the invention considers different steps in which the oil to be recovered is subjected to physical separations and suitable chemical reactions in order to produce recovered oil whose properties are identical or similar to those from non-used newly refined oil.
- Lubricant oils are present in a multitude of industrial and consumer products, like crankcase oil, hydraulic oil, transmission oil, mechanical cutting oils, aluminum rolling oils and oil-well drilling muds. Used lubricant oils can cause considerable damage to the environment due to their high content of pollutants, additives and oxidation products from previous uses. However, the need for lubricants increases due to their importance in reducing friction, surface fatigue, heat generation, operating noise and vibrations.
- the invention provides a method for recovering used oil to produce oil capable of being reused as, for example, lubricant, fuel, or hydraulic oil.
- the invention further provides an oil recovering method for producing oil comparable in properties to newly refined oil.
- the method of this invention comprises the following steps:
- the mixture used lubricant/solvent(s) is filtered with a medium of about 50,000 Daltons or less, more preferably a medium of about 30,000 Daltons, preferably of PVDF material.
- a first filtration will suffice for the purposes of the present invention.
- the resulting used lubricant-rich filtrate undergoes a second filtration with a medium of about 7,000 Daltons or less, more preferably a medium of about 3,000 Daltons.
- the mixture of second filtration separates into two phases: a used lubricant-rich filtrate and a solid portion.
- the filtration method used for the two consecutive filtrations depends on the nature and condition of the used oil to be recovered. All filtrations methods are suitable; however, it is preferable to use a filtration method based on vibratory filtration mediums.
- the method of the invention may comprise the following independent optional steps:
- the used lubricant Before mixing the used lubricant with the very low polar or non-polar hydrocarbon solvent, or mixtures thereof, it might be heated to about 130°C in order to remove pollutants - including water - having a boiling point lower than the boiling point of the solvents to be employed in the next steps. If after this treatment the used lubricant is hot, it is allowed to cool to room temperature before mixing it with the very low polar or non- polar hydrocarbon solvent.
- the used lubricant Before mixing the used lubricant with the very low polar or non-polar hydrocarbon solvent it might be exposed to chemical reactions using acidic substances, bases, a powerful oxidant agent like ozone, or mixtures thereof. This way structural modification would be achieved to increase both the polarity of some compounds or their molecular bond cleavage. This can be done at room temperature or at a temperature not higher than 130°C. According to the lubricant source the stimulus of ultrasound vibration and/or microwave irradiation could be also used during the process.
- the acid can be strong (like sulfuric, hydrochloric or nitric acid) or weak (like formic or acetic); the base has to be strong (like sodium or potassium hydroxides).
- the low or non-polar solvent might be recuperated via evaporation from the permeate and the solid phases obtained in previous filtration.
- the method of this invention is applicable to any used lubricant or used oil.
- This includes used oils from domestic uses, industrial facilities and others in which the major constituent is hydrocarbon oil.
- oil refers to petroleum-based oils, synthetic oils or similar types thereof. The method comprises two main steps:
- the used lubricant preferably at room temperature, is mixed with solvents not miscible (non-polar) and/or slightly miscible (low-polar) with water and/or mixtures thereof.
- non-polar solvents are aliphatic or oxygenated compound of 4-7 carbons linear molecule, preferably, non-polar solvents are n-pentane, n-hexane, n-heptane; and examples of the low polar solvent are 1-butanol, methyl-ethyl-ketone and 1-pentanol. More preferably, the non-polar solvent is n-heptane and the low-polar solvent is 1-butanol.
- the ratio of oil to solvent is between 1:1 and 1:5 in volume, preferably, the ratio is between 1:1 and 1 :2 in volume. More preferably, the ratio of oil to non-polar solvent is 1:1 in volume; and 1:2 in volume for the low-polar solvent.
- 1-butanol is preferred, in the case of used cutting oil, aluminum rolling oil and drilling muds, n-heptane is preferred.
- the used lubricant is heated at temperatures of about 130°C before mixing it with the very low polar or non-polar hydrocarbon solvent.
- This heating step helps to remove pollutants having a boiling point lower than the boiling point of the solvents to be employed in successive steps.
- pollutants in this context, includes water and any other compound that might be present as additive due to the previous use of the used oil to be treated. Carbon particles, resins, oxides, etc. are considered as pollutants as well.
- the low boiling point hydrocarbons are removed, the result is a used lubricant or oil substantially free of low boiling contaminants.
- the polarity of its contaminants may be increased in an optional step comprising subjecting the used lubricant to chemical reactions with an acid, a base, ozone, or mixtures thereof can be included before mixing it with the low or non-polar solvent. More particularly, the used lubricant or oil can be exposed to either: a strong acid like sulfuric, nitric or hydrochloric acids, a weak acid like formic or acetic acid, a strong base like sodium hydroxide, or a powerful oxidant agent like ozone. The reaction can be performed at room or a little higher temperature, and accordingly can be stimulated with ultrasound vibration and/or microwave emissions.
- Hydroxides can be added in a ratio of 1 to 2 % w/w, preferably 1%; and ozone in a ratio of 1,000 to 2,000 ppm, preferably 2,000 ppm.
- contaminant molecules can experience several types of modifications: hemolytic and heterolytic cleavage, oxidations, substitutions, additions and neutralization.
- the preferred reactant in this step is sodium hydroxide at 150° Celsius degrees during 30 minutes.
- a highly polar solvent can be added to the mixture in order to facilitate the flocculation of the contaminants.
- these polar solvents can be water or ethylene glycol. These solvents can only be added if a non-polar solvent is used. In case water is used, the ratio is determined by the disposal restrictions of the contaminants, but in no case has been observed that more than a 1:1 ratio is needed. In case ethylene glycol is used a ratio of no more than 2% v/v is used, a ratio of 1% is preferred. For example, in the case of used crankcase and hydraulic oil, ethylene-glycol is preferred; in the case of used well drilling muds, water is preferred.
- the oil/solvent(s) mixture can be centrifuged to separate a significant amount of the original contaminants. These contaminants will flocculate as highly viscous paste, which can represent between 4 to 10 % of the original mass. The remaining lubricant will be significantly free of contaminants, especially but not exclusively of the resin type.
- the mixture used lubricant/solvent(s) is filtered with a medium of about 50,000 Daltons or less, more preferably a medium of about 30,000 Daltons.
- the mixture of this filtration separates into two phases: a used lubricant or oil-rich filtrate and a solid portion.
- the solid portion is discarded or treated to recover the solvent retained in the solid particles.
- a first filtration will suffice for the purposes of the present invention and the procedure will continue as described below.
- the used lubricant or oil- rich filtrate undergoes a second filtration with a medium of about 7,000 Daltons or less, more preferably a medium of about 3,000 Daltons.
- the mixture of second filtration separates into two phases again: a used lubricant or oil-rich filtrate and a solid portion.
- the filtrate from the second filtration is recovered and the solid portion is discarded or, more preferably, the solid portion from the second filtration is mixed with an unfiltered batch of an oil/non-polar solvent mixture to undergo the first filtration.
- the filtration method used for the two consecutive filtrations depends on the nature and condition of the used oil to be recovered. All filtrations methods are suitable; however, it is preferable to use a filtration method based on vibratory filtration medium identical or similar to those disclosed in patents US4952317, US4872988 and US5014564.
- the frequency vibration of the vibratory filtration medium in both filtration steps is between 50 and 70 Hz. All parameters of the filtration: pressure, flow, porosity, membrane composition, vibration frequency, etc., are selected to promote the permeation of the hydrocarbon mix and the rejection of the polar mix, which could't happen without the proper settings.
- the filtrate is treated to remove the not miscible (non-polar) or slightly miscible (low-polar) solvent by boiling or filtration, preferably the filtrate is thermally treated. The solvent is thus recovered.
- Used lubricant oil from an auto engine was mixed with 1% of caustic soda (NaOH) and heated to 110°C. After cooled was mixed with n-hexane in an oil/n-hexane ratio of 1 : 1. The mixture was filtered with a vibratory filtering medium of 50,000 Daltons at 50 Hz. The characteristics of the resulting lubricating oil are shown in the following table. Blank spaces indicates that contaminants or pollutants concentration were below detection levels.
- Used lubricant oil from a diesel engine was mixed with 1% of caustic soda (NaOH) and heated to 110°C. After cooled was mixed with 1-butanol in an oil/alcohol ratio of 1:2. The mixture was first centrifuged to remove precipitated asphalts and then filtered with a vibratory filtering medium of 30,000 Daltons at 50 Hz. The characteristics of the resulting lubricating oil are shown in the following table. Blank spaces indicates that contaminants or pollutants concentration were below detection levels.
Abstract
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
MX2014005042A MX2014005042A (en) | 2011-10-26 | 2012-10-26 | Method for recovering oil from used lubricants. |
BR112014010172A BR112014010172A2 (en) | 2011-10-26 | 2012-10-26 | METHOD OF RECYCLING LUBRICATING OILS USED IN CLEAN OILS AND METHOD OF RECYCLING LUBRICATING OILS IN LUBRICANT BASES |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
US201161551748P | 2011-10-26 | 2011-10-26 | |
US61/551,748 | 2011-10-26 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO2013061302A1 true WO2013061302A1 (en) | 2013-05-02 |
Family
ID=48167216
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/IB2012/055925 WO2013061302A1 (en) | 2011-10-26 | 2012-10-26 | Method for recovering oil from used lubricants |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20130109599A1 (en) |
BR (1) | BR112014010172A2 (en) |
MX (1) | MX2014005042A (en) |
WO (1) | WO2013061302A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
RU2556641C1 (en) * | 2014-08-06 | 2015-07-10 | Государственное научное учреждение Всероссийский научно-исследовательский институт использования техники и нефтепродуктов Российской академии сельскохозяйственных наук (ГНУ ВНИИТиН Россельхозакадемии) | Method of purifying waste synthetic motor oil |
FR3063084A1 (en) * | 2017-02-22 | 2018-08-24 | Patrick Selles | METHOD AND DISPOSITION FOR PROCESSING OILS USED, ESPECIALLY OILS OF THERMAL MOTORS |
Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3990963A (en) * | 1974-03-06 | 1976-11-09 | Institut Francais Du Petrole, Des Carburants Et Lubrifiants Et Entreprise De Recherches Et D'activities Petrollieres Elf | Process for regenerating used lubricating oils |
US4952317A (en) * | 1989-03-10 | 1990-08-28 | Bradley Culkin | Device and method for filtering a colloidal suspension |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3819508A (en) * | 1973-06-04 | 1974-06-25 | C Mccauley | Method of purifying lubricating oils |
DE2818521A1 (en) * | 1978-04-27 | 1979-11-08 | Degussa | METHOD FOR REPROCESSING USED LUBRICANTS (II) |
US4287049A (en) * | 1980-02-05 | 1981-09-01 | Phillips Petroleum Co. | Reclaiming used lubricating oils with ammonium salts and polyhydroxy compounds |
US5286380A (en) * | 1990-05-14 | 1994-02-15 | Petroleum Technology Corporation | Apparatus for contaminated oil reclamation |
EP2121883A4 (en) * | 2007-03-15 | 2011-05-04 | Honeywell Int Inc | Method for regenerating lube oil dispersant |
SG173933A1 (en) * | 2010-02-26 | 2011-09-29 | San Technology Holding Pte Ltd | Method and system for purifying used oil |
-
2012
- 2012-10-26 WO PCT/IB2012/055925 patent/WO2013061302A1/en active Application Filing
- 2012-10-26 US US13/661,225 patent/US20130109599A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 2012-10-26 MX MX2014005042A patent/MX2014005042A/en unknown
- 2012-10-26 BR BR112014010172A patent/BR112014010172A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Patent Citations (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US3990963A (en) * | 1974-03-06 | 1976-11-09 | Institut Francais Du Petrole, Des Carburants Et Lubrifiants Et Entreprise De Recherches Et D'activities Petrollieres Elf | Process for regenerating used lubricating oils |
US4952317A (en) * | 1989-03-10 | 1990-08-28 | Bradley Culkin | Device and method for filtering a colloidal suspension |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
RU2556641C1 (en) * | 2014-08-06 | 2015-07-10 | Государственное научное учреждение Всероссийский научно-исследовательский институт использования техники и нефтепродуктов Российской академии сельскохозяйственных наук (ГНУ ВНИИТиН Россельхозакадемии) | Method of purifying waste synthetic motor oil |
FR3063084A1 (en) * | 2017-02-22 | 2018-08-24 | Patrick Selles | METHOD AND DISPOSITION FOR PROCESSING OILS USED, ESPECIALLY OILS OF THERMAL MOTORS |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
MX2014005042A (en) | 2015-03-23 |
BR112014010172A2 (en) | 2017-06-13 |
US20130109599A1 (en) | 2013-05-02 |
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