A used oil recycling system has to deal with a feedstock that is rarely perfectly uniform.
Oil collected from different workshops, machinery or industrial sources can contain different levels of water, solids and chemical contaminants.
For anyone evaluating a Used Oil Recycling Plant, feedstock variability should be considered during process design.
- Sampling Before Design
Before selecting equipment, obtain representative information about the feedstock.
Useful parameters can include:
Water
Sediment
Viscosity
Contaminants
Oil type
Feedstock volume
A single sample may not represent the entire collection network if the oil comes from many sources.
- Feedstock Storage
Storage should protect the material from additional contamination and prevent leaks.
EPA recommends that used oil be kept in suitable, leak-proof containers and emphasizes appropriate containment for handlers.
- Filtration
Filtration can remove suspended solids and larger contaminants.
The required filtration arrangement depends on the feedstock and downstream equipment.
- Dehydration
Water can interfere with thermal processing and therefore may need to be removed before distillation.
The appropriate dehydration method depends on the plant design.
- Distillation
The Used Oil Recycling Process may use distillation to separate components according to volatility.
Vacuum distillation is particularly relevant to re-refining.
Government guidance explains that vacuum distillation can separate used oil into fractions with similar boiling ranges and help control the properties of the resulting distillates.
- Product Collection
The plant should provide suitable systems for collecting and storing the recovered fractions.
Storage tanks, transfer pumps and piping should be designed according to the process and product characteristics.
- Quality Control
The recovered product should be tested against the intended specification.
For lubricant-base-stock applications, additional refining and compounding may be required.
EPA notes that properly re-refined oil can be equivalent in performance to virgin oil when it meets applicable standards.
- Residue Management
A complete plant design must also account for non-product streams.
Separated solids, heavy residues and other materials need appropriate handling and disposal or recovery routes.
- Equipment Evaluation
When comparing Used Oil Recycling Plant proposals, look beyond capacity.
Compare:
Pretreatment
Heating
Distillation
Vacuum
Condensation
Product collection
Controls
Storage
Installation
Commissioning
Final Thoughts
The strongest process design is one that recognizes feedstock variability from the beginning.
A recycling plant should be designed around actual material characteristics, desired products and realistic operating conditions.
For businesses developing used oil recycling facilities, Veera Group can discuss feedstock characteristics and suitable process configurations.
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