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DISPOSAL & RE-REFINING

OF

USED LUBRICATING OIL

G.S.Dang & M.O. Garg

Indian Institute of Petroleum

Dehradun 248005

23rd August-2003

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Presentation Outline

Introduction

Used oil contaminants/ composition

Disposal practices

Re-refining of used lubricating oils

Economics of re-refining

Observations/Recommendations

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Introduction

Lube oil - Highest value component of crudeoils.

Applications in automotives & industries.

Prolonged use causes degradation/contaminants of lube oils.

Degraded oils, not fit for intended use, are

discarded - referred as used oils.

Used oils usually contain toxic substancesmaking them hazardous products.

Contd..

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Negative environmental impacts/publichealth hazards are associated with theimproper storage, handling, transportation,

treatment and disposal of used lubricatingoils.

Adverse impact on human health &environment demands effective managementof used lubricating oils.

Introduction (contd.)

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Used lubricating oil being a resource, effectivemanagement of it encourages:

- Conservation of resources

- Minimization of waste

One gallon of used oil can pollute more than onemillion gallons of drinking water Recycling/ Re-refining it into reusable products can prevent

damage to land, air, water and health.

Recycling used oil(s), rather than letting it enter thewaste stream , is the best way to handle/ manage it.

Introduction (contd.)

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Used Oil Contaminants/Composition

USED OIL includes:

- Engine Oil: Typically crankcase oils

from automobiles, trucks etc.

- Transmission fluid &

- Spent industrial oils, removed from

equipments or machines.

Contd..

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Contaminants in used lubricating oils(Automotive & Industrial)

- Heavy metals e.g. lead, arsenic, cadmium,

chromium, nickel, copper, zinc etc.

- Halogenated solvents

- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

- Polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)

including benzene.

- Fuel components, sediments and water.Contd..

Used Oil Contaminants/Composition (contd..)

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Used Oil Contaminants & their hazards

Contaminant Source Hazards

Lead Gasoline, Metal fatigueBearings

PNAs/PAHs Combustion Carcinogenic

products

Metals Additives & Toxic

( Zn, Cd, Cr, Engine Wear

Ni, etc)

Halogenated Cleaning Flammable

solvents solvents

PCBs Insulating Oils Toxic

Particulates Combustion Breathingproducts & Problem

sediments

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Typical Composition Of Used Oil

Components Wt% (approx)

Water 5-9Light ends 2-4

Gas oil 4-7

Base oil 75-64

Residue 13-17

Used Oil Contaminants/Composition (contd..)

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Disposal Practices

Unacceptable practices

Acceptable practices

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Dumping to ground, watercourses, sewers,

drainage system etc.

Burial

Use for dust control, weed abatement,

timber preservation by painting, pestcontrol etc.

Contd..

Unacceptable practices

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Placing used oil in garbage bins.

Open air burning, incomplete combustion( short residence low temperature burning) of

used lubricating oil.

Any other processing of used lubricating oilcausing pollution exceeding statutoryrequirements.

Any discharge of residues generated fromprocessing of used lubricating oils.

Other practices in which the used oil maycause or have impact on humans, plants,

animals, or other organisms.

Unacceptable practices (contd..)

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Acceptable practices

Reconditioning of used oils by removingimpurities. This form of recycling might notrestore the oil to its original condition but itprolongs its life.

Reconditioned oil can be delivered topetroleum refinery and introduced as afeed stock into the front end of refineryprocess.

Contd..

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Re-refining used lubricating oils torecover base oil or other petroleumfractions as long as the processes andtheir products are environmentally sound

Used oil processing to remove water andparticulates so that it can be burned as

fuel to generate heat or to powerindustrial operations. Not a preferredform of recycling because it enables the

oil to be reused only once.

Acceptable practices (contd..)

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Recycling through Re-refining- A preferredoption since the oil is used number of times.The key is base oil does not wear out; itcan be recycled over and over again-

Resource Conservation.Other benefits includes:

- Reduces pollution threat.

- Reduce dependence on imported oil.

- Re-refining is energy efficient.

- Provides direct and indirect employment.

Acceptable practices (contd..)

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Re-refining of used lubricating oils

Countries all over the world includingUnited States, UK, France, Italy, Canada,India, South Africa, Israel, Australia and

New Zealand etc. re-refine used oils intolubricating oil base stocks.

Regulations/Rules to handle and processused oil(s) exist in each of these countries.

Contd

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MoEF, New Delhi has categorized usedlubricating oil as hazardous product andto be handled/disposed off as per HW

Rules. Specifications for used oils suitable for

Re-refining/Recycling in India are listed

as below [Notified in hazardous waste(Management and Handling)Amendment Rules 2003, Schedule 5 & 6]

Re-refining of used lubricating oils (contd..)

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Specifications for used oil suitable for

Re-refining (Schedule-5)

Sr. No. Parameters Maximumpermissible limit

1. Colour 8 hazen units

2. Water 15%

3. Density 0.85-0.95

4. Kin. Viscosity 1.0-32.0

(cSt @ 1000

C)5. Diluents 15% vol

6. Neutralization No. 3.5

(mg KOH/g)

Contd..

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7. Saponification value 18

(mg KOH/g)

8. Total halogens, ppm 4000

9. PCBs ND

10. Lead, ppm 100

11. Arsenic, ppm 5

12. (Cd + Cr + Ni), ppm 500

13. Polyaromatic 6% (v/v)

Hydrocarbons (PAH)

Specifications for used oil suitable for

Re-refining (Schedule-5, contd..)

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Specifications for waste oil suitable for

Recycling (Schedule-6)


1. Sediment 5%

2. Heavy metals, ppm 605

( Cd + Cr + Ni + As +Pb)

3. Polyaromatic 6% (v/v)

Hydrocarbons (PAH)

4. Total Halogens 40005. Polychlorinated ND

biphenyls (PCBs)

*Waste oil: Unsuitable for re-refining , but can be used as fuel in

furnaces, if meets specifications laid down in Schedule-6

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Re-refining of Used Oils

Motor/Automotive Oils

Industrial Oils

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Re-Refining of Motor oils

Modern lubricating oils are based upon oilsrefined from crude oil/petroleum, synthetic

oils or mixture of two.

Blended with additives to extend range ofoperating temperatures, to keep solids in

suspension & to discourage formation ofdeposits.

Contd

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Regardless of the base oil and additives, all

lubricating oils eventually becomecontaminated through use with substancesthat are threat to the environment.

Contaminants arise out of various reactions

occurring in lube oils during use e.g.oxidation, cracking, decomposition ofpolymeric materials, organo-metalliccompounds and polymerisation of

hydrocarbons, etc. Diluents like fuel, waterand antifreeze also accumulate while metalcontent of used oil is also important besidespolynuclear aromatics.

Contd

Re-Refining ofMotor oils (contd..)

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The degraded oil is drained out of

equipment / engine replaced with fresh

stock.

With advancement in engine design andimprovement in quality of lube oils, the

drains intervals have been prolonged

substantially.

Re-Refining ofMotor oils (contd..)

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Re-refining of Motor Oils (contd..)

Used Motor Oils include:-Vehicle Crankcase Oil

- Engine Lubricating Oil

-

Transmission Fluids- Gearbox Oils

Motor oils undergo an extensive rerefining

process to remove contaminants such as dirt,fuel, water, and degraded additives toproduce a good as new base oil.

Contd

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No compromise in quality of re-refinedoil.

Base oil blended with addive packages to

produce lubricants such as- Motor oil

- Transmission fluid

- Greases

Contd..

Re-refining of Motor Oils (contd..)

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Re-Refining of Industrial Oils

Used Industrial oils include:

- Hydraulic oils

- Compressor oils

- Turbine oils

- Bearing oils

- Gear oils

- Transformer (electrical)oils

Contd

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- Refrigeration oils

- Metal working oils

- Rail road oils

Used Industrial oils generally haveminimal contamination and hence can becleaned up with simple process steps(Reclaiming) for example used oils such

as Hydraulic oils , transformer oils areheated to evaporate moisture followed bysimple filtration to get relatively clean

products to be re-used. Contd

Re-Refining of Industrial Oils(contd..)

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Used Oil Re-refining Technologies

PROCESS PRETREAT REFINING FINISHING

ACID-CLAY

(Being phased out

SETTLING,

DECANTATION &

DEHYDRATION

ACID

TREATMENT

AND SLUDGE

SEPARATION

CLAY

TREATMENT

AND FUEL

REMOVAL

IFP DEHYDRATION AND

DEFUELING

PROPANE

EXTRACTIONAND ACID

TREATING

CLAY

CONTACTING

IFP- SNAM

PROGRETTI

DEHYDRATION AND

DEFUELING

PROPANE

EXTRACTION

AND VACUUMDISTILLATION

HYDROTREA-

TING

INTERLINE DEHYDRATION AND

DEFUELING

PROPANE

EXTRACTION

AND VACUUM

DISTILLATION

CLAY

TREATING

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Used Oil Re-refining Technologies (contd.)PROCESS PRETREAT REFINING FINISHING

KTI

DEHYDRATION

AND DEFUELING

VACUUM

DISTILLATION/

THIN FILM

EVAPORATION

HYDROFINISHING

SAFETYKLEENMOHWAK

CHEMICAL

TREATMENT/DITILLATION

VACUUM

DISTILLATION/THIN FILM

EVAPORATION

HYDROFINISHING

VISCOLUBE IFPDYHYDRATION

AND FUEL

REMOVAL

THERMAL

DEASPHALTIN

G/ VACUUM

DISTILLATION

HYDROTREAT

CEPDYHYDRATION

AND FUEL

REMOVAL

THIN FILM

EVAPORATION

WITH

INTERNAL

CONDENSOR

HYDROFINISHING

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MoEF , New Delhi, India has approved onlythe following re-refining technologies beingmore environment friendly:

- Vacuum distillation followed by Claytreatment.

- Vacuum distillation followed by Hydro-

treating.

- Thin film evaporation process or

- Any other technology approved by MoEF.

Used Oil Re-refining Technologies (contd.)

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General Re-refining Scheme

Used oil

Dehydration Fuel Stripping

Finishing Clay/

Hydro finishing

Lube oilbase Stock

Vacuum distillation

or

Solvent extraction

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Economics of Re-refining

Re-refined oil prices comparable toequivalent virgin oil product pricing.

Re-refined oil prices are affected byfollowing variables:

- Used oil feed stock cost

- Availability- Transportation cost

- Re-refining process usedContd

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- Regulatory compliance to dispose off residues.- Scale of operation

Other points which also affect economics are:

- Crude oil prices- Residue/bottom disposal cost and

- Clean up liability

Re-refining processes are economically viableonly with larger capacities

Contd..

Economics of Re-refining (contd..)

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Barriers to profitable environment

friendly used oil re-refining :

- High capital cost of equipment

- High operating cost

- Environment treatment problems

- Large collection costs

- Hydrotreating re-refined oil

Economics of Re-refining (contd..)

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Collection/Storage of Used Oils

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Collection/Storage of Used Oils

For used oils to be re-refinedproperly/economically it is essential thatdifferent types of oils are collected/stored

separately

Used oil is usually stored in above ground

containers.

No contamination of used oils with other

wastes such as halogenated solvents etc.

Contd

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Label all containers and tanks as UsedOil & keep them in good condition.

Rusting of tanks, leakage deterioration

not to be allowed. Store used oil in areas with oil

impervious flooring and secondarycontaminant.

Tanks and/or containers of used oilshould be placed in weather proof areaand should be kept away from

incompatible materials

Collection/Storage of Used Oils (contd..)

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Availability of Used Oil

200-300 TMT/ year of used lubricatingoil is estimated to be generated in India.

Bulk of used lubricating oil is generated

by:

- State Road Transport Corporation

- Railways

- Large fleet operators

- Defence establishments

- Steel plants

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Observations/ Recommendations

Used oil is the valuable resource need tobe managed properly.

Re-refining is the most appropriate way torecover quality lube oil base stock.

Acid- clay re-refining process is being

phased out and more environmentalfriendly re-refining technologies aretaking its place.

Contd..

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Lubricating oil base stocks produced from

modern re-refining technologies haveperformance parameters equivalent to virginbase stock for use in engine oils, hydraulicfluids, gear lubes and other lubricant

applications

The quality of used oil plays important role inprocess economics so proper collection of

used oil is to be ensured. Also special attemptsare required to collect at least 50% of theconsumption of fresh lube oils (Collection atpresent is just 20%).

Contd..

Observations/ Recommendations(contd..)

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Since PCBs and PNAs/PAHs presence make used

oil unsuitable for re-refining. Therefore careshould be taken during used oil collection/ storageto avoid mixing of these.

There seems to be good prospect for usingre-refining processes based on vacuum / Thin filmdistillation followed by clay/ hydrofinishing.However with hydrofinishing economical viablecapacity of re-refining unit is generally higher-

around 10,000 tonnes per annum

Incentives to be given to used oilgenerators/collectors and processors for makingre-refining industry a progressing one.

Observations/ Recommendations(contd..)

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Thank You

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