Low Sulfur Diesel Like Fuel Oil from Quick Remediation Process of Waste Oil Sludge

Authors: Isam A. H. Al Zubaidi

Abstract:

Low sulfur diesel like fuel oil was produced from a quick remediation process of waste oil sludge (WOS). This quick process will reduce the volume of the WOS in petroleum refineries as well as oil fields by transferring the waste to more beneficial product. The practice includes mixing process of WOS with commercial diesel fuel. Different ratios of WOS to diesel fuel were prepared ranging 1:1 to 20:1 by mass. The mixture was continuously mixed for 10 minutes using a bench-type overhead stirrer, and followed by the filtration process to separate the soil waste from filtrate oil product. The quantity and the physical properties of the oil filtrate were measured. It was found that the addition of up to 15% WOS to diesel fuel was accepted without dramatic changes to the properties of diesel fuel. The amount of WOS was decreased by about 60% by mass. This means that about 60% of the mass of sludge was recovered as light fuel oil. The physical properties of the resulting fuel from 10% sludge mixing ratio showed that the specific gravity, ash content, carbon residue, asphaltene content, viscosity, diesel index, cetane number, and calorific value were affected slightly. The color was changed to light black. The sulfur content was increased also. This requires another process to reduce the sulfur content of resulting light fuel. A desulfurization process was achieved using adsorption techniques with activated biomaterial to reduce the sulfur content to acceptable limits. Adsorption process by ZnCl2 activated date palm kernel powder was effective for improvement of the physical properties of diesel like fuel. The final sulfur content was increased to 0.185 wt%. This diesel like fuel can be used in all tractors, buses, tracks inside and outside the refineries. The solid remaining seems to be smooth and can be mixed with asphalt mixture for asphalting the roads or can be used with other materials as asphalt coating material for constructed buildings. Through this process, valuable fuel has been recovered, and the amount of waste material had decreased.

Keywords: Oil sludge, diesel fuel, blending process, filtration process.

References:

[1] Elektorowicz M., and Habibi S., 2005. Sustainable waste management: recovery of fuels from petroleum sludge, Can. J. Civ. Eng. 32: 164–169
[2] Elektorowicz, M., Habibi, S., Chifrina, R., 2006, Effect of electrical potential on the electro-demulsification of oily sludge. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 295, 535-541
[3] Biceroglu, O., 1994. Rendering oily waste land treatable or usable. US Patent 5,288,391
[4] Trowbridge, T.D. and Holcombe, T.C., 1995, Refinery sludge 575 treatment/hazardous waste minimization via dehydration 576 and solvent extraction, Journal of the Air and Waste 577 Management Association, 45: 782–788
[5] Gazineu, M.H.P, de Araújo, A.A., Brandão, Y.B., Hazin, C.A., and Godoy, J.M., 2005, Radioactivity concentration in liquid and solid phases of scale and sludge generated in the petroleum industry, J of Environmental Radioactivity, 81: 47-54
[6] Abouelnasr, D.M. and Zubaidi, E. 2008, Treatment and Recovery of Oil-Based Sludge Using Solvent Extraction, In Proceedings of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference 2008
[7] Isam A.H. Zubaidi, Dana M. Abouelnasr, 2010, Fuel recovery from waste oily sludge using solvent extraction, Process Safety and Environmental Protection Journal, 88, 318–326.
[8] Abouelnasr, Dana M. and Zubaidi, Isam A.H., 2009, Fuel Recovery from Waste Oil Sludge Using Solvent Extraction Combined with a Demulsifier, Proceedings of the Fourth International Exergy, Energy and Environment Symposium, April 19-23, 2009, AUS, Sharjah, UAE.
[9] Isam Al Zubaidi, Effect of additives on Fuel Recovery from Oil Sludge Using Solvent Extraction Technique, World Heavy Oil Congress, Calgary 6-9 September, 2016
[10] Isam Al Zubaidi, 2018, Heavy Fuel Oil Recovery from Oil Sludge by Multiple Extraction Processes, Progress Petrochem Sci .1(4)
[11] Taiwo, E.A. and Otolorin, J.A., 2009, Oil recovery from petroleum 572 sludge by solvent extraction. Petroleum Science and 573 Technologies, 27: 836–844
[12] Mustafa Balat, 2008, Diesel-like Fuel Obtained by Catalytic Pyrolysis of Waste Engine Oil, Energy exploration and exploitation, Volume 26, Number 3, 197–208
[13] Venkata Ramesh Mamilla, Lakshmi Narayana Rao G, 2016, A review: Waste lubricating oil as an alternative fuel blended with diesel, International Journal of Advanced Scientific Research, Volume 1; Issue 1, 01-04
[14] B. Prabakaran, Zachu Thomas Zachariah, 2016, Production of Fuel from Waste Engine oil and Study of performance and emission characteristics in a Diesel engine, International Journal of Chem. Tech Research, Vol.9, No.05, 474-480
[15] Senthilkumar Tamilkolundu, Chandrasekar Murugesan, The Evaluation of blend of Waste Plastic Oil- Diesel fuel for use as alternate fuel for transportation, 2nd International Conference on Chemical, Ecology and Environmental Sciences (ICCEES'2012) Singapore April 28-29, 2012
[16] Kam, E.K.T., 2001. Assessment of sludge and tank bottoms treatment processes, Proceedings of the 8th International Petroleum Environmental Conference. Houston
[17] De Filippi R, Markiewicz J., 1991. Propane extraction treats refinery wastes to BDAT standards. Oil & Gas Journal, 89(36): 52-54
[18] Poche, L.R., Derby, R.E., and Wagner, D.R., 1991. Solvent extraction of refinery wastes rates EPA BDAT. Oil & Gas Journal, 89(1): 73-77
[19] Ávila-Chávez, M.A., Eustaquio-Rincón, R., Reza, J., and Trejo, A., 2007, Extraction of Hydrocarbons from Crude Oil Tank Bottom Sludges using Supercritical Ethane. Separation Science and Technology, 42: 2327-2345
[20] Yahia A.S. Alhamed, ‘Preparation and characterization of activated carbon from dates, stone, The 6th Saudi Engineering Conference, KFUPM, Dhahran, December 2002