Tag Archives: Regeneration

Equipment for Transformer Oil Analysis And Regeneration

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Regular and proper maintenance of electric power generating equipment are two of the overriding priorities of today’s power industry.  Generally speaking, this kind of equipment includes many different kinds of units that have been designed for the distribution and transmission of electric power.   There has been however, a special value placed on electric power transformers that are used to change the voltage of alternating current(a/c) as well as transform electrical phases.

Transformers are operated in remote field locations as well as in cities and urban environments.  In the first case, maintenance of transformers can be difficult and/or troublesome since special equipment must be delivered to the remote places where the transformers are located.

This article will consider the peculiarities of analysis and reclamation of transformer oils in the field environment.

It is transformer oil that significantly helps to ensure the uninterrupted operation of an electric power transformer.  The dielectric insulating oil is necessary to transfer heat from the heated parts of a transformer, insulate  between the conducting parts and prevent the solid insulation from becoming contaminated with excess moisture.

Comprehensive research has shown that approximately one-third of all transformer oil is at risk due to many factors including a lack of timely preventive maintenance.  This means that during the transformer’s service life, the insulating oil is exposed to temperature extremes, different contaminants and mechanical impurities that can badly affect the condition of the oil’s performance characteristics.  The service life of insulating oil may be extended if regular scheduled maintenance, to include regeneration/reclamation, is timely performed.

A comprehensive analysis of transformer oil will allow you to determine whether oil needs servicing and/or regeneration (recycling).  As a rule, oil analysis is performed annually in special laboratories.

But what to do in the field environment when there are long time intervals between oil sampling and its analysing, which, in many cases, may be critical?

In this case, transformer oil analysis is made by special teams according to the approved schedule, using mobile control tools or mobile stand-alone laboratories.

Mobile stand-alone laboratories allow for performing a rapid analysis of transformer oils to determine the level of moisture and gasses, dielectric conductivity and tangent delta of the used transformer oil.

All necessary devices are mounted inside a cross-country truck, fitted with an alternating current (A/C) generator.

In general, the mobile laboratory normally consists of the following parts:

(1) moisture gauge, (2) gas content indicator, (3) dielectric factor indicator, and (4) tangent delta meter.

It is obvious that if oil’s performance characteristics are observed to have been degraded, it will be more convenient to perform a service on the transformer on site.  It is desirable therefore, to equip mobile laboratories with special transformer oil degassing and regeneration units.

GlobeCore is an industry leader in producing equipment for purification and restoration of fuel, industrial oil, turbine oil, dielectric insulating oil and other types of oil.

In the field environment, it is recommended to use GlobeCore equipment to perform maintenance on electric power transformers:

  • The GlobeCore CMM-R unit provides recycling (regeneration) of transformer oil through the use  of re-useable sorbent.  Transformer oil is passed through a Fuller’s Earth sorbent layer and then through a fine mesh filter.
  • The GlobeCore UVR units reclaim oil by means of a special regeneration powder.  The main difference between these two units is the type and amount of sorbent applied during the process of reclamation.  The Fuller’s earth in the CMM-R units may be used for 2-3 years with no need to dispose of it as hazardous waste.  The sorbent in the UVR equipment however, should be replaced after each processing cycle is completed.

The GlobeCore UVR line of equipment is highly versatile since it can process turbine oil, industrial oil, stove oil, transformer oils and diesel fuels.

Regeneration/Reclamation of Used Turbine Oils at Electric Power Stations

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The fact that sources of energy such as oil, gas, slate stone and coal are nonrenewable, prompts people to pay special attention to alternative sources of energy.  In particular, this means energy from water, wind and the sun.

Hydropower plants (HPPs) and pumped storage power plants (PSPP) occupy a special place in modern energy systems, ensuring uninterrupted power generation under the peak loads.

The obsolescence of equipment and electric power lines at hydropower plants causes problems with reliability and safety of the electric power supply.  But, this problem may be solved either by introducing new generating capacity, or extending the service life of the existing generating systems.

The purchase of new capacity requires considerable expenditures, that in the most cases, is unaffordable for hydropower plant operators.  It is therefore, reasonable to perform regular maintenance of equipment to prevent potential failures.  Much importance is placed on oil facilities that ensure uninterrupted and reliable operation of hydropower plants.  Such facilities include equipment, necessary for:

  • fresh oil collection;
  • fresh and waste oil storage;
  • oil purification, regeneration and drying (recycling); and
  • oil discharge from equipment in case of emergencies or equipment failures.

Hydropower plants may store lubricating oils, transformer oils, and compressor oils on site.

Turbine oils are used in turbine control systems that include oil pressure units, guide-vane servomotors, servomotors in runners, oil bearing, and thrust collars.  Turbine oils are used under very extreme conditions such as high temperatures with air and mechanical impurities present.

These unfavourable conditions result in the oil’s degradation.  That means that the viscosity and acid number increases, the flash temperature is reduced, and mechanical impurities and sludge appear.

Hydropower plants perform regular monitoring of physical and chemical characteristics of turbine oils.  Samples of turbine oil are taken and then analysed by well-trained staff in special chemical laboratories.  If the oil’s characteristics are observed to have been degraded, then the oil is replaced with fresh oil.  But, it requires great expense to buy new oil and dispose of the used oil.

Additionally, waste turbine oil is a hazardous material and its discharge into the environment may cause contamination of soil and water systems.  In most cases however, the degradation of the oil’s performance characteristics does not mean the end of oil’s service life.

Reclamation of used turbine oil is a desirable way to reduce operating costs, improve the operational reliability of hydropower stations, and provide an uninterrupted energy supply.

GlobeCore is one of the leading manufacturers of equipment for purification and reclamation of turbine oil, transformer oil, industrial oil, transmission fluid, and other types of oil.

GlobeCore reclamation/regeneration (recycling) technologies are distinguished through mobility, eco-friendliness, and cost effectiveness.

GlobeCore equipment ranges in capacity and allows a hydro power plant to choose the most optimal equipment to meet their needs.  Used turbine oil reclamation, performed using GlobeCore equipment, improves the performance characteristics of oil allowing the reclaimed oil to be placed back into service again.  It is therefore, very important to perform regular monitoring of oil’s condition to determine the degradation of its characteristics.

Reclamation/regeneration of used oil at hydropower plants will reduce the need to install additional used oil storage tanks and will save fuel that is required to deliver used oil to collection centers or disposal sites.

GlobeCore ensures a high-quality process in the reclamation of used turbine oil directly at hydropower plants.  If you are looking for solutions that will reduce your operating costs, then GlobeCore technology is the answer to your oil related preventive maintenance problems.

Regeneration of Used Lubricating Oil from an Ecological Point of View

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Environmental specialists have estimated that about 84% of all used oil is discharged into the lithosphere (Earth’s crust) and hydrosphere (oceans, lakes, rivers and streams) annually.  This consitutues a rather large amount of contamination that will lead to ecological disasters world wide.  Used lubricating oil, unlike petroleum or other oil products, are not neutralized when they get into the soil or water (biodestruction, oxidation, and photochemical reactions).  The reason is because of the oxidation products, contaminants and other impurities that are accumulated in oils during the course of operation.  An environmentally safe alternative would be to regenerate the used oil and restore it to its original condition in order to eliminate the need to dispose of the used oil.

Processing the oil is actually less expensive than replacing the oil and eliminates the dangers associtaed with hazardous waste.

When choosing a used oil restoration method, besides costs, special attention should be paid to its eco-friendliness.  Here is where we speak about the “Pure Production” concept.

The “Pure Production” concept is based on a wide spectrum of principles that are used to solve definite environmental problems that come up when designing or consuming products.

When speaking about used oil technology, it is worth mentioning that it is based on following principles:

  • Complex waste recycling process;
  • Development of new technological processes that allows for significant waste elimination;
  • Designing of zero-discharge systems and water circuits based on effective waste water treatment methods;
  • Processed raw materials consumption; and
  • creation of territorial industrial complexes with closed circuit flows of raw materials and waste within the complex.

Advanced modern approaches, targeted at pollution prevention, have made production processes less toxic and more effective.  But, eco-friendly production should be understood as an integral system of principles such as:

  • Preventive avoids corrective principle. It costs much less to prevent environment pollution than to relive and correct its consequences.
  • Principle of integrity. Consumption of natural resources requires a comprehensive approach that does not create new problems while solving old ones.

All the principles listed above should be followed when working with used lubricating oils.  It is possible to make the production process environmentally friendly if flexible and comprehensive approaches to the problems are applied.

The following criteria should be used to determine if the regeneration method is eco-friendly:

  • Purification rate of the final product;
  • Amount of waste produced by the process;
  • Possibility of waste recycling;
  • Trouble-free management of resulting waste; and
  • Toxic rate of resulting waste.

GlobeCore produces advanced modern technology for the processing of used oil that follows the principles the listed above.  GlobeCore oil purification units provide for regeneration of transformer oil, industrial oil, turbine oil, gear oil, and other types of oils and fluids.  The performance characteristics of used oils are restored to their original new like condition. Additionally, such technology reduces the need to buy replacement oil and eliminates the need to dispose of used oils and fluids.

Another benefit of GlobeCore technology is that the units do not produce any hazardous waste during their operation.  Other companies still produce equipment that requires frequent changing of sorbent materials which inturn requires more procesing time and generates its own hazardous waste.  This obsolete technology is more expensive to operate and sharply increases labor costs.

The advanced modern GlobeCore units use a  Fuller’s Earth sorbent material that can be reactivated directly in the oil processing unit eliminating the need to slow or stop the cleaning process.  The sorbernt in the GlobeCore units will last up to 300 regeneration cycles over a 3 to 4 year period and can disposed of as non-hazardous waste before needing replacement.

GlobeCore is able to offer highly-efficient and eco-friendly solutions to the problem of used oil reclamation with the CMM-R line of regneration equipment.

What’s the Catch in Oil Regeneration/Reclamation?

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Nowadays, more and more industrial facilities try to make their activity consistent with sound environmantal rules.  Many companies are trying to do their part in environmental preservation.  In particular, they try to join different environmental agencies and seek cost-effective solutions to manage waste, including regeneration or recycling of used oils.  All these efforts are targeted at environmetal risk elimination.    Different state and local authorities have developed a set of regulations for used oil management.  One such establishment is the U. S. Federal Government’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that has set up rules and regulations for industry to manage used oil.  These so-called “green” regulations however, do not require industrial facilities to change used oil, but merely suggest possible ways of its management such as recycling or reclaimation.

In general, both recycling and reclamation processes are targeted at recovery and re-use of material that has already served its purpose so it can continue to be used.  But recycling and regeneration/reclaimation are slightly different. Usually, the performance chracteristics of reclaimed oil are restored to its original condition so it may be used again in the field for whcih it was originally formulated.  The service life oil that is removed for  recycling comes to an end and it is re-refined to new lube oil or may be used as industrial fuel in other industries with less stringent requirements.  Sometimes, the term oil recycling is used to mean burning oil or disposing in landfills which is completely unacceptable in the twent first century.

According to EPA standards, used oil is considered to be off-specification if it doesn’t satisfy the following permissible levels:

  • Arsenic – 5ppm max
  • Cadmium – 2ppm max
  • Chromium 10 ppm max
  • Lead 100 ppm max
  • Flash point – 100 F min
  • Halogens – 4000 ppm max

It is possible that this oil may be used as fuel for coke ovens or lime kilns in industries subject to EPA guidelines.  Every industrial facility should have a well-developed plan of how to manage their used lubricants.  When oil can no longer perform its functions, it should be processed in the most appropriate way. In order to define whether to recycle or reclaim oil, testing of an oil sample is recommended.

Industrial oil types such as transformer oil, turbine oil, hydraulic fluids, and industrial oils may be reclaimed without degrading their lubricating properties.  As a rule, reclamation includes such procedures as (1) filtration (removes slugde and foreign particles); (2) centrifuge treatment (removes impurities and moisture); and (3) vacuum dehydration (removes water). If transformer oil has to be reclaimed, often it is filtered using a sorbent material such as Fuller’s Earth.

Fuller’s Earth is a special bleaching clay that adsorbs all impurities. But when used to clean and filter oil, many companies have to cope with the problem of disposing of the contaminated sorbent when it is saturated and can no longer remove contaminants from the oil.  GlobeCore therefore, developed a special and unique process to reuse the Fuller’s Earth sorbent materials.  Designated as the CMM-R line, this advanced equipment allows equipment owners to kill two birds with one stone: to reclaim oil without generating hazardous waste by reactivating the exhausted Fuller’s earth up to 300 cycles before disposal as non-hazardous waste. Additionally, CMM-R units can perform high vacuum degassing, filtration, and remove acidic materials on an energized transformer.

Special attention should be paid to the reclamation of turbine oil since after filtering, turbine oil has to continue to perform very important functions such as lubrication, sealing, cooling and preventing corroision.

There has been an increased demand for hydraulic oil reclamation.  Equipment owners therefore try to seek cost-effective solutions to restore their oil to its original condition.  The peculiar feauture of hydraulic oil is that it is able to accumulate sediment during high-pressure operations. Therefore, processes such as adsorption, vacuum dehydration and filtration are desirable techniques in reclaiming hydraulic oils and fluids. As a result of these processes, particulate matter, moisture, and other contaminants are removed.

GlobeCore has developed a cost effective solution for high-quality  oil purification. GlobeCore equipment is designed to degass and purify different types of oil, including hydraulic fluids and turbine oils. The GlobeCore UVR line allows for removal of particulate matter, gasses and other contaminants. Fluids, processed on UVR units comply with international standards for high purity requirements.

GlobeCore equipment has been operated in more than 70 countries of the world and has enjoyed a wide popularity. So, it’s time to get with the Process, the GlobeCore Process!

Regeneration of Transformer Oil and Insulating Systems

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It has been known by the electric transmission industry that electric power transformers are aging rapidly and will have to be replaced or repaired when the  expected service life comes to an end. The price of replacing transformers however, has increased tremedously and placed a great financial burden on transmision companies and other owners of oil filled transformers.

Electric generating and transmission companies therefore, have been forced to seek less expensive alternatives to extend the service life of their current equipment.  The service life of the transformers is mainly determined by the condition of the magnetic conductor and the cellulose insulating paper otherwise known as the “Soild Insulation.”  Any damage done to the solid insultaion will have a negative impact on the service life of the oil filled transformer.

In theoretical terms, the service life of the magnetic conductor is unrestricted, but the cellulose insulation can get old and deteriorate very quickly.  The service life of the transformer therefore, largely depends on the condition of the cellulose insulation.

A wide range of factors, that speed up the aging process of the cellulose insulation are as follows:

(1) excessive heating;

(2) high moisture and oxygen content in the insulating oil; and

(3) bi-products of the oil aging process.

It is worth noting that it is the cellulose insultatoin that attracts contaminants by performing the function of a filter.  The solid insuation retains the products of the oil aging process and those products work to degrade the solid insulation over time.  More impurities are normally found in the solid insulation than in the liquid insulation.

It is therefore, the purification and cleaning of the cellulose insulation that is one of the most significant processes required to extend the service life of the transformer.  This process can be divided into two sub-processes such as:

(1) oil reclamation; and

(2) the washing, cleansing and purificationof the cellulose insulation.

The following is a discussion of the existing ways and methods used in cleaning and removing contaminants from the cellulose insulation.

A complete change of transformer oil is not a solution to the problem because not all the contaminated oil is removed from the windings and the solid insulation.  Some amount of the products of the aging process are retained in the solid insulation and eventually leach into the new oil effectively reducing the service life of the new oil.

This process represents a circle of continuing contamination and celulose degradation: the aging products oxidize the fresh product, which gets old and again saturates the cellulose with decay products.   The process of oil reclamation is almost the same as changing the oil, though it is much more thorough and much more cost effective.

The insulation may be washed over while performing a complete overhaul.  The aging products are removed due to spraying of pure process oil.  The disadvantage of this method is that the aging products are not removed in the depth of the insulation.  The effectiveness of the washing is improved by using special detergent oils.  But, they are very expensive and the process lasts longer than the usual one.

The overhaul and the cellulose purification make up asmuch as 30% or more of the new transformer value.

GlobeCore branded equipment, designated as CMM-R line, is the most cost effective solution to use in order to extend the service life of transformers.  GlobeCore produces highly-effective systems for the purification, degassing and regeneration of dielectric insulating oil.

The distinctive feature of the GlobeCore CMM-R unit is that it allows the operators to work with insulating liquids while transformer is energized.  GlobeCore equipment therefore, solves a wide spectrum of problems related to cellulose insulation purification.

The general operating principles of the CMM-R unit are as follows:

(1) it is connected to the operating transformer;

(2) the oil is circulated through the equipment;

(3) contaminated product is removed from the transformer, then passes through regeneration and degassing blocks; and

(4) purified and regenerated oil is then returned to the transformer.

A high circulation speed allows for the removal of aging and contamination products from the solid insulation.  The purified oil again returns to the CMM-R unit, where it is degassed and regenerated once again.

Other important advantages of the equipment, designated as CMM-R, are as follows:

(1) minimal oil loss during the regenaeration process;

(2) oil reclamation and solid insulation purification are performed simultaneously;

(3) the regeneration of Fuller’s earth (adsorbent) inside the equipment is eco-friendly;

(4) uninterrupted operation of the transformer; and

(5) the service life of the cellulose insulation is extended due to the complete removal of aging products and contaminants.

The results of the laboratory analysis of oil processed with the CMM-R equipment are given below.

Oil Specifications

Specification Before processing

After processing

IEC (International Electrotechnical Comission) standard 60296
Physical form dull, dark brown pure, transparent pure
Acid number, KOH mg/1 g oil 0.63 0.01 0.01
Dielectric dissipation factor at 90 ºС, % 4.0 0.001 0.005
Moisure content, ppm 170 5 30-40
Breakdown voltage, kV 11 73 30-70

The analysis shows that the performance characteristics of oil, processed by GlobeCore branded equipment, comply with IEC standard 60296.

Regeneration of Waste Products

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The problems of using, recycling, and disposing of waste products are are growing.  The failure to manage waste has the potential to cause a global environmental disaster.

There have been some recent positive tendencies in the elimination of waste products, but they have not completely eliminated the problem.  So, what is the true nature of the problem?

Dumping and disposal of waste products can be very expensive and does not reduce and/or eliminate the amount of discharges into the atmosphere, surface water and ground water.  Despite the many issues associated with wase products, some of the waste products may be restored and reused by  proper processing.

Used industrial oil is considered to be one of the main waste products produced world wide.  This is due to the fact that there are a large number of industrial enterprises in big cities throughout the world.  They all consume oil products in different forms that include fuel, oil, slushing oil, or flushing fluids.  The industrial enterprises additionally produce sewage water, sludge, and other wastes that contain oil and oil waste products.

Used oil comprises the majority of oil wastes that are stored at various industrial and transport facilities.  In 2014, industrial enterprises produced about 30 million tons of used oil.  Half of this oil is lost in the course of industrial production processes and the rest is simply discharged from the machines and equipment because the oil has lost its performance characteristics.

The main difficulty is that mineral oil becomes oxidized and decomposes under normal operating conditions.  Under more extreme operating conditions, the oxidation and decomposition process becomes accelerated.

The quality of used oils may differ significantly, depending on the kind of equipment, working conditions, data collection and storage peculiarities.

Oil will be affected by the air, dust, metals, and fuels.  Additionally, oil will be affected by such factors as high temperature, atmospheric pressure, and electrical fields that change and degrade the performance characteristics of oil products.

The color of oil is considered to be one of the most significant properties in determining oil quality and purity.  Although such a method is not completely reliable due to different manufacturing processes and additve packages, the color helps to determine the current purity and conamination state of the product.

Waste oil products will still consist of about 80% of valuable hydrocarbons that can be re-used.  Decoloration and regeneration of the oil therefore, are necessary and cost effective methods of recapturing these valuable hydrocarbons.

In many cases, natural adsorbents are used to recover the used oil.  First, they have good blotting and bleaching characteristics.  Second, the natural adsorbents are cheaper and more effective than similar artificial substances.

There are different ways to apply used oil.  Different ways of used oil recycling are used in many parts of the world.  In particular, the used oil is applied when lubricating gross friction units or compression moulds on railway factories.

Oil can also be used as boiler fuel depending on the degree of purity.  But it also results in environmental pollution.  It is impossible however, to meet all energy needs with the help of used oils.

When compared with combustion and other disposal methods, the regeneration process has some undeniable advantages such as: (1) multiple use of raw materials; and (2) the increased amount of local resources for oil production.  The regeneration of raw materials directly at the place of its consumption is considered to be very efficient and cost effective.

GlоbeCоre has developed and is still producing mobile oil stations in the CMM, MCU and UVR lines.  GlobeCore oil processing equipment is designed to remove mechanical impurities, water, gases, and oxidation products from new and used oil.  It allows the owners of oil filled equipment to restore the performance characteristics of oils so that the oil can continue to be used in the oil filled equipment without the need for replacement and disposal.

The regeneration of used oil, performed by GlоbeCоre branded equipment, allows the owners of oil filled equipment to:

(1) extend the service life of oil and oil filled equipment;

(2) to empty used oil storage facilities and use them for other purposes;and

(3) reduce financial expenditures for new oil purchases, unplanned repairs and unscheduled downtime of equipment.

How to Recycle Fuller’s Earth?

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Historical facts

Adsorption purification was first applied in order to remove asphalt and resinous unwanted substances from oil fractions in the early years of the modern oil industry.  At the very beginning, bone coal was used to lighten kerosene and heavy-oil products.  But, as time went on, Bone Coal was replaced by Fuller’s Earth and the Fuller’s Earth turned out to be more effective during the purification of cylinder distillates performed in 1893.

Nowadays, adsorption purification is often applied to remove the resinous colored substances from lubricating oil.  During the percolation process by the Fuller’s Earth, oil fractions are divided into parts that differ in color, specific weight and other properties.  It was David T. Day who first described this phenomenon in an article that drew oil recycling process researchers’ attention to the properties of Fuller’s Earth.  For example, another reasearcher named Kaufmann, discovered that the first portion of cylinder oil, filtered by the Fuller’s Earth, had lower density and viscosity and less coke value than the following fractions.

The properties of each new portion more and more resembled the properties of the source raw material.  It has been established that the properties of the substance were changed because sulfuric, nitrogenous, oxygen-containing compounds, as well as polycyclic and aromatic hydrocarbons, were being absorbed selectively. Nowadays, such processes as contact purification and percolation are based on this time tested principle.

GlobeCore Fuller Earth for transformer oil

The Fuller’s Earth sorbent materials

In the course of contact purification, oil makes contact with the adsorbent for some time at a pre-set temperature. At the next stage, unwanted adsorbent components separate from the oil product.

During the percolation phase, oil runs through the column of Fuller’s Earth under pressure that provides the necessary flow rate.  The adsorbent grains are used to carry out this process.  The fine-grained earth can be applied only during contact purification.

Fuller’s Earth Reactivation: Is it Possible?

There are about 35 to 40% of resinous and oil substances left in the Fuller’s earth after an oil treatment cycle.  It makes no economic sense to dispose of the contaminated product or buy new sorbent after each oil purification process.  Firstly, it will cost much money and efforts to buy new Fuller’s Earth all the time.  Secondly, the disposal of contaminated sorbent is time-consuming and requires significant expenditures.

With this in mind, the engineering department at GlobeCore has developed a unique technology that completely reactivates the Fuller’s Earth sorbent materials without removing the material from the oil regeneration columns!

This advanced GlobeCore technology allows the sorbent to last and be used over and over again for between 2 and 3 years (up to 300 cycles) with no impact on the oil reclamation process.  This is the revolutionary feature that distinguishes GlobeCore’s machines from the machines of other manufacturers.  The Fuller’s Earth however, cannot be used indefinetly.  When it is finally exhausted after years of service, the Fuller’s Earth can be disposed of as “Non-Hazardous” waste.

The following reflect some of the laws and regulations that determine the management and disposal of exhausted in the European Union countries.

Exhausted Sorbent Management in Europe

Waste Management has been considered to be one of the key priorities of the European Union (EU) since it was founded.   In countries such as Germany, Austria, Denmark, Finland and Italy, waste management has been tightly regulated by the state since the early 1990s.

Generally speaking, two special documents such as (1) waste regulations and (2) hazardous waste regulations, determine the way waste is managed in the countries of the European Union (EU).

There are some regulations that have been adopted to govern the management of special waste.  It is therefore, the members of the EU that have to improve or draft legislation so that the member nation can fully comply with the purposes and requirements of the EU regulations.

All the different wastes are divided into two classes: (1) hazardous; and (2) non-hazardous.  The way the exhausted Fuller’s earth is managed is determined by the class of the wastes it belongs to.  It is clear that the rate of the sorbent’s hazard is determined by the amount and composition of oil that it contains.  For example, in Germany, oil is determined as hazardous waste if it contains more than 20 mg/kg of PCB’s (polychlorinated biphenyls).  These substances are collected and delivered to special collection centers which have them recycled by special hazardous waste handling companies.

Generally, people deliver hazardous waste to the collection centers themselves, but if it is an industrial facility,  hazardous waste is taken by special machines and containers directly from the site.

In some countries of Western Europe, recycling is considered to be the main method of hazardous waste management.  In other countries however, they are buried and/or burned.

To comply with the requirements of waste dumping rgulations, many countries require that the waste be stabilized by reducing the amount of hazardous substances in the waste in order to meet acceptable levels.  Waste stabilization may be performed by physical and/or chemical treatment.

In South Australia, the used, oil-containing, sorbent is managed according to the ‘Environmental Protection Act’ of 1993.  Article 25 of the Act determines common ‘environmental (also called ‘green’) taxes,’ that should be imposed on individuals whose activity results in environment pollution.   Additionally, it requires all reasonable measures to be taken to prevent and reduce the amount of hazardous waste generation.

If the used sorbent contains a small amount of oil  (up to 0.1m3), it may be disposed of as solid waste at a waste collection center.  The latter should have a license to carry out such processes.

Therefore, before the sorbent is disposed of, it should be (1) tested to determine the toxicity; and (2) extracted.

The results will show if it is possible to mix the exhausted sorbent with other industrial wastes when collecting, transporting or recycling them at collection centers.

If there is more than 100 kg of the sorbent, and it is contaminated with fluid that contains light and medium hydrocarbons, this waste should be delivered to special facilities to be treated or disposed of in accordance with current laws and regulations.

In case of any doubts, please, consult the specialists on the environmental hot line.

In the USA, used sorbent disposal procedure differ among the states.

In 2012, the California Department of Natural Resources issued a special document, called “Used oil filters and adsorbents. Questions and Answers.”  It reflects the basic principles of oil-containing materials management such as exhausted Fuller’s Earth.   According to this document, the disposal of absorbent that contains waste oil is forbidden in landfills.

The following are exempt from those prohibitions:

  • Exhausted sorbents with no visible signs of oil content;
  • Non-hazardous sorbents;and
  • Sorbents that were cleaned to remove oil.

Apart from landfills, there exist other possible ways to manage exhausted sorbents.  In particular, some companies that are engaged in adsorbent production also collect exhausted material in order to purify it.

Used oil that has been previously removed from adsorbent can be burnned for energy recovery.  The sorbent grains can be recycled or also burnned for energy recovery at officially recognized facilities.

Landfill operators should take the following measures to prevent the delivery of absorbent that contains used oil:

(1)  Place warning signs against oil contaminated waste;

(2)  instruct staff to look for and reject oil contaminated waste; and

(3)  inform their customers about the prohibitions.

A similar situation has also been observed in other states.  In the USA, exhausted Fuller’s Earth is managed in the following way.

First, the oil is drained and then disposed of.  After all hazardous substances have been removed from the Fuller’s Earth, it can be managed as solid waste.  If Fuller’s earth has not been cleaned and hazardous substances removed, it should be delivered to the officially-recognized facilities to have it purified.

In Russia, exhausted Fuller’s Earth management is regulated by the Act of the Ministry of Natural Resources “Adopted Criteria for Classification of Environmentally Hazardous Waste” and by the Federal law No. 89, “Production Wastes and Consumption.”

First, waste containing oil should be tested in a special laboratory to determine the class of hazard.  In Russia, all waste is divided into 5 classes such as:

I – extremely hazardous waste;

II – highly hazardous waste;

III – moderately hazardous waste;

IV – low-hazard waste; and

V – non-hazardous waste.

After that, waste is documented and delivered to special centers that are involved in landfills or in the disposing of hazardous waste.

It should be mentioned that in Russia, there is a Federal Waste Classification Catalogue, where the “bleaching of clay containing oil,” is considered to be the 4th class of hazardous waste.  But, since Fuller’s earth may be disposed of under different operating conditions, it is necessary to test it each time.

In Ukraine, used adsorbents are burnned or placed into a landfill.  Only bulk and free from clogs adsorbents may be burnned. It is therefore, adsorbents, based on polymer, synthetic, carbon fibers or polypropylene and foam plastic that are exempt from burning.

You might have noticed that legislation provides only general recommendations for the waste management. So, what is the most practical way to dispose of used Fuller’s Earth?

Bleaching clay is considered to be a valuable raw material for cement and brick manufacture.  Tons of waterproof cement, based on used bleaching clay is in commercial production nowadays. According to the cement production formulas, about 3% of used bleaching clay is added to the mill while grinding clinker.  Different resinous substances, present in the used bleaching clay, makes cement plastic, waterproof, and hard.

The experiments have shown that when adding 15 % of used bleaching clay to the source raw material, the final product will have good performance characteristics.  Used bleaching clay should be cleaned and hydrocarbons should be removed before applying it into the cement production mixture.

Clay that has been cleaned of oil may be applied as a filling material in the road construction industry or as a component of insect powder in agriculture.

Additionally, de-oiled bleaching clay may serve as a good raw material when manufacturing fire-clay bricks.  Such technology provides for the reduction in the fuel consumption when burning bricks.

Industrial oils regeneration

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Long use of industrial and motor oil causes accumulation of oxidation products and other contaminants. Together these substances adversely affect oil performance, drastically reducing the oil’s quality.

To avoid failures of costly equipment, old used oils should be changed with new. Old oil is collected for special regeneration processing. Such operations saves oil for further use without the need to dispose of it. The environmental benefits of oil regeneration are obvious.

The first method that comes to mind in regard to oil regeneration is the recycling of waste industrial oil with crude oil in refineries. However,  this is hardly possible due to additives, which improve oil’s performance. These additives may have a detrimental impact on the refinery’s equipment.

Various regeneration processes may yield two or three basic oil fractions. By injecting additives into these fractions and blending them, one can produce sellable oils, coolants and lubricants or plastic lube substances.

Literature gives some data on average yield of regenerated industrial oil from waste oil. For instance, an oil containing 2% to 4% solid particles and water and up to 10% fuel may yield 70% to 85% reclaimed oil. More specific numbers depend on the chosen reclamation method.

Regeneration of industrial oil includes several operations, based on various physical, chemical, and combined processes.

Regeneration aims to remove contamination and aging products from oil. The following sequence is recommended for regeneration:

  • Mechanical methods to remove free water and solid particles
  • Thermal methods for evaporation and vacuum distillation
  • Physical and chemical (coagulation and adsorption).

If, after the above methods are applied, the quality of the oil is still unsatisfactory, the use of more complex chemical equipment is required. Apparently, complex process equipment involves higher costs, which are not always justified or reasonable.

The physical method allows to remove microscopic water droplets and solid particles, as well as some coke inclusions. Evaporation allows to remove volatile components. Other physical methods include subjecting oil to various fields: electric, gravity and magnetic, as well as centrifugal force and vibration. These also include purification of waste industrial oil by various heat and mass exchange processes, which remove highly volatile fractions, hydrocarbon oxidation products and water.

The simplest method of oil purification is settling. The point is that solid particles and water settle naturally by the force of gravity.

Settling can only be used as a stand alone method is the degree of contamination is insignificant. Otherwise it is only a preliminary stage, a preparation for deeper processes of filtration or centrifuge purification.

The settling method is limited by the duration of settling of particles, and the fact that only the largest particles, 50 to 100 micron, can be removed.

Filtration, mentioned above, means removal of solid particles and resin compounds from industrial oil by mesh or porous filter media. To increase quality of the output product, the number of filters is increased for finer filtration.

Centrifuge is a well known method, which requires special equipment: the centrifuge. It facilitates removal of water and solid particles from the oil. The method involves separation of various fractions of oil under the influence of the centrifugal force.

Combined physical and chemical oil regeneration methods hold a place of their own; they include coagulation, selective solution and adsorption. Ion-exchange method is a variation of adsorption process.

Coagulation is a process of increasing the size of contaminant particles, which can be present in the oil in finely dispersed or colloid state. Practically this is done by introducing special coagulants into the oil, such as surfactants, which have no electrolytic properties, carious organic or non-organic electrolytes, as well as high molecular hydrophilic compounds and colloid solutions of surfactants.

The duration of coagulation in used oil is 20 to 30 minutes on average. It depends on type and quantity of the coagulant, duration of contact with liquid, process temperature, efficiency of agitation etc.
After the process is complete, the enlarged particles can be removed from the oil, using settling, filtration or centrifuge separation.

Adsorption also involves the use of special adsorbent substances. They can trap contaminants on the surface of the granules or inside the capillaries inside the granules.

Adsorbents may come from various sources: natural (bauxites, natural zeolite, bleaching clay) or artificial (aluminum oxide, synthetic zeolite, alumina silicates and silica gels).

There are several types of adsorption purification.

Contact method involves mixing of oil with small particles of adsorbent. The draw back is the need to dispose of a large amount of the latter, posing an environmental hazard.

Percolation, when the product flows through the sorbent, also has drawbacks. One of the problems is that the sorbent, most often, silica gel, is a quite expensive material.

Countercurrent method involves movement of sorbent and oil in opposing directions.

GlobeCore offers equipment which utilizes special adsorbent filters. These filters can be reactivated. The CMM-4F plants, for instance, purifies industrial oils from free and solved water, solid particles, water soluble acids and alkali. The viscosity of the oil for processing must not exceed 70 cSt at 50 oC.

The unit may be used for installation, repairs and operation of oil filled equipment.

Depending on the task, the CMM-4F may be equipped with filter element for solid particles only, or one which also allows for adsorption of free and solved water.

Ion exchange purification occurs due to the ability of ion exchange resins to capture foreign materials. Ion exchange resins look like solid hygroscopic gels. They are produced by polymerization and polycondensation of water-insoluble organic compounds and hydrocarbons.

Waste industrial oil is mixed with 0.3 – 2 mm ionite granules. Percolation is another option, where oil passes through columns filled with ion exchange resin. Contaminant ions replace the ions in the resin. The resin must be flushed with solvent, dried or activated by sodium hydroxide solution after the process. Unfortunately, ion exchange resins cannot remove tar from the oil, however, they remove acidic contaminants quite well.

Selective purification is solution of separate contaminant in the oil: polycyclic hydrocarbons with short side chains, oxygen, sulfur and nitrogen compounds. Some of the possible solvents are nitrobenzol, phenol, furfurol, various spirits, acetone, methyl ketone and other like chemicals. A selective purification plant must be equipped with evaporators for distillation of the solvent.

Treating of the oil with propane is another case of selective purification. The effect is that hydrocarbons dissolve in oil, while asphaltenes and tar precipitate and settle.

Chemical methods involve reaction between the reagents introduced into the oil and contaminants. The reactions result in compounds which can easily be removed form the oil. Some of the reagents are acids, alkali, oxides, carbides and metal hydrides.

Hydrogen purification, sulfuric acid purification and sodium purification are some of the most widely used chemical methods.

The use of sulfuric acid is prevalent. However, it results in formation of large amounts of acid tar, which is difficult to dispose of and poses a significant environmental hazard. Sulfuric acid also cannot remove polycyclic arenes with highly toxic chlorine compounds.

From environmental viewpoint, the safest is hydrogen purification; the drawback being the large amounts of hydrogen consumed in the process.

Metal sodium is used for removal of tar, oxidation products, highly toxic chlorine compounds and additives from the oil. The results of the chemical reactions are polymers and salts of sodium with high boiling temperature, which allows to distillate the oil.