Waste Lubricant Resource Recovery
The customer is an environmental technology enterprise located in the Southwest region, responsible for the centralized recovery and reclamation of waste mineral oil (mainly waste lubricants) generated by the regional machinery manufacturing, mining, and transportation industries.
Under complex industrial and mining conditions, the recovered waste oil composition is unstable, posing challenges for subsequent processes:
High-load solid contaminants: Waste oil from mining equipment contains high levels of mud and wear metal debris (iron, aluminum, copper, etc.), causing frequent scaling and blockage of downstream heat exchangers.
Carbon black and gum deposition: Carbon black and oxidized resins (sludge) generated after high-temperature failure of lubricants are highly adhesive, making it difficult for ordinary centrifugal equipment to physically separate them at high flow rates.
High maintenance costs: If pre-purification is inadequate, impurities entering the distillation tower will cause bottom coking, and shutdowns for tower cleaning result in losses.
Limited reclaimed oil grade: Waste oil not deeply purified will have poor color after reclamation, with excessive impurity content, making it difficult to meet the blending requirements for high-end industrial lubricants.
A 30m³/h waste oil dedicated process purification unit was customized for this environmental production line:
High-viscosity compatibility: For the high viscosity and low-temperature flowability of waste oil, the system's pump pressure and flow channel structure are optimized to ensure a constant 30m³/h throughput; equipped with a heating system to reduce oil viscosity.
Multi-stage gradient filtration: Using staged gradient interception technology (10–25 μm), first capturing large metal debris particles, then capturing micron-level carbon black and sludge through high-precision media. The concentrated sludge is classified as hazardous waste (HW08 category) and requires compliant collection and disposal.
Anti-corrosion compatible design: Considering that waste oil may contain acidic components and additive residues, the entire unit uses corrosion-resistant seal materials and special inner-layer treatment, with contact parts made of 316L stainless steel.
Intelligent pressure management: For the filter-clogging tendency of waste oil, equipped with a high-sensitivity differential pressure compensation system and differential pressure alarm, ensuring operational safety; features automatic backwash function.
The introduction of the 30m³/h purification system improved the customer's waste oil reclamation process. High-flow pre-treatment reduced the burden on subsequent distillation, and the reclaimed base oil quality improved, achieving a higher market premium. According to customer feedback, distillation equipment cleaning cycles were extended approximately 1x, and the output purity reached a good level within the region.
In the circular economy, waste oil is not garbage but a resource. This 30m³/h system is the core equipment of our factory's pre-treatment line. It handles relatively dirty waste oil, preparing it for reclamation. Since installation, our distillation efficiency has improved, and the final output purity is at a good level within the region.