Energy Efficient Process for the Separation of Oil from Oil Storage Tank Bottom Sludge

Technology: Apparatus for measurement of tribological quantities;

Industry: Oil Plant, Manufacturing/Chemical; Applications: Waste Management, Catalyst;

Market: The global oil & gas separation equipment market is projected to $11.37B by 2030, at a CAGR of 4.7% during 2022-2030.

In the present era, Thermal separation is an effective method of treating oil sludges; and microwave application in oil sludge treatment provides many advantageous features including some disadvantages.
A few prior arts both patent literatures and non-patent literatures have been discussed herein, wherein the issues occurred in the prior arts methods consists of long time taking to clear the oil sludge, required more operational cost including tedious process and produce low yield oil & gas.
However, said prior arts do not disclosed the recovery of oil either from sludge using spent catalyst or from oily sludge including other associated process.
Hence, there is a need to mitigate above challenges & provide efficient solution.

Patent subject matter discloses a compact microwave pyrolysis-based process for cleaning different oil sludge from tank bottom.
Discussed said energy efficient process/method & system for the separation of oil from oil storage tank bottom sludge.
Said method comprises steps of
Preheating the oily sludge by preheating means, & vacuum drying to get a mixture of oily sludge & susceptor material;
Thermal conversion of oily sludge & susceptor material by thermal conversion means in microwave assisted heating into a mixture of oily sludge and susceptor material.
Vapour generated from the thermal conversion means are condensed in a three-stage condenser & non-condensable gases are thermally oxidized.
Further the energy efficient system comprises of preheating means, vacuum dryer, thermal conversion means, microwave assisted heater, condensing means.

Technical Perspective:

Claimed method is used for the reuse of the waste from refineries as susceptor for the removal & recovery of oil from sludge.
Utilizes the refinery waste as susceptor which serves the dual purpose of catalyst waste disposal & oil sludge treatment.
Said method & system reduces the reaction temperature & heat input, results in saving energy, & which is environment friendly.
Present invention includes microwave pyrolysis; refinery waste susceptors; spent catalyst; spent graphite that cracks the oily sludge at low temperature in the range of 300-450oC, & oil & gas yield incresed.
Facilitates a more robust & improved system for recovering higher oil percentage and very less coke yield.
The characterization of tank bottom sludge viz., pH, moisture and VH content & the viscosity of oil spill sludge, elemental composition and GC-MS analysis of Petroleum hydrocarbon finger printing are given in Table.1.

Industrial Perspective:

Less time consumption, operational cost minimized & improves the yield & quality of the fuel oil resulting in lower emissions.
The system manages the waste locally & there is reduced time taking for treatment & less cost spent on logistics.

User Perspective:

Prof. Indumathi M Nambi,

Department of Civil Engineering.

TRL- 4

Technology validated in Lab

Technology Transfer