Emulsified industrial oils recycling

Technical Report · Thu Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5520069· OSTI ID:5520069

Gabris, T.

The industrial lubricant market has been analyzed with emphasis on current and/or developing recycling and re-refining technologies. This task has been performed for the United States and other industrialized countries, specifically France, West Germany, Italy and Japan. Attention has been focused at emulsion-type fluids regardless of the industrial application involved. It was found that emulsion-type fluids in the United States represent a much higher percentage of the total fluids used than in other industrialized countries. While recycling is an active matter explored by the industry, re-refining is rather a result of other issues than the mere fact that oil can be regenerated from a used industrial emulsion. To extend the longevity of an emulsion is a logical step to keep expenses down by using the emulsion as long as possible. There is, however, another important factor influencing this issue: regulations governing the disposal of such fluids. The ecological question, the respect for nature and the natural balances, is often seen now as everybody's task. Regulations forbid dumping used emulsions in the environment without prior treatment of the water phase and separation of the oil phase. This is a costly procedure, so recycling is attractive since it postpones the problem. It is questionable whether re-refining of these emulsions - as a business - could stand on its own if these emulsions did not have to be taken apart for disposal purposes. Once the emulsion is separated into a water and an oil phase, however, re-refining of the oil does become economical.

• Research Organization: Springborn Labs., Inc., Enfield, CT (USA); Department of Energy, Bartlesville, OK (USA). Bartlesville Energy Technology Center
• DOE Contract Number: AC19-80BC10183
• OSTI ID: 5520069
• Report Number(s): DOE/BC/10183-1; ON: DE82009992
• Resource Relation: Other Information: Portions of document are illegible
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
LUBRICATING OILS
REFINING
WASTE OILS
RECYCLING
DEMULSIFICATION
EMULSIONS
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
FRANCE
ITALY
JAPAN
REGULATIONS
ULTRAFILTRATION
USA
ASIA
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
EUROPE
FILTRATION
LUBRICANTS
NORTH AMERICA
OILS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OTHER ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PROCESSING
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WESTERN EUROPE
020800* - Petroleum- Waste Management