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Oil Purification Methods GlobeCore

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Oil Purification systems

Classic Ways of Used Oil Purification

In today’s industrial environment, all the Used Oil Purification Methods are divided into such groups as:

  1. Physical Used Oil Purification Method;
  2. Chemical Used Oil Purification Method;
  3. Combined Method of Used Oil Purification.

A particular purification method is chosen depending on the amount and the degree of the used oil’s contamination.  If oil is contaminated only with mechanical impurities, then it may be enough to carry out a simple purification.  But sometimes, oil that is very contaminated should be processed by chemical reagents.

Transformer oil purificaiton

Transformer oil purificaiton

Physical Oil Purification Methods

Physical methods provide for removing only mechanical impurities such as sand, dust, metallic particles, resinous, and coke-like and carbon materials.  In this way, the chemical base of the oil being processed remains unchanged.

In practical terms, physical methods such as sedimentation, filtration, centrifugal separation, distillation of fuel and water washing have gained a widespread acceptance in the industry today.

Sedimentation

Sedimentation is considered to be the first, and a necessary stage of the purification process. It consists in quiescent sedimentation of mechanical impurities and water that are in a suspended state.  In this case, gravitational force plays a very essential role.  According to the Stokes equation, we may say that the greater size and the specific weight of the mechanical particles, the faster the mechanical particles will settle down.

Metallic particles, resinous substances and coke-like materials are more likely to settle down than any other substances.  It is worth mentioning that the  used oil sedimentation method does not always lead to the desired effect.  Sometimes, even when the processing time is increased, the majority of the impurities will remain in a suspension phase.  This always happens when purifying used diesel and automobile oils that contain dispersing additives  as well as oils that are contaminated by finely divided additives.

Oil Separation

Separation features a centrifugal process. Centrifugal forces exert influence on the heaviest particles that tend to be drawn to the vessel walls thereby forming a circular sedimentary horizon. The second sedimentation layer consists of water when the third one – of purified oil.

 Oil Filtration

Filtration consists in separating inhomogeneous systems with diffusion barriers.  They are able to retain some particles and at the same time  give way to other particles.

Fuel Distillation

Fuel distillation is applied when processing oils from internal combustion engines.  It is impossible to obtain oil of the necessary viscosity and with the required flash point without fuel distillation.  The difference between boiling temperatures of oil and fuel is the basis for fuel distillation.   When heating up the used material, the fuel, and then oil, will start to evaporate.  When oil fractions start evaporating, the heat should be removed.

Water Washing

Water washing is applied if oils need to be cleaned from acid products (water-soluble low-molecular acids and soaps).  Water washing however, will not restore the performance characteristics of oil completely if it has become old and highly contaminated.  When acids are dissolved, water is separated from oil at 60ºС in the course of using the separation method.

Physicochemical Used Oil Purification Methods

Coagulation

Coagulation allows for improvement of used oil filtration as well as removal of impurities that are in a suspension state or have not been removed in the coarse of other physical methods.  Coagulation is a coalescence of colloid particles.  This method may be implemented if:

  1.  to add special agents to oil (electrolyte and non-electrolyte fluids);
  2.  to perform mechanical effects (blending or shaking);
  3. to heat or to cool the oil;
  4. to pass the electric current;
  5. to use radial energy.

In each case, coagulation occurs since the connection between contaminated particles and their dispersed medium become weak.

Substances that cause coagulation are divided into four groups such as:

  1. electrolyte fluids (trisodium phosphate, calcinated water). They create a double electric field on the surface of the particles;
  2. ionic surface agents with active organic cation or anion;
  3. non-ionic surfactants;
  4. Surface-active colloids and hydrophilic high-molecular compounds.

The following is a description of a common coagulation procedure. At the first stage, oil is heated up to between 75º and 90ºC and then is blended with a 10% solution of coagulant for between 20 and 30 minutes.  Then it is allowed to settle down for 2 days.  Oil is treated on a special equipment after the sediments are removed.

Adsorption

Adsorption consists in retaining impurities on the surface of adsorber material.  The latter is able to retain asphaltic resinous substances such as acid compounds, ethers and other products of aging.

The distinctive feature of this method is that it is easy-to-perform and can be used to purify the majority of the used oils.  Substances such as silica gel, aluminium oxide, bleaching clays and silica-alumina catalysts may serve as adsorbents.

The majority of them are artificial and very expensive.  Bleaching clays however, are an exception since they have good adsorption properties and are typically derived from deposits commonly found most everywhere in the Earth.

ChemicalUsed Oil Purification Methods

Sulfuric Acid Refining

Sulfuric Acid refining is one of the oldest, but still one of the most effecive methods of oil purification.  It is used in the oil industry to remove  asphalt resinous substances,  acid containing and sulphur containing compounds, as well as other hazardous impurities.  Sulfuric acid refining results in obtaining a substance that is divided into two liquid phases.

On top, there is acid oil and on the bottom, an acid sludge.  Almost all hazardous wastes (except organic acids) are removed from the used oils together with acid sludge though the majority of the oil’s carbons will remain unchanged.

Alkali Purification

Alkali purification may be:

  1. an independent stage of purification;
  2. an initial phase of the alkali-earth purification;
  3. a final phase of  sulfuric acid refining.

Usually, caustic soda, calcined soda and trisodium phosphate are required to carry out the alkali purification.  As a result of the purification, there are sodium salts (soaps) that can be easily turned into the alkali solution. Additionally, soaps are usually easily and well dissolved in hot water.

When alkali purification is complete, oil should be allowed to settle down.

Combined Methods of Used Oil Purification

Taking everything into consideration, it is clear that oil should be processed by more than one recgonized method to obtain the desirable effect of the purification process.  In practical terms, a combination of methods is applied to purify oil.  GlobeCore is in the business of purification and regeneration of different types of mineral oils using classical as well as new and innovative methods.  GlobeCore’s advanced technology provides for the complete restoration of the performance characteristics of dielectric oil and other industrial oil and fluids while at the same time reducing operating costs and maintenance costs.

With GlobeCore equipment, you will be able to reduce your need to spend money on new oil purchase since regenerated oil is restored to its new like condiction and des not need to be replaced with expensive new oil.

The fact that GlobeCore equipment is environmentally friendly is of great benefit to the power transmission industry.  GlobeCore oil purification units produce no hazardous waste.  Adsorbent materials, used in GlobeCore equipment, are reactivated directly in the unit and may be used for between 2 and 3 years before being disposed of as non-hazardous waste.

Used Oil and Environmental Issues: Oil Reclamation is the Best Solution

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Problems with mineral oil usage and its disposal are usually closely connected.  In today’s modern industrialized world, used petroleum products are one of the most widely found industrial waste products.  Used oil can be a threat to the environment by contaminating the soil, water and the atmosphere.

Approximately twenty percent (20%) of  contamination found in water resources is caused by human activity.  Used oil accounts for sixty percent  (60%) of this unwanted contamination.

There is no doubt that used oil reclamation is of a great importance.  Used oil disposal by means of combustion causes even more environmental problems.  That is why used oil waste products have both an economic significance and environmental significance.

Water resources and soil can become contaminated due to used oil drainage and leakage, while the atmosphere is polluted by the burning of used oil products.  GlobeCore is a modern company that supports the idea of solving environmental issues. GlobeCore believes that it is better to prevent possible contamination in the first place thereby and eliminating the consequences before they happen.

Large amounts of financial and human resources are spent each year to clean and/or safeguard the environment from man made pollution.  These efforts are not enough however, to completely solve the man made waste problem.  That is why new and more environmentally safer technologies and equipment are needed throughout all industrial sectors.

Used oil reclamation equipment from GlobeCore is now being delivered to private and public companies all over the world.  The GlobeCore used oil reclamation /regeneration units are able to restore used oil to its original new like condition thereby eliminating the need to dispose of the used oil.

Thus the chain of buying, using, and disposing and replacing is broken.  Used oil will not get into the soil and waterways because it is being restored and placed back into service.  Moreover, it is still used in the industrial cycle.  The Globecore Process eliminates oil waste and reduces the need to buy new replacement oil.  The environment wins and your company will save money.

Modern oil reclamation technologies for oil processing will increase oil filled equipment reliability and reduce maintenance and operating expenses.  The uniqueness of GlobeCore technology is best demonstrated by the careful and energy efficient processing of transformer oil.  This helps both to eliminate undesired impurities and to restore the oil’s performance characteristics back to acceptable international standards.

Restoring the used oil’s performance characteristics is obtained through the application of a modern process that includes filtering, heating, evacuation and replacement back to the oil filled equipment.  This is all performed without having to replace the sorbent materials since the sorbent is reactivated without the need for disposal.  The GlobeCore Process therefore, is the most environmentally friendly oil restoration process in the world today.

The GlobeCore reclamation process saves the environment and saves you money.

GlobeCore Has Presented its Equipment in Armenia

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In February, GlobeCore staff delivered another presentation on its equipment.

GlobeCore managers visited Yerevan in order to meet with representatives of the power industry in Armenia.  The peculiarities of equipment, designed to purify and regenerate transformer oil and maintain power transformers were the main topics of the lecture. All the questions arouse were satisfied.

After the samples of used oil were processed on the GlobeCore unit, the people present had no doubts that GlobeCore equipment was able to solve even the most complicated tasks. It is easy-to-use and eco-friendly, reduces operational costs and valuable raw material.

In general, both parties were very satisfied by the results of the meeting. GlobeCore has gained new experience communicating with specialists of the electric power industry and the representatives of Armenia have received a great possibility to solve the problems, accumulated for decades.

Transformer Damage and Oil Regeneration/Oil Reclamation

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An electric power transformer Damage is one of the most important elements of the modern electric grid no matter where in the world a particula grid may be located.  Transformer failures result in significant financial expenditures, and will require the transmission company to buy new transforners or repair the damaged ones at significant cost and service interuptions.

Many historians note that there was great industrial boom observed in the first decade followintg the end of World War II.  At that time, there was a rapid increase in electric power consumption.  To meet the growing demand for electric power, new transformers had to constantly be put into operation.  Since that time, mant of the older transformers have become outdated and pose a big risk of unscheduled service interuptions.

Older transformers’ obsolescence however, is not the only problem facing the modern power grids.  The power loads on the obsolete transformers are increasing because of ever increasing power consumption.  It requires significant expenditures to replace the broken or obsolete transformer since the price for a new transformer is very high.

It is therefore, advisable to take measures to extend the service life of transformers already in service.  To succeed in undertaking a sucessful preventive maintenance program, one should understand the nature of the failures that make transformers unserviceable in the first place.

In 2003, the International Association of Engineering Insurers (IMIA) started to explore the reasons for transformer failures servicing the combined USA power grids.  The results were rather interesting.  Table 1 shows the economic losses caused by different types of transformer failures.

Table 1

Economical Losses Caused by Different Transformer failures

Nature of Failure

Amount of Cases

Economical Loss in $
Insulation defects

24%

149,967,277.00
Problems with designing, material or installation

22%

64,969,051.00
Unknown failures

15%

29,776,245.00
Oil contamination

4%

11,836,367.00
Overloading

5%

8,568,768.00
Inflammation/explosion

3%

8,045,771.00
Network overvoltage

4%

4,959,691.00
Operational failures

5%

3,518,783.00
Water ingress

2%

2,240,198.00
Poor contacts

6%

2,186,725.00
Lightning stroke

3%

657,935.00
Insulation moistening

1%

175,000.00
In total

94%

286,628,811.00

It is not an overstatement to say that if proper and timely preventive maintenance of the insulating systems is performed, many, if not all transformer failures can be prevented.  The insulating system of the power transformer consists of bith solid and liquid insulation.  The solid insulation is made of hygroscopic material (cellulose) also known as “Kraft Paper.”  The liquid insulation features a dielectric fluid known as transformer insulating oil.  In general, these two kinds of insulation are interdependent, but also help to contaminate each because degradation products from the solid insulation may get into oil and oil oxidation sludges may penetrate into the solid insulation from the oil.  Simply changing the transformer oil therefore, will not completely resolve the problem of restoring and cleaning the entire insulation system.  Unfortunatelt, oxidation products are accumulated in the cellulose insulation and are not removed when oil is simply changed.  And when only an oil changed is performed, these oxidation products will migrate get into new oil accelerating the aging process of the new oil and shortening its effective service life.  Additionally, the contamination that remains in the solid insulation will continue to degrade and damage the Kraft Paper leading to transformer failure.

This problem may be solved with the advanced GlobeCore regeneration technologies.  The GlobeCore mobile oil recycling stations, designated as the CMM-R line of equipment may be connected to either an energized or non-energized transformer.  In such a way, oil is circulated through a closed path: used oil flows to the oil treatment station and goes back to the transformer being cleaned and restored.  The contaminants resulting from the aging process are washed out due to the constant circulation. This advanced type of equipment performs a complete oil regeneration service and removes all contamination for the transformer core, windings and solid insulation.

GlobeCore mobile oil stations perform  the following operations:

  1. filtration with or without heating (processed oil is of 9th ISO 4406 purity class and with nominal filtration fineness, ranging from 0.5…1 micron);
  2. dehydration (the moisture content of the processed oil is no more than 5 g/t (5ppm);
  3. degassing (volumetric gas content of the processed oil is no more than 0.1 %);
  4. increase the dielectric breakdown voltage (no less than  70 kV (kilovolt));
  5. drying of electrical equipment and oil purification simultaneously;
  6. regenerate insulating oil, using bleaching clay;
  7. vacuum transformers and other electrical equipment;
  8. remove acids;
  9. remove soluble oil decomposition products;
  10. lighten insulating oil; and
  11. restore oxidation and gasification stability;

The GlоbeCоre technologies provide for service life extension of transformers and reduction of financial expenditures on maintenance.  Save money with GlоbeCоre!

Oil Reclamation as a Method of Improving Power SubStations

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Uninterrupted transformer oil regeneration

Industry is always looking for new ways in how to improve the efficiency of existing electric power transformers since the price for new equipment has been increasing significantly in the past twenty years.  Distribution substations and the transmission network are constantly working at peak or near peak capacity and that leads to much more rapid transformer wear and aging.  Especially hard hit is the transformer’s liquid and solid insulation.

If the insulating system is in bad condition, the dielectric properties of insulating oil will be reduced.  For such a prolem, GlobeCore has developed technology for the regeneration and purification of contaminated oil that restores the oil to its original new like condition.  Using this advance new technology, oil is circulated through the special regeneration columns filled with Fuller’s Earth sorbent materials.  Contaminated oil flows to the oil station and is sent back to the transformer in a clean, new like condition.

Since oil is continuously circulated through the unit, the contaminated oil residues are washed out from the transformer.  Fuller’s Earth (a naturally-occurring sorbent) absorbs impurities and contaminants.   The regeneration time will depend on the amount of oil that needs to be regenerated and the degree of its contamination.

GlоbeCоre equipment is desiged to work on energized transformers so there will be no, or minimal service interuptions.  Another benefit of GlobeCore equipment is that its mobility allows the operators to serve multiple pieces of equipment in remote locations without having to evacuate the transformer to a repair or maintenance facility.

GlobeCore regeneration technology allows transformer services companies to:

(1) restore oil to its original like new condition;

(2) extend the service life of transformers and improve their efficiency;

(3) carry out “preventive maintenance” in order to eliminate the need for corrective mainatenance;

(4) greatly reduce the need to by new oil;

(5) eliminate the need to dispose of used oil; and

(6) eliminate the risk of service trouble during power equipment operation;

GlobeCore technology provides for transformer service life extension, reduction in financial expenditures and improvement of equipment efficiency.  Contaminated oil residues significanly reduce the service life of windings and operational reliability of transformers.  Aging of oil-cellulose insulation may lead to irreversible consequences during  its expected service life.

GlobeCore technology increases transformer service life thereby reducing operating costs and improving operational reliability.

Contaminated oil residues reduce significantly the service life of windings and the transformer’s operational reliability.  Despite the fact that oil-cellulose insulation may be used for more than 25 years, contaminated oil will cause premature failure of the transformer long before the transformer is ready for retirement.

Factors that have a negative impact on the insulation system of the transformer

Factors

GlobeCore’s Equipment is Environmentally-Friendly

Oil Regeneration is better than an oil change

It is better to regenerate oil than to simply change it.  Products of degradation that have accumulated in the transformer’s solid insulation will get into the new oil within a few months of the oil change.  As a result, the new oil will lose its performance characteristics much more rapidly than with the GlobeCore rengernation process.

GlobeCore equipment is considered to be revolutionary since Fuller’s Earth (the active adsorbent filtering system) is able to absorb products of degradation.  Additionally, oil that is regenerated with GlobeCore equipment is much more resistant to aging.  When only changing the oil, there is always up to 15% of the contaminated oil left in the transformer that will accelerate the new oil’s aging.

Due to advanced GlobeCore technology, all contaminated oil residues are washed out of the transformer by the hot oil being circulated through a closed loop that includes the regeneration equipment and the transformer.

GlobeCore’s regeneration technology is eco-friendly does not generate hazardous waste while regenerating transformer oil and other industrial fluids and oils.  The Fuller’s Earth, used in the GlobeCore CMM-R line of equipment, absorbs all impurities and is reactivated directly in the equipment precluding the need to stop and dispose of used sorbent during the processing job.  Each load of Fuller’s Earth will last up to 300 regeneration cycles before needing to be replaced.

CMM-12R(2)

GlobeCore CMM-R line of equipment

GlobeCore technology distinguishes itself through the following features:

  •    Continuous autmoated and remote internet operation;
  •    Operating Cost reductions;
  •    Long-lasting oil and fluid purification effect;and
  •    Complete removal of contamnants from oil and solid insulation.

Removing Contaminants from Transformers

If your comapny does not perform reglarly scheduled preventive maintenance, unwanted sediments and other contaminants will accumulate in the crital areas of your transformers.  As a result, the performance characteristics of dielectric insulating oil will be reduced and the likelyhood of a transformer insulation failure will be greatly increased.

The GlobeCore Process of regeneraing dielectric insulating oil is able to dissolve and remove sediments at high temperatures from the transformer’s core and solid insulation. Even previously accumulated sediments may be dissolved and removed from the entire transformer.

The following table shows the limiting values of transformer oil that indicate when it is necessary to regenerate the transformer’s dielectric oil.

Performance Characteristic

Value

Acid number

>0.08 mgKOH/g of oil

Dielectric losses at 90⁰C (40 and 60 Hz)

>0.2 for power transformers and reactors with voltage more than 170 kW.

>0.50 for power transformers and reactors with voltage less than 170 kW.

Inhibitor content

Inhibitor additve concentration <.4%

Acidity and  surface tension correlation

Acidity > 0.6 mgKOH/g of oil and surface tension <30 mN/m

Sediments

perceptible sediments

Additionally, IEC Standard 60422 recommends to regenerate oil if the performance characteristics of the oil are reduced.

Benefits of Preventive Maintenance

The degradation effects suffered by the solid insultaion found in the modern oil filled electric power transformer are irreversible.  Solid insulation degradation cannot be repaired through any modern regeneration technologies on the world market today.  Regeneration therefore, should be considered as a preventive mantenance procedure as opposed to a corrective maintenance procedure.  The GlobeCore “Service Life Extension Program” uses advanced modern technolgy to remove moisture and contaminants that degrade the transformer’s solid insulation.  It provides for the service life extension of the transformer by removing the progressive aging contaminant from the solid insulation.

CMM-P

GlobeCore CMM-R oil processing units

The table below shows the results of the physicochemical analysis of transformer oil that has been regenerated using the GlobeCore CMM-R oil processing units.

The Results of Physicochemical Analysis of Transformer Oil  

№

Characteristic

Before regeneration

After regeneration

IEC 60296 standard

1

 Physical form

Cloudy, dark brown

Pure, clear

Pure, without sediments

2

Acid number,  mg KOH/g oil

0.63

0.01

0.01

3

 Corrosive sulphur

+

none

none

4

 Moisture content, ррm, no more than

170

5

30-40

5

 Breakdown voltage, kW

11

73

30-70

6

 Dielectric dissipation factor at 90ºС, %

4.0

0.001

0.005
7 Gas content, %

12

0.1

–

8

 Surface tension at 25ºС, mN/m

22

45

40

9

 Mechanical impurities in microns

50

0.2

–

10

 Oxidation resistance test:– acid number mg of KOH/g oil

–

0.2

1.2

After regeneration, oil that has been used for many years is restored to its original new like condition and its dielectric properties are kept stable during many years of future service.

GlobeCore regeneration units substantially extend the service life of electric power transformers.

Recycling of Used Lubricating Oil

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Almost every production process results in waste products that can be used as raw materials for some other form of new production.  The diminishing supply of oil resources will result in the recycling of industrial wastes in order to get new raw materials.

Such a term as ‘used lubricating oil’ (ULO) can be found in scientific publications, but  what does it mean?

ULO is oil which previously had been in some type of industrial service and, as a result, became contaminated by physical and/or chemical impurities.   The main difficulty is that when the oil was in service, some contaminants (water, dirt, metal particles, and chemicals) made the lubricating oil unfit for use.

Nowadays, ULO is one of the most common technogenic wastes that can cause serious environmental problems.  The statistics show that the spent oil makes up about 20% of the total amount pollution found in surface water.

The recycling of used lubricating oil is of great importance because other ways (dumping or incineration of wastes) may lead to even greater environmental problems that result in great financial expenditures.

It is worth noting that the recycling methods must be chosen in such a way that they do not constitute threats to the biosphere.  If you have read publications, dedicated to recycling of used lubricating oil, you may come across various terms such as recycling, purification, or regeneration.

The term ‘purification’ means a continuous or periodic processing of  lubricating oil using such units as sedimentation tanks, filters, centrifuges, or adsorbers.  An important point is that the final product of the purification process does not always match the quality of fresh oil.  The purification may be followed by decoloration of used oil, but sometimes the performance characteristics may be below the acceptable range.  Creation of some circular contours may be necessary to purify used oil without its discharge from the oil filled equipment.  This procedure may be applied to engine, turbine, industrial as well as all kinds of transformer oils.

The term ‘regeneration’ usually means the procedures, aimed at reclamation of used oil’s performance characteristics to those of the initial product.

Regeneration is a set of more complex physical and chemical processes such as coagulation, adsorption, or sulfuric acid refining.

The de-sludging, filtration, centrifugation and vacuum processing are the major methods of the used oil reclamation process.  More complex physical and chemical methods are applied if the oil is very contaminated or very old.  The on-site regeneration of used lubricating oil can be very cost effective.

GlоbeCоre has developed and is still producing a variety of mobile oil stations in the  CMM , CFU and CMM equipment lines.  GlobeCore’s modern and efficient oil procesing equipment allows the equipment owners to extend the service life of oils and thereby greatly reducing the costs of new replacement oil.

GlоbeCоre produces equipment of German quality, which is recognized in more than 70 countries of the world.

A proper choice of oil purification equipment allows equipment owners and operators to solve a wide range of tasks that greatly benefit their production processes.

Many countries have practiced a method of separate collection of used oil that allows the companies to get a high-quality product, as well as a minimum amount of waste products from the regeneration and recycling processes.

It is therefore, the problem of collection and regeneration of used lubricating oil is of vital importance nowadays.  If performed properly, the cost for regenerated oil may be reduced by 40-70% as compared with the new oil.

A New Model of the CFU Unit Line Has Been Designed

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In December 2014, GlobeCore succeeded in designing a new model for their CFU unit line of equipment.

Oil filtration units are best suited for the installation, repair and operating of oil filled equipment.  They are designed to remove mechanical impurities from lube oil and industrial oils.

This equipment allows for such operations as:

(1) oil service life extension;

(2) trouble free servicing; and

(3) on-site oil processing.

Unlike the existing CFU units, the new model is fitted with an additional intermediate container.  With the help of this container, used oil may be collected from tanks situated in different parts of the workshop.  To meet the customer’s needs, the processing power of the new CFU units has been increased from 160 litres per hour to four square meters (4m3) per hour.  Special filters that remove moisture may be mounted into this new model of the CFU units.

Review of used oil reclamation methods

Case Studies Of Oil Reclamation, ,

Oils cannot by just dumped into the environment, being a hazard for the environment and health. Disposal of oil is a costly process, so the ideal solution is to restore the oil and its future reuse. The following is a summary of the existing oil restoration methods.

Physical methods of oil reclamation allow to remove solid particles and droplets of water from the oil. Tar and coke can be partially removed.

The idea of the physical methods is self-explanatoty: the oil is subjected to various fields and filtered, washed, vacuumized and distilled (to remove volatile fractions).

One of the popular methods of oil reclamation is settling. Its attractiveness is due to its simplicity: solid particles settle naturally. Collecting the contaminant is quite simple. However, the disadvantages of the method (process duration and removal of only the largest particles) limit its use as an independent process. Settling is most often used as a preliminary stage before filtering or centrifuging.

Filtration allows to remove particulate matter and tar. It is dony by installing special porous or mesh filters into the system.

The most efficient way to remove particulate matter and water is centrifuging. Used oil fractions are separated in the centrifuges under the influence of centrifugal force. This approach also helps to restore the oil to the following parameters:

  •    removal of solid particles to 0.005% by weight
  •    removal of water down up 0.6% by weight.

Physical and chemical methods of oil reclamation – these are coagulation, adsorption and selective purification. Ion-exchange purification is a case of adsorption purification.

Coagulation – is a process of forced enlargement of colloid particles in the oil. It starts by adding coagulants to the oil. The efficiency of the process is defined by the amount of the coagulant, duration of contact with the oil, intensity of agitation, temperature etc.

Adsorption purification utilizes the ability of bleaching earths, natural zeolite, silica gel, alumina silicates etc to capture contaminants. These substances are cold adsorbents.

Ion-exchange is based on the ability of ion-exchange resins to capture contaminants, however, not all, but only those that can dissociate into ions in solved state. This method allows to restore the oil by removing acidic contaminants.

Selective purification is described in more detail here: selective oil reclamation.

Chemical methods are based on the ability of contaminants to reactor with special reagents. The result of the reaction is easy to remove from the product.

Restoration of Used Oil by Physical and Chemical Methods

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The following are some of the most popular oil regeneration methods and represent a combination of physical and chemical purification methods.  These methods include Ion exchange, coagulation, selective contaminate solution and adsorption.

The process of coagulation makes particulate matter in the oil larger grow larger.  This is possible with the introduction of special coagulants into the oil.  The process is governed by the amount of coagulant added, the duration of its contact with the oil, and the temperature and stirring efficiency. Particles grow for 20 to 30 minutes in the oil allowing them to be processed out through filters or centrifuges with relative ease because of the larger size.

Adsorption purification uses special substances that capture contaminants either on the surface of their granules or inside capillaries found within the granules.  Adsorbents can be both natural and artificial.  The former include clays, zeolites and bauxites.  The latter include alumina oxide, synthetic zeoline, silica gels and alumina silicates..

There are several different widely used Adsorption methods.  The Contact method involves mixing oil with small particles of sorbent.  Oil can also pass through a layer of sorbent which is known as the percolation method.  In the counter-current process, oil and sorbent move in opposite directions and towards each other to remove contaminates from the oil.

The contact method requires large amounts of adsorbent which may contaminate the environment and requires disposal increasing environmental hazards and labor costs.

The Percolation method involves the use of expensive silica gel.  The “Counter-Current” method therefore, is considered the most promising.  This process is continuous, and the adsorbent does not require replacement, regeneration or filtration.  It is environmentally friendly and is more cost effective because it re-uses the sorbent material and reduces labor costs.

GlobeCore’s CMM-R transformer oil regeneration units are capable of producing excellent results.  GlobeCore units use an environmentally friendly Fuller’s Earth sorbent material (a type of bleaching clay).  These machines restore the dielectric strength and chemical composition of transformer oil and extend the transformer’s service life.  During the process, the oil is purified, decay products and acids are removed, the color is improved, and oxidation stability is increased. GlobeCore’s CMM-R units allow processing of oil directly in the transformer either online or offline.  A significant advantage of the GlobeCore Process is the use of Fuller’s Earth that can be reactivated multiple times.  This allows the CMM-R Unit to continuously process oil without the need to dispose of and replace the sorbent material after each regeneration cycle.

The Ion exchange purification method is based on the ability of “ion exchange resins” to capture contaminants that dissociate into ions in a dissolved state.  Structurally, ion exchange resins are solid gels made by polymerization and poly condensation of organic substances.  They are insoluble in water and carbon-based liquids.

Purification may also be performed by contact or a percolation process.  In the first case, processed oil is mixed with 0.3 – 2 mm granules of the resin.  In the second case, oil passes through a special column filled with ion exchange resin.  As ion exchange occurs, ions of contaminants replace ions of the resin in the structural frame.  To restore the ion exchange resin, it is rinsed with a solvent, dried and activated by a 5% solution of sodium hydroxide.  Ion exchange resins allow for the removal of acidic compounds from the oil, but cannot remove tar.

In the case of selective purification of used oil, various components such as oxygen, acids, and nitrogen compounds are solved selectively.   The usual solvents are nitrobenzol, acetone, various spirits, phenol (and its mix with cresol), methyl ethyl cetone and others.  Selective purification units are designed as mixer/setting tanks with additional evaporators for solvent distillation.

An example of selective purification is “propane treatment” of oil. It can solve the oil’s hydrocarbons and precipitate asphalt and tar that is present in the oil in the form of colloids.

Of all of the above methods, the GlobeCore Process, using an automatically reactivated Fuller’s Earth system of filtration, is the most advanced and most cost effective method of oil regeneration in the world today.

Its time to get with the Process, The GlobeCore Process!