See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338152590 Re-refining of used lubricating oil by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film evaporation technique Article in Petroleum Science and Technology · December 2019 DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2019.1704782 CITATIONS READS 9 4,700 2 authors: Hozan jalal Saleem Abdulsalam Rahim Karim University of Sulaimani University of Sulaimani 4 PUBLICATIONS 12 CITATIONS 12 PUBLICATIONS 51 CITATIONS SEE PROFILE All content following this page was uploaded by Hozan jalal Saleem on 30 December 2019. The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. SEE PROFILE Petroleum Science and Technology ISSN: 1091-6466 (Print) 1532-2459 (Online) Journal homepage: https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/lpet20 Re-refining of used lubricating oil by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film evaporation technique Hozan Jalal Saleem & Abdulsalam Rahim Karim To cite this article: Hozan Jalal Saleem & Abdulsalam Rahim Karim (2019): Re-refining of used lubricating oil by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film evaporation technique, Petroleum Science and Technology, DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2019.1704782 To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2019.1704782 View supplementary material Published online: 24 Dec 2019. Submit your article to this journal View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at https://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=lpet20 PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY https://doi.org/10.1080/10916466.2019.1704782 Re-refining of used lubricating oil by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film evaporation technique Hozan Jalal Saleem and Abdulsalam Rahim Karim Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Iraq ABSTRACT Re-refining of used lubricating oil has appeared as a valuable technique to re-refining of used engine and industrial oils. This paper focused on the vacuum distillation thin wiped film evaporation technique of used lubricating oil recycling. The whole process consists of dehydration, gas oil evaporation, thin wiped film evaporation and clay treatment. The produced base oils are in group I through determination of sulfur contents, percentage of saturate compounds and viscosity indexes. The obtained results are practicable with most of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) properties and reduced most of worn metals in the refined base oils. KEYWORDS ED-XRF; refined base oils; re-refining; ULOs; VDTWF 1. Introduction Lubricating oil is an important liquid used to reduce scraping, abrasions and friction of the tribological pieces of machine parts by putting a film of material between rubbings surface, thereby reducing the amount of wear metals in the machine oil (Hsu and Liu 2011, Laad and Jatti 2018, Wolak, Zaja˛c, and GołeR biowski 2019). It can be used to cool and clean the machine parts, but it is deteriorating during operation because of oxidation and contamination (Speight and Exall 2014). The advanced lubricating oil is made of base oil which is blended with chemical additives according to its grade and specific demand (Mohammed et al. 2013). The main elements in the lubricating oil additives are zinc, phosphorous, calcium and sulfur (Fujita, Campbell, and Zielinska 2006). Used lubricating oil (ULO) often referred to as petroleum derived or synthetic lube oil which has been contaminated by physical or chemical impurities (Speight and Exall 2014). It contains a blend of base oil, worn metals, water, sludge, and oxidation compounds (Kashif et al. 2018, Emam and Shoaib 2012). Used lubricating oil can pollute the environment to a broad extend which affects both living organisms of aquatic ecosystems and human health due to toxicity and carcinogenicity (Kamal, Naqvi, and Khan 2013). Each volume of used lubricating oil can ruin at least (250,000) volumes of water (Bridjanian and Sattarin 2006). Due to increasing demand for natural resource conservation, energy conservation and preserving environment, development of the re-refining of used lubricating oils become essential (Hani and Al-Wedyan 2011). The processes of re-refining used lubricating oil depends on the nature of base stock and the amount of impurities in the used lubricating oils (ULOs) (Emam and Shoaib 2013).The oldest and most common re-refining process is acid/clay process, but it may cause serious environmental pollution due to leaving an enormous amount of spent clay and acidic CONTACT Abdulsalam Rahim Karim abdulsalam.karim@univsul.edu.iq Department of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Sulaimani, Kirkuk road, Sulaimani, Iraq. Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/lpet. Supplemental data for this article is available online at here. ß 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 2 H. J. SALEEM AND A. R. KARIM sludge after the completion of the process (Izza et al. 2018). Nowadays, various re-refining processes have been developed, including super critical fluid extraction (Liu et al. 2005), vacuum distillation with petroleum atmospheric residuum (Kim, Hwang, and Kim 1997), solvent extraction process (Al-Zahrani and Putra 2013), Propane extraction (Rincon et al. 2003) and polar solvent extraction (Rincon, Canizares, and Garcia 2005). The objective of this research is to produce the best quality of the base oils; SN-150 and SN-200 from used lubricating oils (ULOs) by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique. In addition, two grades of lubricating oils; SAE 20W50 and SAE 15W40 were prepared. 2. Experimental 2.1. Material and methods The used lubricating oils (ULOs) were collected from different city service stations in Iraq, and transferred to an appropriate tanks. The sample is a mixture of different types of used lubricating oils, from a variety number of cars, busses, and vehicles. Toluene, acetone and n-pentane are used for determination of saturate and aromatic contents. 2-propanol, chloroform, potassium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid were used for the determination of total acid number (TAN) and total base number (TBN). The solvents were supplied by E. Merck and Scharlau. Activated clay (particle size 60–120 mesh) was supplied from Shiraz Company. The viscosity index improver and package additive were supplied by Innov OIL Company. Pour point depressant, which is a type of (KUSA 50), was supplied by AB petroleum Pvt.Ltd. 2.1.1. Vacuum distillation thin wiped film process The re-refining used lubricating oils (ULOs) consist of the following sequence steps (Supplementary Scheme 1): First, dehydration of ULOs at temperature 240 C under atmospheric pressure to remove water, light distillates and collected 8.6% volume. Then Gas oil was separated from residue of atmospheric distillation unit by vacuum distillation at 240 C under 80 torr and collected 4.3% volume. Next, base oils (SN-150 and SN-200) were distilled at temperature 320 C and 360 C respectively under vacuum pressure 80 torr through thin wiped film evaporator, and 54% volume of base stock SN-150 and 26% volume of base oil SN-200 were collected. Then, the refined base oils (SN-150 and SN-200) are treated with activated clay to remove the remaining impurities in the oils and impart proper color to the base oils. Finally, the base oils were filtered through filter press to remove any solid impurities remaining in the base oils. 2.1.2. Blending and synthesis of lubricating oil grades In blending process, the base stock (SN-200) is mixed with additives (package additives, viscosity index improver and pour point depressant). The lubricating oil grade (SAE 15W40) consists of 85% volume of base oil (SN-200), 10.5% volume of stock blend of viscosity index improver (VII), 4% volume of package additive and 0.5% volume of pour point depressant (polymethacrylate). The lubricating oil grade (SAE 20W50) was synthesized by blending of 80% volume of refined base oil (SN-200), 15.5% volume of viscosity index improver (VII), 4% volume of package additive and 0.5% volume of pour point depressant. The viscosity index improver (stock blend) is a solid pellet, olefin copolymer (OCP) which was prepared by dissolving 10% weight of dry improver (OCP) under high agitation in base stock (SN-150) at 100 C for 6 hours until all the solids had been dissolved. 2.1.3. Analysis of used lubricating oil, base oil stocks and lubricating oil grades Re-refined base and used lubricating oils were characterized according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM). These standards are specific gravity (ASTM D-4052), flash point (ASTM D-92), fuel dilution (ASTM D-8004), pour point (ASTM D-97), kinematic viscosity PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 3 Table 1. Characterization of used lubricating oil and refined base oils. Characterization Specific gravity @ 15.6 C Flash point C Pour point C Viscosity @ 40 C/Cst Viscosity @ 100 C/Cst Viscosity index Water content% volume Fuel dilution% volume TAN mg KOH/g sample Sulfated ash, mass% ASTM Color Copper corrosion Saturate% weight Aromatic% weight Polar% weight Method ASTM D 4052 ASTM D92 ASTM D97 ASTM D445 ASTM D445 ASTM D2270 ASTM D98 ASTM D8004 ASTM D664 ASTM D874 ASTM D1500 ASTM D130 ASTM D2007 ASTM D2007 ASTM D2007 ULO 0.8844 176 18 76.5 9 90 0.5 1.1 3.3652 0.6980 >9 – 80.57 13.85 5.57 SN150 0.8716 205 3 31 5.1 95 Nil Nil Nil 0.0042 2 1a 87.1 7.32 5.57 SN200 0.8807 218 3 44 6.2 95 Nil Nil Nil 0.0091 2.5 1a 86 8.12 5.87 Table 2. Characterization of lubricating oil grades (SAE 20W50 and SAE 15W40). Characterization Specific gravity @ 15.6 C Flash point C Pour point C Viscosity @ 40 C/Cst Viscosity @ 100 C/Cst Viscosity index Water content % volume TBN mg KOH/g sample Sulfated ash, mass% ASTM Color Copper corrosion Method SAE 20W50 SAE 15W40 ASTM D 4052 ASTM D92 ASTM D97 ASTM D445 ASTM D445 ASTM D2270 ASTM D98 ASTM D4739 ASTM D874 ASTM D1500 ASTM D130 0.8813 234 24 152.19 18.71 139 Nil 5 0.9462 2.5 1a 0.8805 220 24 113.7 15.95 150 Nil 5 0.8064 2.5 1a Table 3. Elemental analysis for different samples. Elements Method ULOs SN150 SN200 SAE 20W50 SAE 15W40 Zinc (ppm) Sulfur% weight Lead (ppm) Calcium (ppm) Magnesium (ppm) Iron (ppm) Copper (ppm) Cobalt (ppm) Nickel (ppm) Silver (ppm) Tin (ppm) Cadmium (ppm) Potassium (ppm) Sodium (ppm) ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF FAAS FAAS ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF ED-XRF FAAS FAAS 762 0.941 22 440 24.28 101 27 21 12 Nil 0.1 0.8 0.1 1.18 3 0.717 0.5 Nil Nil 16 6 17 8 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 4.5 0.732 0.9 Nil Nil 17 6 12 8 Nil Nil Nil Nil Nil 1067 1.010 0.5 400 182.12 37 15 22 21 Nil Nil Nil 0.11 1 912 0.894 0.5 300 122.41 41 19 21 15 Nil Nil 2 0.12 2.1 (ASTM D-445), viscosity index (ASTM D-2270), water content (ASTM D-95), total acid number (ASTM D-664), total base number (ASTM D-4739), sulfated ash (ASTM D-874), color (ASTM D-1500), copper corrosion (ASTM D-130), saturate and aromatic content (ASTM D-2007), carbon distribution and group analysis (ASTM D-3238), refractive index (ASTM D-1218), sulfur content (ASTM D-4294) and molecular weight (ASTM D-2502). Metal content was determined by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, model, Pg instrument/AA500 spectrophotometer and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF), model, Rigaku/(NEX QC series affordable EDXRF analyser).The IR spectra was recorded on a Perkin-Elmer FT/IR spectrometer in the range (400–4000 cm 1) using KBr pellets ( max in cm 1), from UK. 4 H. J. SALEEM AND A. R. KARIM Figure 1. IR spectra of used lubricating oils and refined base oils SN 150 and SN 200. 3. Results and discussion The base oils (SN-150 and SN-200) were obtained by re-refining of used lubricating oils (ULOs) through VDTWF evaporation technique. The used lubricating oils (ULOs) have the highest specific gravity value (0.8844) while the refined base oils have the lowest specific gravity values, for base oil SN-150 is 0.8716 and base oil SN-200 is 0.8807, Table 1. The high specific gravity of PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 5 Figure 2. Carbon distribution of refined base oils SN 150 and SN 200, (CA: Aromatic Carbon, CN: Naphthenic Carbon and CP: Paraffinic Carbon). used lubricating oils (ULOs) is relating to the high levels of impurities such as water and oxidation products (Onukwuli et al. 1999, Hamawand, Yusaf, and Rafat 2013). The used lubricating oils have lowest pour point value ( 18 C) due to the presence of oxidation products such as aldehydes and ketones (Emam and Shoaib 2012). The pour point of refined base oils have highest values ( 3 C). These results show that the pour point of refined base oils have been improved by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique. The total acid number TAN (mg KOH/g sample) for the used lubricating oil (3.3652 mg KOH/g sample) was higher than those of the refined base oils due to the presence of organic, inorganic acids and heavy metal salts during oxidation process in the engine oil at elevated temperature, which leads to decrease the efficiency of engine oil and more wear (Adeyemi, Adebiyi, and Koya 2017). The total acid numbers of refined base oils (SN-150 and SN-200) were reduced completely by VDTWF evaporation technique. The sulfated ash content can be used to indicate the amount of additives (metal in additives) in the lubricating oils (Hussein, Amer, and Gaberah 2014). As an expected, the used lubricating oil had highest sulfated ash content that related to the presence of wear metal, dirt and worn additives in the used oils than the refined base oils. It was found that the sulfated ash content reduced from 0.6980% weight in the used lubricating oil to 0.0042% weight and 0.0091% weight in the base oils (SN-150 and SN-200), respectively. The used lubricating oils (ULOs) have lowest flash point (176 C) while the refined base oils have the highest values (base oil SN-150: 205 C; base oil SN-200: 218 C). The low flash point values of the used lubricating oils (ULOs) due to the presence of light distillate (fuel dilution) and oxidation components (Speight and Exall 2014, Adeyemi, Adebiyi, and Koya 2017). The higher values observed for refined base oils indicate that some light distillate of the used lubricating oil has been removed by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique. The copper corrosion test shows that the refined base oils are 1a, which indicates that the good behavior of protection and anti-oxidation characterization of the refined base oils. The used lubricating oils have lowest value of saturate contents (80.57% weight), while the refined base oils have highest values of saturate content, (base oil SN-150: 87.1% weight; base oil SN-200: 86% weight). These result shows that some of the aromatic compound were reduced by VDTWF evaporation technique. 6 H. J. SALEEM AND A. R. KARIM Figure 3. Structural group analysis of refined base oils SN 150 and SN 200, (RA: Aromatic Ring, RT: Total Ring and RN: Naphthenic Ring). The used lubricating oils (ULOs) have the highest kinematic viscosity at temperature 40 C (76.5Cst) and 100 C (9Cst). The refined base oils have lowest kinematic viscosity at the temperatures 40 C and 100 C. The ULOs have lower viscosity index (90) than the refined base oils (95). The lower viscosity index indicates the more viscosity affected by changes in temperature. The high kinematic viscosity of used lubricating oils (ULOs) is due to the presence of higher viscous materials (Adeyemi, Adebiyi, and Koya 2017). These results show that some of the viscous materials in the used lubricating oils were removed by VDTWF evaporation technique. The used lubricating oils have the highest values of metal contents compared with refined base oils. The main sources of metal contents in used lubricating oils are worn additives, wear and corrosion products of metallic engine parts (Wolak, Zaja˛c, and GołeR biowski 2019). Table 3 shows that the metal contents of refined base oils have been reduced significantly by (VDTWF) evaporation technique. A spectral band at (1704-1603cm 1) indicates the presence of oxidized products because of the peak of carbonyl groups absorb at these frequencies (Speight and Exall 2014). The peak of carbonyl groups disappeared in the refined base oils while it was appeared in the ULOs (1631.65 cm 1), Figure 1, which indicate that the vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique removes oxidation components. Carbon distribution indicates the relative amounts of carbon atoms in naphthenic, aromatic and paraffinic structures. Structural group analysis indicate the ring content in naphthenic and aromatic structures (Drews 1998). The direct relation between viscosity and high molecular weight aromatic materials (Mehrkesh, Hajimirzaee, and Hatamipour 2010). Figures 2 and 3 shows that the refined base oils have lower values of aromatic ring and the percentage of aromatic carbon, while the refined base oils have higher values of the percentage of paraffinic carbon. These results indicate that the aromatic materials have been reduced significantly by vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique. The refined base oils are all of API type I which in agreement with ASTM D-2007 test for classification of base oils through determination of viscosity index (ASTM D-2270) and determination of sulfur content (ASTM D-4294). The color of the refined base oils were improved (from ASTM >9 to ASTM 2.5) due to the adsorption of chromophore groups by clay treatment. The PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 7 lubricating oil grades (SAE 15W40 and SAE 20W50) have total base number (TBN) of 5 mg KOH/g sample due to the existence of detergents in the package additive. The SAE 15W40 and SAE 20W50 have lower pour point values ( 24 C) due to the existence of pour point depressant, Table 2. They also have higher values of flash point (SAE 15W40:220 C; SAE 20W50: 234 C) and lower values of metal contents especially (zinc, calcium, lead, iron and magnesium), Tables 2 and 3, due to the existence of package additive. The copper corrosion test results of 1a from lubricating oil grades indicate that the package additive contains anti-corrosion and anti-wear agent in case of finishing lubricating oil beside the good behavior of protection and anti-oxidation characterization of the refined base oils. 4. Conclusion The vacuum distillation/thin wiped film (VDTWF) evaporation technique is a useful process to produce base oils, grade SN-150 and SN-200 from local used lubricating oil in Iraq. Base oils produced are all of API type I as their sulfur content is higher than 0.03% weight, saturated content less than 90% weight and viscosity index is between 80-120. Metal content of used lubricating oil is reduced dramatically especially zinc, lead, calcium and iron. As indicated by FTIR spectra, the refined base oils are completely clean from oxidation products, such as aldehyde, ketone and carboxylic acid. Clay treatment improves the color of the base oil and brings it to the standard requirements of (2-2.5) ASTM color. Funding This work was supported financially by University of Sulaimani (Kurdistan region of Iraq) and Asia oil factory (Kurdistan region of Iraq/Sulaimani). References Adeyemi, A. F., F. M. Adebiyi, and O. A. Koya. 2017. 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