Solvent extraction process for rerefining used lubricating oil
AssigneeDelta Central Refining, Inc.
InventorsLaird C. Fletcher, Richard H. O'Blasny
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Abstract
In accordance with the present invention, a process is provided for removing impurities from heavy and light lube oil fractions that have been obtained from waste lubricating oil. The impurities in the light lube oil fraction are removed utilizing tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol in an extraction column (10). An oil-rich raffinate has the solvent removed therefrom by steam distillation and stripping at reduced pressure in a distillation tower (20). The heavy lube oil fraction is purified in a manner similar to the purification of the light lube oil fraction. The finished heavy and light lube oil may then be subjected to further treatment, such as polishing steps or additives may be blended into the lube oil product depending on the desired use.
Claims13
In a process for rerefining used oil containing lubricating oil, where the used oil is rerefined into a heavy lube oil fraction and a light lube oil fraction, the improvement comprising:
- (a) mixing and heavy lube oil fraction with an effective amount of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol for removing impurities from the heavy lube oil fraction;
- (b) separating the heavy lube oil from the tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol;
- (c) mixing the light lube oil fraction with an effective amount of tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol for removing impurities from the light lube oil fraction;
- and
- (d) separating the light lube oil from the tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.