US 8,283,295 B1 · Oil solids precipitation

Abstract

Precipitation vessel for precipitation of flocculants from lubricating oil includes a hollow housing having an interior volume capable of containing oil; an entry port capable of allowing oil to enter into the interior volume; a stirrer capable of stirring contained oil; a heater capable of heating the contained oil; a product exit port capable of allowing oil to exit the interior volume; an upper exterior access port; and a lower exterior access port. Contaminated lubricating oil can be cleaned from solid particulates by a method of providing a vessel for containing oil; providing contaminated lubricating oil to the vessel; contacting the contaminated lubricating oil with a coagulant, and, maintaining the resulting mixture at a mildly elevated temperature throughout the vessel, inducing flocculation of solid particles and settlement of flocculated particles under low thermo-current, if not thermo-current-free, conditions; and drawing off lubricating oil cleaned from settled flocculated solid particles. The vessel or method can be employed as part of a system for reclaiming used lubricating oil, which, for example, may also employ vacuum separation of gasses, water and solvents under mild temperature conditions.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A precipitation vessel for precipitation of flocculants from lubricating oil, which comprises:

a hollow housing having a top, sides, and a bottom, with an interior volume capable of containing oil within the interior volume;
an entry port capable of allowing oil to enter into the interior volume of the hollow housing;
a product exit port capable of allowing oil to exit the interior volume of the hollow housing;
an upper exterior access port;
a lower exterior access port;
and
means for providing low thermo-current if not thermo-current-free conditions, which are highly efficient for coagulating or flocculating solids from the oil at a uniform temperature of about eighty-five degrees C., or less, for a suitable amount of time for a full batch of used motor oil within the interior volume.

4 more elements

A precipitation vessel for precipitation of flocculants from lubricating oil, which comprises:

a hollow housing having a top, sides, and a bottom, with an interior volume capable of containing oil within the interior volume;
an entry port capable of allowing oil to enter into the interior volume of the hollow housing;
a stirrer capable of stirring contained oil within the interior volume of the housing;
a heater capable of heating contained oil within the interior volume of the housing;
a product exit port capable of allowing oil to exit the interior volume of the hollow housing;
an upper exterior access port;
and
a lower exterior access port—
wherein the housing has a generally cylindrical shape, and forms an inner vessel contained within an outer housing;
between the housing forming the inner vessel and the outer housing is thermal insulation;
a first pump provides for entry of oil into the interior volume through the entry port;
the stirrer includes a rotating shaft, propellers, and a motor, and is associated with top and bottom perforation plates;
the heater includes an electric resistance heater, and a circulation pipe that provides for circulation of hot fluid therethrough;
a second pump provides for exit of oil from the interior volume through the product exit port;
the upper exterior access port is provided through an outer and inner first manhole cover set, and includes a coagulant entry port;
and the lower exterior access port is provided through an outer and inner second manhole cover set.

13 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Oil solids precipitation

Life of this patent

Oil solids precipitation

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20