People call it Oil Recycling, Oil Regeneration, Oil Reconditioning or simply batch processing. When dirty and wet oil is stored in totes or tanks, we get the call to remove the contaminants so that the oil can be reused; which is a huge savings for companies constantly seeking new ways to cut costs and stay competitive in today’s economy. Oil recycling is a top application for our vacuum dehydration oil purification equipment.
Oil temperature is a large part of the oil purification process, especially when large quantities of water are present. Consider that 150°F is the desired temperature for maximum water removal within the vacuum dehydration process. Average ambient oil temperature is around 70°F. Typical heater sizing for a vacuum dehydrator is 30°F per pass (after the metal is up to temperature). Extremely wet oil will lose around 20°F in the vacuum chamber by escaping steam. It is important to consider the time required to increase the oil temperature to the “sweet spot” of 150°F at which water removal is maximized at 28″ Hg.
Adding extra heaters is a common solution to the temperature battle. However, there are instances when capital is not available or electrical utilities are limited.
This picture shows a 5 GPM vacuum dehydration oil recycling system with upgraded 32 kw heat.
An immersion heater can be added to a steel processing tank. Keeping the oil above ambient will cut the time needed to restore the oil.
Typical oil recycling system on steel oil tank.
Does your manufacturing process produce BTU’s that are vented outdoors or otherwise unused? This BTU can be diverted to your oil storage.
Is oil gradually added to the storage tank? Consider leaving the dehydrator on 24/7. Less energy is used to maintain oil temperature than trying to heat cold oil every time.
Finally, we offer onboard processing tanks as an option. Processing oil in smaller batches also reduces processing time. If large quantities of oil are stored in separate containers. We recommend that the dehydrator run constantly, processing batches one after another while the system is up to temperature.
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