Title of Invention	AN APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WASTE PETROLEUM OIL FOR OBTAINING REFINED PETROLEUM OIL THEREFROM
Abstract	An apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining •efined petroleum oil therefrom comprising a distillation column having an inlet lear its base, means for separating and removing as vapour, the various fractions from the recirculating oil, means for maintaining vacuum, a heater and i plurality of chambers disposed over the bottom section of the column, one ibove the other, chambers being separated from each other by trays and means 3rovided for at least one chamber for spraying cold oil therein.

Title of Invention

AN APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF WASTE PETROLEUM OIL FOR OBTAINING REFINED PETROLEUM OIL THEREFROM

Abstract

An apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining •efined petroleum oil therefrom comprising a distillation column having an inlet lear its base, means for separating and removing as vapour, the various fractions from the recirculating oil, means for maintaining vacuum, a heater and i plurality of chambers disposed over the bottom section of the column, one ibove the other, chambers being separated from each other by trays and means 3rovided for at least one chamber for spraying cold oil therein.

Full Text	This invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining ef ined petroleum oil theref rom. aste petroleum oil, such as, waste lubricating til and other contaminated or degraded petroleum til waste is classified as hazardous waste all iver the world and has the potential to pollute ater supply and soil, causing pollution to rinking water as well as threat to marine life nd land vegetation* aste oil comprises hydrocarbons having a ommercial use if it can be treated to restore its ommercial qualities. resent 1y, in Indiav waste oil treatment is done y a process called acid clay treatment. his process involves the dehydration of the waste il by distilling the water therefrom in a ehydrator; the dehydrated oil is heated and hen cooled to ambient temperature (this step is ailed thermal cracking); the waste oil from the hermal cracker is then mixed with sulphuric acid and left for settling. The acid sludge is decanted and disposed of. The clear oil is transferred to the clay treatment section. In the clay treatment section, the oil is mixed with activated alumina clay and the mixture is heated and subjected to distillation under vacuum. The oil clay mixture is filtered in a press and the clear oil is now sent for commercial use. The effluent in the above known process* apart from water, are the acid sludge (around 20% to 50 % of the waste oils processed) and spent clay, the quantity of which is also substantial. The life of the pi ant used in this process is 1ow due to heavy corrosion by the use of acid. Additionally, the plant emi ts flue gas and other gases including SO 2 Another known process does not use sulphuric acid. The waste oil is treated with chemicals to coagulate the degraded additives: carbon, sludge and other impurities. These are filtered out and the remaining oil is then subjected to activated alumina clay treatment, and vacuum disti1 lation. In this process, the use of chemicals will essentially generate solid waste which will be difficult to dispose of. The actual separation of undes irable, degraded or other foreign matters is done by the use of chemicals, absorbent or adsorbent. The eff1uent from the process are water, coagulant along with carbon, spent additives, sludge and other impurities, and spent clay in addition to emissions of flue and process gases. A major drawback w i th this process is the high cost of operation of the plant. The equipment used in the above two processes are distillation columns with standard types of trays such as bubbl©-cap trays, sieve trays, valve trays etc. or packed column. The use of these types of trays is possible because the oil has been freed from degraded additives, carbon and many other impuri ties which might otherwise clog the trays. In other words, the waste oil has to be subjected to chemical processes and phys ical separation before fractionation. As already stated, these types of processes will generate effluents that are d ifficult to dispose of in an environmentally safe manner. This invention therefore proposes an apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom eliminating or, at 1 east, greatly minimising the abovementioned drawbacks associated with the known processes of treating waste petroleum oil. The apparatus, according to this invention, for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom, comprises a distil lati on column having^ '^yln 1 et near its base for the entry of dehydrated waste petroleum oil into the upper portion of the bottom section of the co1umn; an opening at the bottom of the column for allowing the recirculation of the said oil in the lower portion of the bottom section of the coIumn, through the/inlet, to the said upper portion; means for separati ng and remov ing, as vapour, the var ious f Tactions from the reci rculating oil; means for maintain ing the interior of the column under 700 mm Hg. to 760 mm.Hg. vacuum; a heater provided for the column for heating the recirculating oil so as to maintain the temperature thereof within the bottom section of the column between 300 deg. C 360 deg, C; a plurality of chambers, disposed over the bottom section of the column, one above the other, for receiving the vapours of the hot oi1 from the said upper portion, such chambers being separated from each other by trays, each tray having a free passage surmounted by a hood, the passages in the said trays, allowing vapours, rising f rom the hot oil in the said upper portion, to pass therethrough, and the hoods constraining such vapours to condense around the trays in the respective chambers; outlets provided for such chambers for tappi ng and removing the condensed oil of various grades therefrom? and means provided for at least one chamber, for spraying cold oil therein; and an opening at the top of the topmost chamber for the exit, and collection, of the remnant vapours therefrom* This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example one of the possible embod iments of this invention', wherein Fig. 1 illustrates the distillation column of the said embodiment and Fig.2 illustrates a separate view of the tray used there!n. The distil lation column D has an inletll near i ts base for the entry of dehydrated waste petroleum oil into the upper portion of the bottom sect ion R of the column D. The dehydrated oil is obtained f rorn a dehydrator after removal of final traces of water and any 1ighter fractions of hydrocarbons present in the waste oil. The column D has an opening A at its bottom for allowing the recirculation of the oil in the 1ower portion of the bottom section R of the column D, through the inlet Jl, to the said upper portion. Mean5, such as, a pump and heater, are provided for recirculating and heating the oil and for separating and vapour ising the various f racti ons of oil in the recirculating oil. Means, such as» a vacuum pump, steam ejectors and the like are provided for the column D for maintaining the interior of the column under 700 mm Hg to 760 mm Hg vacuum pressure. Means are also provided, for the column, for maintaining the temperature of the oil in the bottom section R of the column D between 300 deg. C - 360 deg. C. The column houses a plurality of chambers (in the embod iment illustrated, five chambers) CI to C5, d isposed one above the other, over the bottom section R of the column D, for receiving the vapours of the hot oi1 from within the bottom section R of the column D, such chambers being separated from each other by trays T. The chambers may be structured as one unit (as illustrated) or as separate modules intercommunicating wi th each other, as convenience may d ictate. Each tray has a free passage P surmounted by a hood H. The passages P in the trays T allow vapours (see arrows B), rising from the hot oil in the bottom section R of the column D to pass freely therethrough, wi thout clogging, while the hoods H constrain portions of such vapours (see arrows E) to condense around the trays in the respecti ve chambers. The condensate is ind icated by Fl to F5. Each condensate is a grade of hydrocarbon oil, the higher the chamber, the 1ighter the fraction. The chambers have outlets Gl to G5 for tapping and remov ing the condensed oil of various grades theref rom- To assist or control the condensation of the oil in the chambers means are provided in at least one of the chambers for spraying cold oil e.g. through a pip© line J provided with perforations or nozzles. This oil is tapped from the condensate in any one of the chambers CI to C5. The column D has an opening K at the top of the topmost chamber C5 for the exit, and collect i on, of the remnant vapours theref ram. These vapours are taken to a separate chamber for condensation and collection. This will correspond to the lightest grade of oil. The non-condensible vapour and gas are sucked out by steam ejectors/vacuum pumps and sent for incineration. The column vacuum is maintained by this system. The terms and expressions in this spec ification are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated ' and described, but i t is understood that various other embodiments of the apparatus proposed herein are possible without departi ng from the scope and ambi t of this invention. We Claim: 1. An apparatus for the treatm ent of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom comprising a distillation column having a dual inlet near its base for die entry of dehydrated waste petroleum oil into the upper portion of die bottom section of the column; an opening at the bottom of the column for allowing the recirculation of the said oil in the lower portion of the bottom section of the column, through the inlet, to the said upper portion; means for separating and removing, as vapour, the various fractions from the recirculating oil; m eans for maintaining die interior of the column under 700 mm Hg to 760 mm Hg vacuum; a heater provided for the column for heating the recirculating oil so as to maintain die temperature thereof within the bottom section of the column between 300 degree C - 360 degree C; a plurality of chambers disposed over the bottom section of the column, one above die other, for receiving the vapours of the hot oil from die said upper portion, such chambers being separated from each other by trays, each tray having a free passage surmounted by a hood, the passages in the said trays, all owing vapours, rising from the hot oil in the said upper portion, to pass therethrough, and the hoods constraining such vapours to condense around the trays in the respective chambers; outlets provided for such chambers for tapping and removing the condensed oil of various grades therefrom; and means provided for at least one chamber* for spray ing cold oil therein; and an opening at the top of the topmost chamber for the exit, and collection, of the remnant vapours therefrom. 2.An apparatus for the treatment of waste petro1eum oil for obtai ning refined petroleum oi1 therefrom substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Full Text

This invention relates to an apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining ef ined petroleum oil theref rom.
aste petroleum oil, such as, waste lubricating til and other contaminated or degraded petroleum til waste is classified as hazardous waste all iver the world and has the potential to pollute
ater supply and soil, causing pollution to
rinking water as well as threat to marine life
nd land vegetation*
aste oil comprises hydrocarbons having a ommercial use if it can be treated to restore its ommercial qualities.
resent 1y, in Indiav waste oil treatment is done y a process called acid clay treatment.
his process involves the dehydration of the waste il by distilling the water therefrom in a ehydrator; the dehydrated oil is heated and hen cooled to ambient temperature (this step is ailed thermal cracking); the waste oil from the hermal cracker is then mixed with sulphuric acid

and left for settling. The acid sludge is decanted and disposed of. The clear oil is transferred to the clay treatment section.
In the clay treatment section, the oil is mixed with activated alumina clay and the mixture is heated and subjected to distillation under vacuum. The oil clay mixture is filtered in a press and the clear oil is now sent for commercial use.
The effluent in the above known process* apart
from water, are the acid sludge (around 20% to
50 % of the waste oils processed) and spent clay,
the quantity of which is also substantial. The
life of the pi ant used in this process is 1ow due
to heavy corrosion by the use of acid.
Additionally, the plant emi ts flue gas and other
gases including SO
2
Another known process does not use sulphuric acid.
The waste oil is treated with chemicals to
coagulate the degraded additives: carbon, sludge
and other impurities. These are filtered out and
the remaining oil is then subjected to activated
alumina clay treatment, and vacuum disti1 lation.

In this process, the use of chemicals will essentially generate solid waste which will be difficult to dispose of. The actual separation of undes irable, degraded or other foreign matters is done by the use of chemicals, absorbent or adsorbent. The eff1uent from the process are water, coagulant along with carbon, spent additives, sludge and other impurities, and spent clay in addition to emissions of flue and process gases. A major drawback w i th this process is the high cost of operation of the plant.
The equipment used in the above two processes are distillation columns with standard types of trays such as bubbl©-cap trays, sieve trays, valve trays etc. or packed column. The use of these types of trays is possible because the oil has been freed from degraded additives, carbon and many other impuri ties which might otherwise clog the trays. In other words, the waste oil has to be subjected to chemical processes and phys ical separation before fractionation. As already stated, these types of processes will generate effluents that are d ifficult to dispose of in an environmentally

safe manner.
This invention therefore proposes an apparatus for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom eliminating or, at 1 east, greatly minimising the abovementioned drawbacks associated with the known processes of treating waste petroleum oil.
The apparatus, according to this invention, for the treatment of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom, comprises a distil lati on column having^ '^yln 1 et near its base for the entry of dehydrated waste petroleum oil into the upper portion of the bottom section of the co1umn; an opening at the bottom of the column for allowing the recirculation of the said oil in the lower portion of the bottom section of the coIumn, through the/inlet, to the said upper portion; means for separati ng and remov ing, as vapour, the var ious f Tactions from the reci rculating oil; means for maintain ing the interior of the column under 700 mm Hg. to 760 mm.Hg. vacuum; a heater provided for the column for heating the recirculating oil so as to

maintain the temperature thereof within the bottom section of the column between 300 deg. C 360 deg, C; a plurality of chambers, disposed over the bottom section of the column, one above the other, for receiving the vapours of the hot oi1 from the said upper portion, such chambers being separated from each other by trays, each tray having a free passage surmounted by a hood, the passages in the said trays, allowing vapours, rising f rom the hot oil in the said upper portion, to pass therethrough, and the hoods constraining such vapours to condense around the trays in the respective chambers; outlets provided for such chambers for tappi ng and removing the condensed oil of various grades therefrom? and means provided for at least one chamber, for spraying cold oil therein; and an opening at the top of the topmost chamber for the exit, and collection, of the remnant vapours therefrom*
This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example one of the possible embod iments of this invention', wherein

Fig. 1 illustrates the distillation column of the
said embodiment
and
Fig.2 illustrates a separate view of the tray used
there!n.
The distil lation column D has an inletll near i ts
base for the entry of dehydrated waste petroleum
oil into the upper portion of the bottom sect ion R
of the column D.
The dehydrated oil is obtained f rorn a dehydrator after removal of final traces of water and any 1ighter fractions of hydrocarbons present in the waste oil.
The column D has an opening A at its bottom for allowing the recirculation of the oil in the 1ower portion of the bottom section R of the column D, through the inlet Jl, to the said upper portion.
Mean5, such as, a pump and heater, are provided
for recirculating and heating the oil and for
separating and vapour ising the various f racti ons
of oil in the recirculating oil.

Means, such as» a vacuum pump, steam ejectors and
the like are provided for the column D for
maintaining the interior of the column under 700
mm Hg to 760 mm Hg vacuum pressure.
Means are also provided, for the column, for maintaining the temperature of the oil in the bottom section R of the column D between 300 deg. C - 360 deg. C.
The column houses a plurality of chambers (in the embod iment illustrated, five chambers) CI to C5, d isposed one above the other, over the bottom section R of the column D, for receiving the vapours of the hot oi1 from within the bottom section R of the column D, such chambers being separated from each other by trays T. The chambers may be structured as one unit (as illustrated) or as separate modules intercommunicating wi th each other, as convenience may d ictate.
Each tray has a free passage P surmounted by a

hood H. The passages P in the trays T allow vapours (see arrows B), rising from the hot oil in the bottom section R of the column D to pass freely therethrough, wi thout clogging, while the hoods H constrain portions of such vapours (see arrows E) to condense around the trays in the respecti ve chambers. The condensate is ind icated by Fl to F5. Each condensate is a grade of hydrocarbon oil, the higher the chamber, the 1ighter the fraction.
The chambers have outlets Gl to G5 for tapping and remov ing the condensed oil of various grades theref rom-
To assist or control the condensation of the oil in the chambers means are provided in at least one of the chambers for spraying cold oil e.g. through a pip© line J provided with perforations or nozzles. This oil is tapped from the condensate in any one of the chambers CI to C5.
The column D has an opening K at the top of the topmost chamber C5 for the exit, and collect i on, of the remnant vapours theref ram. These vapours

are taken to a separate chamber for condensation and collection. This will correspond to the lightest grade of oil. The non-condensible vapour and gas are sucked out by steam ejectors/vacuum pumps and sent for incineration. The column vacuum is maintained by this system.
The terms and expressions in this spec ification are of description and not of limitation, there being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features illustrated ' and described, but i t is understood that various other embodiments of the apparatus proposed herein are possible without departi ng from the scope and ambi t of this invention.

We Claim:
1. An apparatus for the treatm ent of waste petroleum oil for obtaining refined petroleum oil therefrom comprising a distillation column having a dual inlet near its base for die entry of dehydrated waste petroleum oil into the upper portion of die bottom section of the column; an opening at the bottom of the column for allowing the recirculation of the said oil in the lower portion of the bottom section of the column, through the inlet, to the said upper portion; means for separating and removing, as vapour, the various fractions from the recirculating oil; m eans for maintaining die interior of the column under 700 mm Hg to 760 mm Hg vacuum; a heater provided for the column for heating the recirculating oil so as to maintain die temperature thereof within the bottom section of the column between 300 degree C - 360 degree C; a plurality of chambers disposed over the bottom section of the column, one above die other, for receiving the vapours of the hot oil from die said upper portion, such chambers being separated from each other by trays, each tray having a free passage surmounted by a hood,

the passages in the said trays, all owing vapours, rising from the hot oil in the said upper portion, to pass therethrough, and the hoods constraining such vapours to condense around the trays in the respective chambers; outlets provided for such chambers for tapping and removing the condensed oil of various grades therefrom; and means provided for at least one chamber* for spray ing cold oil therein; and an opening at the top of the topmost chamber for the exit, and collection, of the remnant vapours therefrom.
2.An apparatus for the treatment of waste petro1eum oil for obtai ning refined petroleum oi1 therefrom substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

475-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

475-mas-1998-claims.pdf

475-mas-1998-correspondence others.pdf

475-mas-1998-correspondence po.pdf

475-mas-1998-description complete.pdf

475-mas-1998-drawings.pdf

475-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

475-mas-1998-form 19.pdf

475-mas-1998-form 26.pdf

475-mas-98 claims granted.pdf

475-mas-98 description (complete) granted.pdf

475-mas-98 drawings granted.pdf

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Patent Number

228504

Indian Patent Application Number

475/MAS/1998

PG Journal Number

10/2009

Publication Date

06-Mar-2009

Grant Date

05-Feb-2009

Date of Filing

09-Mar-1998

Name of Patentee

ORYX ENGINEERING & CONSULTANCY (P) LTD

Applicant Address

D-3 T.C IV/759, "LEKSHMI", KOWDIAR P.O., TRIVANDRUM 695 003,

Inventors:

#	Inventor's Name	Inventor's Address
1	CHEERAN VARGHESE KOCHUKUNJAN	CHEERANS, CHITRAPUZHA, P.O IRIMPANAM THRIPUNITHURA, ERNAKULAM,

PCT International Classification Number

C10G7/00

PCT International Application Number

N/A

PCT International Filing date

PCT Conventions:

#	PCT Application Number	Date of Convention	Priority Country
1			NA