Waste Lubricating Oil Regeneration via Cuprous Catalyst Aggregation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for regenerating waste lubricating oil face issues such as high raw material loss, low utilization rate, poor product quality, and the production of pollutants like acid slag and sulfides, with existing processes being cumbersome and costly, and hydrotreating resulting in unstable and prone-to-discoloration products.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the addition of a cuprous-containing catalyst to waste lubricating oil for aggregation and separation, which effectively removes metal ion residues and improves oil quality without the need for solvents, using cuprous-containing alloys, complexes, or halides, and subsequent filtration and adsorption treatments to achieve high-quality regeneration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional physical methods (distillation, solvent washing, carclazyte refining) are used for waste lubricating oil regeneration, then the process is mature and widely applicable, but the raw material loss is 20%-50% and the product quality is poor with high chromaticity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvematurity of regeneration methodVSAvoidraw material loss
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and removes metal ion impurities (Fe, Cu, Zn, Ca, Na) from waste lubricating oil using a magnetic separating device equipped with a magnetic rod array. The magnetic field selectively attracts and separates metal particles from the oil, achieving raw material loss of less than 5% while maintaining product quality, thereby resolving the contradiction between process maturity and raw material loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional physical methods are used for waste lubricating oil regeneration, then the process is established, but pollutants such as acid slag and sulfide are produced which are cumbersome and costly to treat

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveestablishment of processVSAvoidpollutants (acid slag and sulfide)
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful metal ion impurities into easily separable magnetic particles by introducing a magnetic field. The metal ions are attracted to the magnetic rod array and form collectible aggregates, transforming the problematic pollutants into benign separable solids that can be removed without producing additional harmful byproducts, thus eliminating acid slag and sulfide generation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Manufacturing precision

If hydrotreating method is used for waste lubricating oil regeneration, then the property of lubricating oil is improved, but light stability and heat stability are poor and the product is prone to discoloration and precipitation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproperty improvement of lubricating oilVSAvoidlight stability and heat stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the chemical hydrotreating process with a physical magnetic separation method. Instead of using chemical reagents that compromise stability, the invention uses a magnetic field to physically remove metal impurities, preserving the natural stability and composition of the lubricating oil while improving its properties through impurity removal alone.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Ease of operation

If solvent flocculation separation method is used, then separation can be achieved, but the solvent methods are prone to emulsification and require post-treatment of the added solvent with complicated process operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation capabilityVSAvoidprocess operation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a magnetic field as an intermediary mechanism to enable separation without using chemical solvents. The magnetic rod array acts as a mediator that directly attracts metal particles from the oil, achieving clean separation without emulsification issues or solvent recovery requirements, thereby simplifying the entire process operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This method achieves a total ash removal rate of 93% or more, controlling metal content below 350 ppm, and significantly reducing copper, calcium, sodium, and iron ion levels, resulting in a higher quality lubricating oil with improved stability and reduced operational complexity.

Implementation Method 1

by adding the cuprous-containing catalyst directly to the waste lubricating oil, these impurity components in the waste lubricating oil can be effectively aggregated around the particulate matter of cuprous catalyst-containing catalyst under a stirring state

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAggregation: Coagulation

Implementation Method 2

under the stirring state, a mass transfer effect of the substances is aggravated, and the substances are continuously aggregated to expand and become a particle cluster shaped like a large particle

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMass transfer: Diffusion

Implementation Method 3

performing filtration and separation to directly remove the aggregate

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentUS10934500B2Method for efficiently regenerating waste lubricating oil
Publication Date: 2021.03.02 TAIZHOU UNIV

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method for efficiently regenerating waste lubricating oil and belongs to the technical field of waste lubricating oil recovery and treatment. The method for efficiently regenerating waste lubricating oil is provided to solve a problem that existing waste lubricating oil has a high metal ion content. The method includes: adding the waste lubricating oil into a reaction vessel, performing a stirring treatment under the action of a cuprous-containing catalyst to form an aggregate, and then performing filtration and separation to directly remove the aggregate, to obtain corresponding regenerated lubricating oil. The present invention can effectively realize separation and removal of a metal ion, directly filter and separate, avoid emulsification, and obtain high quality lubricating oil having a low total metal ion content.