Apparatus and process for converting refinery and petroleum-based waste to standard fuels

Abstract

The present invention is an energy efficient method for separating petroleum-based waste including sludge, bottoms or used lubricants. By using solid particles and water, and converting them into useable end products, for example gas and gas/oil fractions. The process produces no wasteful by-products like polluted sewage, heavy asphaltenics and tar by-products. Instead, the process eliminates water through selective adsorption by dewatering additives and the process is followed by drying at high temperatures. The dewatering additives are recycled from other processes and are reusable themselves. After skimming the dewatered matter, the remainder is processed by thermocatalytic cracking. Some of the active materials in the cracking reaction are again waste products of other reactions. The gas and gas oil fractions obtained from this process conform to standard specifications. The process uses equipment that is cost-effective and that are routinely produced. The process and apparatus of the present invention provide a solution for processing refinery and petroleum-based wastes and production of useful and standard liquid fuels.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process for treating petroleum-based waste feed containing organic matter, water, soluted substances or solid particles, said process comprising the steps of dewatering the waste, and producing high value fuels or components and having negligible outputs of polluted water, asphaltenes and tar.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the dewatering process comprises of the steps of: 
 a) Adding sufficient amounts of dewatering grain material to the feed,    b) Mixing and removing the water without contaminating the dewatering material by the petroleum components.    
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 2  wherein the dewatering materials are more coarse than the feed particles and the the process further comprises the steps of: 
 a) separating by a sieve said feed particles from the dewatered petroleum-based matter,  
 b) drying the dewatered material with steam is directed into a catalyst regenerator at a temperature of 750° C., and  
 c) recycling the dry materials.  
 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered petroleum-based material is heated to 350° C. in a heat reactor-mixer by the addition of a hot, catalytically active material.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered material is heated by the addition of a hot catalyst, the reaction matter activation and the decomposing of non-hydrocarbon components is accomplished by healing at 350-380° C.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 5 , further comprising catalytic cracking of the reaction, removing the dewatered solid material, separating, condensing and cooling the vapor and gaseous products and reusing the dewatered material.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 5 , further comprising burning of the gases in the catalyst regenerator, and catching of the formed sulfur oxide by the alkaline-earth components.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7  further comprising removing the catalytic material from the reactor and regenerating the catalyst and flue gases.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 8 , further cleaning the flue gases for reuse.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the feed includes tank bottom waste, refinery slop or other refinery sludge.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the feed consists of used lubricants.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the dewatering and catalytic active material includes oil shale ash or grain materials of the oil shale ash modification.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the dewatering materials include marls, modified bentonite, sepiolite grain materials, “Sepiolsa”—grain material 0.5-6 mm, containing sepiolite 80%, dolomite 15%, by-product of coal mining mixed with bentonite or clay; material on basis of cellulose modified or grained in mixture with bentonite.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 10  wherein the dewatering material is not separated from the petroleum-based matter and the total mixture is heated for the sorbed water evaporation.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the dewatering material is not separated from the petroleum-based matter and the total mixture is heated for the sorbed water evaporation.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 14  wherein the temperature of the mixture for water evaporation is up to 200° C. and the light hydrocarbons are distilled with steam, further comprising the steps of condensing the vapors, separating the liquid hydrocarbons from the water, and directing the water into the generator for evaporating and burning any remaining organic matter.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the catalyst active material for the catalytic cracking includes grain oil shale ash or the regenerated oil shale coke-ash residue.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the catalytic active material for the the catalytic cracking are the FCC catalysts with addition of limestone (1-20%).  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 3  wherein the catalytic active material for the catalytic cracking includes the spent clay or the FCC catalyst with the treated spent clay (1-10%).  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the dewatering of the petroleum-based waste is done in combination with the suitable solid additives in the reactor mixer.