- What is oily sludge waste?
- Definition: Sludge waste in general refers to semisolid materials emanating from industrial waste water; according to Tamim, oily sludge waste refers to “an emulsion of water and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, waxes, and other fine solids present” (26).
- Oily waste sludge are generated in oil refinery facilities;
- when process waste water undergoes primary treatment;
- during the recovery and reuse of intermediate products;
- when they accumulate inside storage tanks;
- Types of sludge waste; Sludge wastes mainly defer in terms of hydrocarbon content; all contain water and some solids.
- Oily liquids.
- Emulsions.
- Effects to the environment; when released to the environment, these complexes often partition, distribute, and degrade depending on their individual chemical compositions/properties. Have various ecotoxic effects.
- In water bodies, these wastes cause sediments and soil accumulation and poor aqueous dissolution (EPA 2).
- In water bodies, these wastes cannot also evaporate; most detrimental risks are the contamination of ground water and marine life (water) (EPA 2).
- Health effects: can be acute or chronic; effects vary depending on the hydrocarbon present in the oily sludge; some are carcinogenic while others cause mutagenecity.
- Product that that makes heavy thick oily sludge less viscous so as to enhance fast removal with little input of labor.
- Upon the removal of the sludge from tank bottoms and onsite storages, it should be treated and cleaned in an ecofriendly and economical manner.
- Findings; SAS156SC was identified as the product that can fulfill the anticipated goals. 1OMT of this product at a dose rate of 2 percent by weight to viscosity (Surface Reactive Press 1).
- It was successful in the treatment of 500MT of refinery tank at 20MT per hour (Surface Reactive Press 1).
Procedure;
- The product was added to the waste.
- Batch mixing was used to mix the refinery waste and the product in question.
- The mixture was treated through centrifuge.
- Oily phase was recovered and recycled again by refinery.
- Clean solids were extracted and dried and later sent to landfills without solidification.
- The recovered waste was diverted to onsite effluent treatment plant and later discharged to waste water treatment plant.
Results;
- There was a 90 percent reduction in the volume of the waste stream disposed to landfill (Surface Reactive Press 1).
- There was a 50 percent reduction in the refinery sludge treatment times (Surface Reactive Press 1).
- A significant amount of quality oil was recovered and was returned to the refinery.
- Two chemicals synthesized by Global Advatech were used (Heavy duty oil phase demulsifier DC202 and heavy duty aqueous phase demulsifier DC201 (Advatech Press 1). Process contained;
- An oil separator
- A low shear mixture
- Salt water
- The solution containing different compounds to be separated is first mixed with salt water in order to break the sludge and separate the oil. This is done at an ambient temperature (12Oc) (Advatech Press 1).
- DC201 and DC202 are added is small quantities while maintaining agitation Global (Advatech Press 1).
- These chemicals intact with the emulsion causing it to rapture and at the same time releasing the crude oil.
- Once the agitation is stopped, heavy particulates present in the sludge emulsion sink to the bottom while crude oil floats on the surface, and it coalesces.
Works Cited
EPA. Waste Oil description - Petroleum High Production Volume. EPA , 2008. Web.
Global Advatech Press. "Recovery of Oil from Production Waste Sludges." Global Advatech Press 8 June 2009: 1-90. Web.
Surface Reactive Press. "Surface Active Solutions: Rifinery Waste Treatment." Surface Reactive 10 March 2013: 1-20. Web.
Tamim, Al-Buraikan. "Oily Sludge Waste." EnviroNews 25 June 2010: 1-30. Web.
