Prof.  Nader  Mokhtarani
Tarbiat Modares University (TMU),  Iran

Title: Fuel production from oil sludge utilizing Nano alumina powder

Abstract:

Oil sludge from tank bottoms, dissolved air-filtration, and oil-water-solid separators constitutes approximately 0.2 w% of processed crude oil and is classified as hazardous waste. This waste has led to significant environmental issues, particularly in oil-producing countries. This research aims to recover fuel from oil sludge through thermal cracking and catalytic pyrolysis. Initially, the impact of various parameters on the quantity and quality of the recovered liquid fuel was analyzed. A distillation range test identified the optimal temperature range for the process. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to analyze the hydrocarbon distribution in the liquid phase. The best results were achieved at 400˚C, with a heating rate of 30˚C/min and a detention time of 30 minutes. The produced liquid fuel met diesel specifications. The subsequent investigations focused on the effects of oxidative desulfurization of oil sludge and adding Nano alumina powder (Nano-catalyst) to enhance fuel quality. While Nano-catalysts improved product quality, they slightly decreased liquid yield. In this study, under optimal conditions, each cubic meter of oil sludge produced 550 liters of diesel-like fuel with a heating value of 46,073 KJ/kg and a density of 845 Kg/m³, with over a 94% reduction in sulfur content compared to the original oil sludge.
Keywords: Pyrolysis, Nano-catalyst, Fuel, Oil sludge, Waste management

Biography: