Energy and Resource Utilization of Refining Industry Oil Sludge by Microwave Treatment

Chien Li Lee, Cheng-Hsien Tsai and Chih-Ju G. Jou
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Chien Li Lee: Research and Development Center for Water Resource and Conservation, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, No 1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
Cheng-Hsien Tsai: Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, No 1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan
Chih-Ju G. Jou: Department of Safety, Health and Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, No 1, University Rd., Yanchao Dist., Kaohsiung City 824, Taiwan

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 17, 1-9

Abstract: The oily sludge from crude oil contains hazardous BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene) found in the bottom sediment of the crude oil tank in the petroleum refining plant. This study uses microwave treatment of the oily sludge to remove BTEX by utilizing the heat energy generated by the microwave. The results show that when the oily sludge sample was treated for 60 s under microwave power from 200 to 300 W, the electric field energy absorbed by the sample increased from 0.17 to 0.31 V/m and the temperature at the center of the sludge sample increased from 66.5 °C to 96.5 °C. In addition, when the oily sludge was treated for 900 s under microwave power 300 W, the removal rates were 98.5% for benzene, 62.8% for toluene, 51.6% for ethylbenzene, and 29.9% for xylene. Meanwhile, the highest recovery rates of light volatile hydrocarbons in sludge reached 71.9% for C 3 , 71.3% for C 4 , 71.0% for C 5 , and 78.2% for C 6 .

Keywords: microwave; oily sludge; resource; energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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