What equipment can purify waste oil?

Waste oil purification equipment can be categorized as follows, ranging from simple to advanced, based on its principle and degree of purification:

Introduction of waste oil regeneration and purification equipment

1. Simple physical treatment equipment

This type of equipment is primarily used for pretreatment or in applications where oil quality requirements are low.

Sedimentation tanks/settling boxes:

This type uses gravity to allow water and large solid impurities to naturally settle and separate. This is the simplest and lowest-cost method, but it is time-consuming and has limited effectiveness.

Centrifugal separators (centrifuges):

This type uses centrifugal force to separate oil, water, and impurities of varying densities. It is far more efficient than natural settling and effectively removes free water and solid particles. It is a very common pretreatment equipment in industry.

Plate and frame filters:

A pump pressurizes the waste oil, forcing it through filter paper or cloth, thereby trapping solid impurities. This type of equipment effectively improves the cleanliness level of the oil, but does not remove water or dissolved contaminants.

2. Deep purification and regeneration equipment

This type of equipment can comprehensively treat multiple contaminants, producing higher-quality recycled oil.

Vacuum Dehydration Oil Purifier:

This is currently the most mainstream and efficient industrial-grade purification equipment.

Principle: First, the oil's viscosity is reduced by heating. Then, under a high vacuum environment, the boiling point of water drops dramatically, causing the emulsified and dissolved water in the oil to quickly vaporize and be extracted by a vacuum pump. A multi-stage precision filter (such as a glass fiber filter element or a polymer filter membrane) is also used to remove solid particles.

Advantages: It can simultaneously and efficiently remove water, gas, and impurities, resulting in highly clean and water-rich oil.

Coalescing and Separating Oil Purifier:

Principle: Designed specifically for demulsification. First, a "coalescing filter element" aggregates and enlarges tiny water droplets. Then, a "separation filter element" (made of hydrophobic and oleophilic material) completely separates the enlarged water droplets from the oil, allowing them to settle and be discharged.

Advantages: It is particularly effective for treating emulsions (a very uniform mixture of oil and water). It is often used in conjunction with a vacuum oil purifier.

Electrostatic Oil Purifier:

Principle: Utilizes high-voltage electrostatic forces to polarize and adsorb tiny colloidal contaminants (such as carbon residue and sludge) and particles in the oil to a dust collector.

Advantages: Effective in removing submicron particles and colloidal materials, significantly improving oil color.

Full-System Regeneration Unit:

Large-scale enterprises typically combine the aforementioned technologies to form a complete regeneration system, which may also include chemical treatments such as acid washing and clay refining to remove acidic substances and deeper oxidation, followed by additives. This type of system requires a larger investment, but the regenerated oil is of the highest quality.

Final Recommendation:

For individuals or small-scale operations (such as agricultural machinery or small factories), consider purchasing a small vacuum oil purifier. This is the most cost-effective option and can solve most problems.

If the waste oil has become emulsified due to severe water intrusion, a "coalescing + vacuum" system may be considered.

For enterprises, investing in a professional oil purification and regeneration system, although there are costs in the early stage, can save a lot of new oil procurement costs and waste oil disposal costs in the long run, and the economic and environmental benefits are very significant.