How to Recycle Used Motor Oil with a Motor Oil Recycling Machine?

Used motor oil is quite a precious material that, besides being recycled back into new oil products, can also be treated in a way that the environment is not polluted by it.

With the help of a motor oil recycling machine, one can carry out the entire process of recycling used motor oil in a very safe and effective way. Generally, the machines perform the mentioned steps:

Table of Contents

Step1: Collection

Used motor oil can be gathered from different places, including:

Auto repair shops: The shops generally have a huge volume of used motor oil which has to be recycled.
Car dealerships: These dealerships also have large amounts of oil that need to be recycled.
Households: Some households prefer DIY oil changes and may have very little used oil to be recycled.
Construction sites: Large volumes of oil may come from machinery at these sites.
Factories: Machines at these factories may lead to a huge volume of used oil being generated.
Farms: Tractors and other farming implements may contribute to a large supply of used oil at these farms.

Various containers can be used for the collection of used motor oil, among them the following:

Drums: They are big, tough containers for collecting a large volume of used motor oil.
Barrels: While smaller than drums, these are still capable of holding a considerable amount of used motor oil.
Plastic jugs: These are very light containers that can be transported with ease.
Metal cans: Durable containers that can hold a very small quantity of used motor oil.

The containers have to be labeled clearly with the words “used motor oil” or “hazardous waste” for it is a matter of priority. Such a step will not allow the containers to be confused with other types of waste. Used motor oil must be separated from other kinds of waste like gasoline, paint, or batteries. The place for storing used motor oil should be cool and dry and also away from heat and sunlight.

Step2: Transportation

After the collection process of the used motor oil, it is required to be transferred to a used oil recycling facility. The used motor oil can be moved by truck, rail, or barge. It is necessary to move the used motor oil in a safe way so that there are no leaks or spills. The containers have to be tightly closed and placed in a safe area. The movement of used motor oil should be in accordance with all the existing laws and regulations.

Step3: Filtering

The first thing that happens to the used motor oil when it gets to the recycling plant is that it gets filtered to take away all the impurities. The filtering process is usually made up of the following steps:

The used motor oil is put into a centrifuge and pumped there.
The centrifuge spins the oil very fast, and this results in the separation of the contaminants from the oil.
The impurities are taken out into another container.
Finally, the oil that has been filtered is pumped to the subsequent stage of the recycling process.

Through this process of filtering, all the unwanted and harmful materials such as dirt, metal shavings, water, and others are completely removed from the used motor oil. The purified oil then moves on to the next stage in the recycling process.

Step4: Separation

Once filtered, used motor oil is sorted out to its components. Different procedures are employed for this task, including the following:

Centrifugation: A centrifuge is utilized in this process to spin the oil at very high speeds, which results in the separation of the oil’s components.
Distillation: The application of heat is the basis for this method’s ability to separate the oil’s different components.
Solvent extraction: A solvent is employed in this process to dissolve the components of the oil, and subsequently, the solvent is evaporated to obtain the isolated components.
Hydrotreating: This technique makes use of hydrogen gas coupled with a catalyst for contaminant removal from the oil.

The different components of used motor oil are:

Base oil: This is the principal element of used motor oil. It consists of hydrocarbons that facilitate lubrication and protection of the engine parts.
Additives: These substances are mixed with used motor oil to enhance its performance. The list of these additives may comprise of detergents, dispersants, and antioxidants.
Water: This is an insignificant part of used motor oil. Generally, it is eliminated during filtration.

Step5: Reprocessing

After that, the base oil gets processed back into new oil products. Amongst the various methods that can be used for this, distillation is one of the most common ones.

Distillation: This technique applies heat in order to break down the oil into its different elements, which can then be mixed back together again to make new oil products. The base oil, for instance, can go through the distillation process to get rid of unwanted matter and subsequently be mixed with additives to produce new oil products like lubricating oil, fuel oil, and asphalt.
Solvent extraction: This technique involves the use of a solvent that dissolves the oil’s various constituents, and afterward, the solvent evaporates to leave the different constituents behind. The latter can then be blended back together to produce new oil products. To illustrate, the base oil may be extracted using a solvent to purify it by getting rid of the impurities, and lastly, the solvent is evaporated to keep the pure base oil, which can be further used for producing new oil products.
Hydrotreating: This approach entails the use of hydrogen gas along with a catalyst for the purpose of eliminating the oil’s impurities. The hydrogen gas reacts with the impurities and produces the harmless by-products of water and carbon dioxide. The thus acquired clean base oil can be further processed into new oil products.

Step6: Disposal

Additives and water, which are also parts of motor oil, are thrown away in a way that does not harm the environment. Among those are:

Incineration: This way of elimination is to burn the oil at high temperatures, which gets rid of the impurities and produces ash as a result.
Landfilling: This process is to put the oil in the landfill, where it is kept away from nature.
Other methods: There are many different ways to dispose of used motor oil, like recycling and reusing, that can be put together.

Conclusion

Recycling of the used machinery oil is an eco-friendly method that indirectly helps in the conservation of Earth’s natural resources and energy. Following the aforementioned steps can guarantee that used motor oil is recycled correctly, thus not making its way into landfills or the natural water system.