PROJECT CO-FINANCED BY THE EUROPEAN UNION FROM THE EUROPEAN REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND within the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014-2020, priority IV “Increasing the scientific-research potential”, Action 4.1 “Scientific research adn development works”, Subaction 4.1.4 “Application projects”

Implementing authority: National Centre for Research and Development

Project partners:

• Sieć Badawcza Łukasiewicz – Instytut Ciężkiej Syntezy Organicznej “Blachownia” – consortium leader
• Ekomax Sp. z o.o.

Funding agreement no: POIR.04.01.04-00-0051/16

Project value: 2 582 678,05 zł

Funding amount: 1 802 175,79 zł

Implementation period: 01.06.2017 – 31.05.2019

Project aim:

Re-refining is a priority manner of management of used industrial oils. Implementation of the effective methods of chemical regeneration, such as hydrorefining or “acid-clay”, is unprofitable in the Upper Silesia local market. On the other hand, physical refining is less energy consuming and generates less wastes, but leads to a base oil of lower quality. As a result of extraction with flammable and volatile solvents, it is possible to receive oil of better parameters. Ionic liquids treatment is an alternative to organic solvent extraction.

Within the proposed project the research will be conducted on new technology conception of re-refining of used industrial oils by the energy-efficient method, based on demulsification and sorption processes. The chemically activated sorbents, by immobilization of ionic liquids on surface of silica, diatomite and others, combine the properties of conventional sorbents and advantages of ionic liquids. It is expected, that application of modified sorbents will enable to develop used oil regeneration technology based on only low pressure and low energy consuming unit processes. The goal of proposed project is the multi-option technology of re-refining of used industrial oils of various origin, towards valuable base oils, including separating the stream of pre-regenerated oil for selected applications. The unit processes will be compiled to form a part of an existing plant in Ekomax Gliwice.