Production of energy carriers as a method of utilizing the bottom layer of acid tar

Abstract

The possibility of using the bottom layer of acid tars at oil refineries (OR) for production of energy carriers based on modern energy technologies is demonstrated. For utilizing this product which accumulates in the ponds at D. I. Mendeleev Yaroslavl' Oil Refinery, burning it in a circulating fluidized bed without expensive gas scrubbing systems to remove sulfur and nitrogen oxides is proposed. Key words: acid tars, oil refining wastes, utilization, energy carriers, production of electrical energy, circulating fluidized bed.Acid tars, wastes from production of lube oils and additives, are highly viscous resinous masses with different degrees of mobility and a high sulfur content. Many refineries have such wastes, but the largest amount has accumulated at D. I. Mendeleev Yaroslavl' OR.At this refinery, the sole manufacturer of white oils, acid tars have been dumped in collection ponds during its entire existence (over 120 years). These ponds now occupy an enormous (tens of hectares) amount of land near the Volga River and are a direct threat to it.During storage the tars separate into three layers.• The top layer basically consists of petroleum products which are usually recycled and used as components of boiler-furnace fuel.• The middle layer consists of acid waters which are reprocessed in the refinery's neutralization station and in the unit from Cari Corp. purchased in Germany. The neutralization volume of these waters with consideration of atmospheric precipitation is 200-215 m 3 /year.• The bottom layer is partially utilized in equipment purchased from Bomag in the FRG by neutralization (with lime) and homogenization which convert toxic wastes ( hazard class 2) into neutral compounds.These technologies for utilization of the middle and bottom layers are expensive with low output: in the past four years, the amount of acid tar accumulated at the OR only decreased by 17,800 tons. The bottom layer reserves in the refinery ponds, estimated at ~500,000 tons on January 1, 1998, increase annually by 2-2,500 tons. According to refinery data, this layer contains ~79% organic substances, ~3% water, 11.5% sulfuric acid, ~4-5% sulfur; the ash content is ~6.5% and the heat value is ~33.52 mJ/kg.

Characterization and utilization of acid tar waste from crude benzol processing for environmental sustainability

“…In a similar research at the D.I. Mendelev Yaroslav in Russia, [23] observed high ash content of approximately 6.5% and high viscosity for the bottom layer of acid tars. Ash could be the major part which is being deposited at the bottom.…”

“…Apart from processing the acid tars into a suitable fuel, some researchers tried to use the raw acid tar as a basic fuel. [23] Investigated the possibility of utilising the bottom layer of the acid tars which had been ponded for over a century at D.I Mendeleev Yaroslavl's oil refinery. The ponded acid tar had separated into three layers and the potential energy from the bottom layer was estimated at 16.76*10 9 GJ [23].…”

“…[23] Investigated the possibility of utilising the bottom layer of the acid tars which had been ponded for over a century at D.I Mendeleev Yaroslavl's oil refinery. The ponded acid tar had separated into three layers and the potential energy from the bottom layer was estimated at 16.76*10 9 GJ [23]. Their attempt to utilize the bottom layer as a basic fuel for the manufacturing energy carriers in ordinary boilers was a challenge due to the relatively high ash content of about 6.5%, and the viscosities which did not allow burning in traditional boilers with fuel nozzles.…”

Acid Tar Waste Beneficiation Through Blending with Coal

“…A fluidized bed incinerator with limestone as the bed material to arrest the emissions of sulphur dioxide from acid tar waste incineration was investigated with success by Kerr and Probert (1990). Tumanovskii et al, (2004) also investigated the incineration of acid tar waste in circulating fluidized bed technology; and reported that it was possible to generate power in Russia using acid tar waste as the energy carrier. Similarly in Germany, acid tar waste was converted to a stable form and used in power plants that utilize brown coal (Gruss, 2005).…”