Deep purification of trace fine particles in hydrogenated oil by microchannel separator

The purification of hydrogenated oil using diatomaceous earth filtration separators has the high economic costs and material consumption. Previously, our team had achieved some industrial advantages by treating hydrogenated oils with microchannel separators; however there is still room for deep purification of micron-sized particulate pollutants.

In this study, a pilot-scale microchannel separator with a capacity of 1 m³/h was used for the deep purification of hydrogenated oil following the industrial-scale microchannel separator to enhance the its separation precision. Two separation media with equivalent diameters were used. The pilot microchannel separator was filled with a finer separating medium with an equivalent diameter of 0.3 ∼ 0.6 mm, which achieved an average turbidity reduction of 13.3 %. Moreover, the total particle number exhibited an average decrease of 43.4 %. The deep purification treatment extended the operation cycle of the downstream diatomite filter to 1.7 times its original duration. Using the microchannel separator, a projected reduction of 15 tons/year in solid waste discharge is anticipated for a petroleum resin process with a treatment capacity of 40 m³/h. This translates to an annual cost saving of 27 %.