JP7743776B2 - Base oil manufacturing method, base oil manufacturing apparatus, and base oil manufacturing and logistics complex system equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a base oil production method, a base oil production apparatus, and a base oil production and logistics integrated system equipped with the same.

Traditionally, Japan has achieved growth through socio-economic activities based on mass production, mass consumption, and mass waste. However, enormous amounts of waste are being discarded, leading to a shortage of land for final disposal sites and growing concerns over the environmental impact of waste. Waste ranges widely, from paper products such as printing and communication paper, cardboard, and newspapers, to various building materials such as gypsum board and fiberboard, glass bottles, PET bottles, and clothing. With the aim of building a circular economic system, various waste- and recycling-related laws have been enacted and waste recycling is being promoted.

Examples of waste include oils (also referred to as "waste oil") such as lubricating oil, waste plastic oil, and cooking oil. Until now, most of these waste oils have been disposed of by burning. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a method for treating waste oil discharged from ships, machinery, etc. by heating it to a temperature above its thermal decomposition point in an oxygen-free environment.
Furthermore, as a method for effectively utilizing waste oil, Patent Document 2 proposes a waste oil treatment and recycling system in which purified oil, obtained by removing impurities from waste oil, is mixed with recycled oil to produce recycled fuel oil.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 8-261437 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-137360

There are many different types of recycled oils, such as waste oil and recycled heavy oil made from recycled waste oil, and the properties desired when recycling these to use as base oil also vary. The more uses for these waste oils and recycled oils, the better, considering the need to reduce the environmental impact of waste. Potential uses for these waste oils and recycled oils include, for example, base oil for lubricating oils, base oil for fertilizers (for waste oil fertilizers, etc.), base oil for soap (for recycled soap, etc.), base oil for paints (for waste oil-based paints, etc.), and various other base oils, such as fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces, boiler fuel oil, and diesel fuel oil.

When using waste oil and recycled oil as recycled heavy oil, it is necessary to satisfy the properties of recycled heavy oil specified in JIS K2170:2013. The properties of the recycled heavy oil are specified as flash point, kinematic viscosity at 50°C, pour point, ash content, sulfur content, chlorine content, water content, and gross calorific value, with a flash point of 70°C or higher, a kinematic viscosity at 50°C of 50 ^mm2 /s or lower, a pour point of -10°C or lower, and a gross calorific value of 41.8 MJ/kg or higher, which are similar to heavy oil A and heavy oil C. Therefore, fuel oils such as fuel oil for direct-fired industrial furnaces, boiler fuel oil, and diesel fuel oil, which are the supply sources of heavy oil A and heavy oil C and are expected to be consumed in large quantities, are being considered as promising sources of recycled heavy oil.

Incidentally, marine fuel oil is one of the promising sources of recycled heavy oil. When recycled heavy oil is used as marine fuel oil, the following considerations can be made.
The sulfur content of recycled heavy oil is regulated to be 0.6% by mass or less. As preventing environmental pollution has become a globally important issue in recent years, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is strengthening regulations on marine fuel, requiring all ships to reduce the sulfur content of fuel oil from 3.5% by mass to 0.5% by mass or less as part of its air pollution prevention measures, starting in 2020.
Although the sulfur concentration of recycled heavy oil is slightly above the regulatory limit for marine fuel, recycled heavy oil is usually processed with a margin above the standard limit, and even if it exceeds the regulatory limit, it is expected that only minor desulfurization treatment will suffice. Also, considering that heavy oil A and heavy oil C have been used as marine fuel, recycled heavy oil is fully capable of being used as marine fuel.

On the other hand, the properties of recycled heavy oil include a water content of 1.0% by mass or less (recycled heavy oil type 1) or 5.0% by mass or less (recycled heavy oil type 2), and an ash content of 1.0% by mass or less, which is higher than heavy oil A and heavy oil C, so it is expected that processing such as removing water and ash may be necessary.

In addition, while there are regulations regarding the properties of recycled heavy oil as mentioned above, the properties of waste oil and the recycled oil produced from it cannot be generalized, as they vary greatly depending on where the waste oil originates and where the recycled oil is derived from. Furthermore, recycling such waste oil and recycled oil may require processing that takes into account their different properties.

The method disclosed in Patent Document 1 involves incineration, which makes it impossible to recycle the waste, and increases the environmental load.
Furthermore, the waste oil treatment and recycling system disclosed in Patent Document 2 recycles waste oil by removing impurities through filtration to convert it into purified oil, which is then mixed with recycled oil, etc. However, it is not designed to accept multiple types of waste oil, and a single system cannot accommodate a variety of waste oils and recycled oils. Furthermore, simply removing impurities through filtration is not enough to produce base oils that meet the properties required for various applications. Therefore, the technology disclosed in Patent Document 2 is extremely difficult to efficiently handle not only recycled heavy oil but also a wide range of waste oils and recycled oils, and to recycle them for various applications. Therefore, conventional technology has not been able to fully address the demand for demand-based recycling, rather than simply recycling.

The present invention has been developed in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a base oil manufacturing method, a base oil manufacturing device, and a base oil manufacturing and logistics integrated system equipped with the same that can efficiently accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and meet the demand for various base oils.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following base oil production method, base oil production apparatus, and base oil production and logistics integrated system including the same.
1. A feedstock oil storage step of allocating and storing at least one feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil in one of a plurality of storage tanks based on the properties of the feedstock oil; and a base oil preparation step having at least one step selected from the following steps (1) and (2):
A method for producing base oil, comprising: step (1) preparing base oil from the raw material oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing with other raw material oils; and step (2) mixing at least two of the raw material oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks to prepare base oil.
2. A raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks for distributing and storing at least one raw oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
A base oil manufacturing apparatus comprising: (1) equipment for producing base oil from the raw material oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing it with other raw material oils; and (2) equipment for mixing at least two of the raw material oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks to produce base oil.
3. A feedstock oil receiving facility that receives at least one feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil;
a raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks that distribute and store the raw oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
a base oil production apparatus including: equipment (1) equipment for preparing base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing it with other stock oils; and equipment (2) equipment for preparing base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks; and a shipping facility for shipping the base oil supplied from the base oil preparation facility.
A complex system for manufacturing and distributing base oil.

The present invention provides a base oil production method, a base oil production device, and a base oil production and logistics integrated system equipped with the same that can efficiently accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and meet the demand for various base oils.

1 is a flow diagram illustrating a base oil production method, a base oil production apparatus, and a production and logistics integrated system of the present invention.

The present invention is described in detail below. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments, and can be implemented with any modifications within the scope that does not impair the effects of the invention.

[Base oil manufacturing method]
A method for producing a base oil according to an embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "the present embodiment") includes the steps of:
a feedstock oil storage step of distributing and storing at least one feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil in any one of a plurality of storage tanks based on the properties of the feedstock oil; and a base oil preparation step having at least one step selected from the following steps (1) and (2):
The method comprises the steps of: (1) preparing base oil from the raw material oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing it with other raw material oils; and (2) preparing base oil by mixing at least two of the raw material oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks.

By distributing and storing waste oil and recycled oil (hereinafter collectively referred to as "feed oil") based on their properties, it is possible to efficiently respond to the supply of various feed oils. Furthermore, by mixing and preparing the distributed and stored feed oils as needed, it is possible to respond to the demand for various base oils. And, because the feed oils are distributed and stored based on their properties, it is easy to adjust the properties of the base oil to the desired state. Thus, the base oil manufacturing method of this embodiment can efficiently respond to the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and respond to the demand for various base oils.
The method for producing a base oil according to this embodiment will be described in detail below, starting with the feedstock oil storage step, with reference to the flow diagram of FIG. 1 .

[Feedstock oil storage process]
The feedstock oil storage step is a step of allocating and storing at least one feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil in any one of a plurality of storage tanks based on the properties of the feedstock oil.

(raw oil)
As mentioned above, various types of waste oil and recycled oil can be accepted without any restrictions as raw material oil.
Representative examples of waste oils include cooking oils discharged from homes, restaurants, food processing factories, etc.; used lubricating oils such as lubricating oils for used transmissions, lubricating oils for internal combustion engines (various engines and turbines), lubricating oils for external combustion engines (various boilers), lubricating oils for metal processing (including metal cutting oil, press oil, quenching oil, etc.), and various other industrial lubricating oils; insulating oils used for insulating and cooling electrical equipment such as transformers, circuit breakers, and capacitors; cleaning oils used for cleaning and degreasing metal materials; and waste plastic oils obtained by oiling exhaust plastics.

Recycled oils include those obtained by refining the above-mentioned waste oils through processes such as filtration, desalting, dehydration, desulfurization, ash reduction, sludge reduction, and fractional distillation. Typical examples include recycled heavy oils specified in JIS K2170:2013, which are produced by refining waste oils as needed, and bio-recycled heavy oils (JIS K2171:2013). Note that the recycled oils that can be used in the manufacturing method of this embodiment are not limited to these recycled heavy oils; there are no particular restrictions on recycled oils that can be produced by processing waste oils in some way.

(Characteristics of feedstock oil)
The properties of the feedstock oil may be any properties required for the desired base oil, and therefore the method for producing a base oil according to this embodiment can meet the demand for a variety of base oils.
Typical properties of the feedstock include flash point, kinematic viscosity at 50°C, pour point, ash content, sulfur content, chlorine content, moisture content, gross calorific value, and further properties such as density at 15°C, CCAI (Calculated Carbon Aromaticity Index), cloud point, residual carbon content, saturated content, olefin content, aromatic content, resin content, and asphaltene content. In the production method of this embodiment, at least one of these properties is adopted as the property of the feedstock, and the feedstock is distributed and stored according to that property.

The properties of the feedstock can be, for example, the properties required for the desired base oil, because this makes it easier to prepare the desired base oil.
For example, when the desired base oil is a lubricating base oil, at least one property generally required for lubricating base oils, such as flash point, kinematic viscosity at 50°C, pour point, etc., may be used as the feedstock property, and the distribution may be made based on that property. When the desired base oil is a marine fuel, at least one property generally or legally required for marine fuels, such as sulfur content, gross calorific value, CCAI (Calculated Carbon Aromaticity Index), etc., may be used as the feedstock property, and the distribution may be made based on that property.

(distribute and store)
In the production method of this embodiment, the feedstock oil is distributed and stored in one of a plurality of storage tanks based on the properties of the feedstock oil. By distributing and storing the feedstock oil based on its properties, the properties of the feedstock oil in the storage tanks can be easily grasped, and it can be easily determined which storage tank the feedstock oil in should be used in accordance with the properties required for the desired base oil.

There are no particular restrictions on the distribution and storage methods as long as they are based on the properties of the feedstock oil.
For example, when the desired base oil is a marine fuel, the legally or generally required properties for marine fuel include sulfur content, gross calorific value, and CCAI (Calculated Carbon Aromaticity Index), as described above. Preferably, the property is at least one property selected from sulfur content and gross calorific value. In this case, the property of the feedstock is the sulfur content, which is particularly specified by law, and the sulfur content of the feedstock is classified into, for example, (a1) 0.3 mass% or less, (b1) more than 0.3 mass% and 0.5 mass% or less, (c1) more than 0.5 mass% and 0.8 mass% or less, and (d1) more than 0.8 mass%, and the feedstock belonging to the above classification conditions can be distributed and stored in storage tanks A to D corresponding to the above classification conditions (a1) to (d1), respectively.

Furthermore, if the desired base oil is marine fuel, the feedstock can be distributed and stored based on two properties, such as sulfur content and gross heating value. In this case, the sulfur content of the feedstock is classified according to the above-mentioned (a1) to (d1) classification conditions, and the gross heating value is classified as follows: (a2) 42.0 (MJ/kg) or more, (b2) 41.8 (MJ/kg) or more but less than 42.0 (MJ/kg), (c2) 41.5 (MJ/kg) or more but less than 41.8 (MJ/kg), and (d2) less than 41.5 (MJ/kg). Then, by providing a storage tank for each classification condition of the most important feedstock property (here, sulfur content), and classifying the gross heating value by a combination of at least two classification conditions for that classification condition, the number of storage tanks can be reduced while facilitating appropriate classification, which is efficient.

For the above classification, it is sufficient to set at least two classification conditions for the properties of one feedstock oil. Taking into consideration efficient distribution and storage, as well as the ease of adjusting the base oil to the required properties, three or more conditions are preferred, with the upper limit being preferably six or less, more preferably five or less, and especially preferably four.

With regard to the above classification conditions (a1) to (d1), the legally regulated value for sulfur content is 0.5 mass% or less as already mentioned, and since classification condition (b1) specifies 0.5 mass% or less, it can be understood that feedstocks that fall under classification conditions (a1) and (b1) are feedstocks that satisfy the legally regulated value, and feedstocks that fall under classification conditions (c1) and (d1) do not satisfy the legally regulated value.
In this way, by using the legally regulated values as one of the classification conditions, it becomes easier to determine whether the feedstock satisfies the legally regulated values. Note that when classifying by properties for which no legally regulated values have been set, it is advisable to classify by, for example, the required values of the properties required for the desired base oil.

When there are two classification conditions, it is preferable to have one classification condition that is equal to or above the threshold value of the legally regulated or required value (here, "equal to or above" means superior), and one classification condition that is equal to or below the threshold value (here, "equal to or below" means inferior). Furthermore, when an even number of classification conditions (four or more) are set, it is preferable that the number of classification conditions that are equal to or above the threshold value be between half the number of classification conditions ±1. For example, in the case of the above classification conditions (a1) to (d1), half of the four classification conditions, or two, are equal to or above the threshold value. Setting them in this manner increases the variation in the blending of stock oils that are equal to or above the threshold value and below, making it easier to adjust the desired base oil to the required properties.
Furthermore, if there are three classification conditions, it is preferable that one or two of them are above the threshold of the legally regulated value or required value, and if there are an odd number of classification conditions (five or more), the number of classification conditions above the threshold should be between the number of classification conditions ±1/2 (for example, if there are five classification conditions, there will be two to four).

More specifically, when the sulfur content classification conditions (a1) to (d1) and the gross calorific value classification conditions (a2) to (d2) are adopted as the properties of the feedstock, for example, by providing a storage tank A for storing a feedstock A that satisfies the classification conditions (a1) and (a2) or (b2), a storage tank B for storing a feedstock B that satisfies the classification conditions (b1) and (a2) or (b2), a storage tank C for storing a feedstock C that satisfies the classification conditions (c1) and (b2) or (c2), and a storage tank D for storing a feedstock D that satisfies the classification conditions (d1) and (c2) or (d2), the number of storage tanks can be reduced while the feedstock is appropriately distributed. Here, it is also possible to store feedstocks that fall under three classification conditions for gross calorific value, such as feedstocks that satisfy the classification conditions (a1) and (a2) to (c2), in storage tank A.
In addition, in the above example, the number of classification conditions for the sulfur concentration and the total calorific value is four, but for example, the number of classification conditions for the sulfur concentration may be four and the number of classification conditions for the total calorific value may be three, and these classification conditions may be combined.

The number of storage tanks to be installed should be the same as the number of classification conditions. For example, if the amount of feedstock B is large, additional storage tanks can be installed to store feedstock B. Furthermore, if feedstock that does not fall under the above classification conditions is to be received, additional storage tanks can be added accordingly.

If the properties of the feedstock oil are known at the time of receipt, the properties in that information can be used. If the properties are unknown at the time of receipt, the feedstock oil can be temporarily received in a receiving tank and analyzed. The feedstock oil can then be distributed and stored in appropriate storage tanks based on the analyzed properties of the feedstock oil.

(multiple storage tanks)
In the production method of this embodiment, multiple storage tanks are used (four storage tanks A to D are shown in FIG. 1). By using multiple storage tanks, various waste oils and recycled oils as feedstock oils can not only be received but also be distributed into feedstock oils having similar properties based on their properties. Therefore, by mixing and preparing the feedstock oils as needed, it is possible to easily meet the demand for various base oils.

The storage tank is not particularly limited as long as it is a tank for stock oil, and a general-purpose product can be used. However, considering that the stock oil is distributed and the stored stock oil is used to prepare base oil, it is preferable that the tank is equipped with at least a receiving nozzle and a discharging nozzle. Furthermore, if necessary, a tank equipped with a level gauge, a heater for preventing solidification, a heat insulator, etc. may be used.
The number, size, etc. of storage tanks may be determined depending on the amount of stock oil to be received, the number of classification conditions according to the properties of the stock oil, etc.

In addition, depending on the type (properties) of feedstock oil, there may be cases where the received feedstock cannot be classified into any of the existing storage tanks established according to the feedstock oil properties. In such cases, additional storage tanks may be added as needed, or the properties of the received feedstock oil may be changed so that it can be accommodated in existing storage tanks.

(Treatment process)
The manufacturing method of this embodiment may further include a treatment step of treating the waste oil to produce recycled oil. Fig. 1 shows the treatment step in which the waste oil is treated and then distributed and stored in a storage tank as recycled oil.

As mentioned above, the manufacturing method of this embodiment can accept waste oil and the recycled oil obtained by processing it. However, when waste oil is accepted, for example, edible oil, solid matter such as meat, fish, and vegetable scraps, and fried food scraps may remain. If the feedstock oil is distributed and stored in a storage tank with such solid matter remaining, it may accumulate in the piping and tank, causing blockage of the piping and deterioration of the quality of the feedstock oil. Furthermore, for example, used lubricating oil may contain solid matter such as metal fragments, which may cause the same problems as with edible oil. Therefore, when accepting waste oil as feedstock oil, it is preferable to include a processing step.

As mentioned above, solid matter often remains in the waste oil during the treatment process, so it is preferable to at least perform a filtration process. The waste oil may also be subjected to a refining process, as described below. After the treatment process, the waste oil is treated as recycled oil, as shown in Figure 1.

(Refining process)
In the production method of this embodiment, the feedstock oil may be refined. As shown in Figure 1, the refinement of the feedstock oil may be carried out before storing it in a storage tank, or after storage, i.e., on the feedstock oil stored in the storage tank. Also, as shown in Figure 1, if the feedstock oil is waste oil, the refinement may be carried out after the treatment step as described above.

The refining process may be carried out appropriately depending on the properties of the feedstock oil and the properties required for the desired base oil, and representative examples include filtration, desalting, dehydration, desulfurization, ash reduction, sludge reduction, fractional distillation, etc. These various processes may be carried out according to conventional methods.
In this embodiment, these processes may be performed individually or in combination.

As mentioned above, when recycled heavy oil is typically received as feedstock and the base oil is used as marine fuel, JIS-standard recycled heavy oil has a water content of 1.0% by mass or less (recycled heavy oil type 1) or 5.0% by mass or less (recycled heavy oil type 2), and an ash content of 1.0% by mass or less, which may be higher than the A and C heavy oils currently commonly used as marine fuel. Therefore, if the water and ash content of the received recycled heavy oil is higher than those of A and C heavy oils, it is preferable to perform dehydration treatment and low-ash content treatment. However, it goes without saying that if the water and ash content of the received recycled heavy oil is equivalent to those of A and C heavy oils, dehydration treatment and low-ash content treatment are not necessary.

The sulfur content of standard recycled heavy oil is regulated to be 0.6% by mass or less. If the sulfur content exceeds 0.5% by mass, the received recycled heavy oil may be subjected to desulfurization treatment to reduce the sulfur content to 0.5% by mass or less.
Furthermore, if a feedstock oil with a low sulfur content is stored in another storage tank, the sulfur content of the base oil may be reduced to 0.5% by mass or less by mixing the low sulfur content feedstock oil with a high sulfur content feedstock oil. Therefore, in such cases, desulfurization is not necessarily required, and the need for desulfurization can be determined by observing the status of the other feedstock oils stored in the storage tank. Thus, the base oil production method of this embodiment is industrially advantageous because it does not require refining all of the feedstock oils.

In addition, for example, metalworking lubricants (including metal cutting oils, press oils, quenching oils, etc.) generally contain chlorine-based extreme pressure agents such as chlorinated paraffin as additives to improve workability, and used metalworking lubricants are known to contain chlorine. Therefore, if used as fuel oil, improper combustion can cause the generation of dioxins and may also damage furnaces due to the production of hydrochloric acid. Therefore, when using used metalworking lubricants as feedstock, if an analysis of their properties shows that they contain a high amount of chlorine, it is recommended that they be refined, particularly through desalination treatment.

Figure 1 shows a configuration in which only the feedstock oil stored in storage tanks C and D among the multiple storage tanks undergoes refining treatment, but the manufacturing method of this embodiment is not limited to this configuration, and the feedstock oil stored in all storage tanks may also undergo refining treatment.

[Base oil preparation process]
The method for producing a base oil according to the present embodiment includes a base oil preparation step, which specifically includes at least one step selected from the following steps (1) and (2):
Step (1): A step of preparing a base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing with other stock oils. Step (2): A step of preparing a base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks.

Step (1) is a step in which the feedstock oil distributed to the multiple storage tanks is converted into base oil without being mixed with other feedstock oils. Step (1) is a step that is adopted when the feedstock oil distributed to the storage tanks is used as base oil as is. Figure 1 shows that, for example, the feedstock oil discharged from storage tanks A and B can be supplied as base oil as is.

In step (2), at least two of the stock oils distributed to the storage tanks are mixed to obtain a base oil. Step (2) is employed when the stock oils distributed to the storage tanks cannot be used as a base oil as they are. In Figure 1, for example, it is shown that the stock oils discharged from storage tanks A, B, and C can be mixed.
For example, assume that marine fuel is prepared as a base oil, and that stock oil A that satisfies the above classification conditions (a1) and (a2) or (b2) is stored in storage tank A as the stock oil, and that stock oil B that satisfies classification conditions (b1) and (a2) or (b2) is stored in storage tank B.
Since the sulfur content of each of the stock oils A and B stored in these storage tanks is 0.5 mass% or less, they can be used alone as base oil. Therefore, base oil can be produced by the process adopted when the stock oil distributed to the storage tanks in step (1) is used as base oil as is. Alternatively, base oil can be produced by mixing the stock oils A and B stored in storage tanks A and B depending on the required amount. In this case, the base oil is supplied after being mixed as shown in Figure 1.

Also, for example, assume that marine fuel is prepared as a base oil, and that stock oil A that satisfies the above classification conditions (a1) and (a2) or (b2) is stored in storage tank A as a stock oil, and that stock oil C that satisfies classification conditions (c1) and (b2) or (c2) is stored in storage tank C.
Of the feedstocks A and C stored in these storage tanks, feedstock A can be used alone because it has a sulfur concentration of 0.3% by mass or less, but feedstock C cannot be used alone because it has a sulfur concentration of more than 0.5% by mass. When using feedstock C, it is necessary to mix it with feedstock A. For example, if the sulfur content of feedstock A is 0.2% by mass and the sulfur content of feedstock C is 0.6% by mass, the sulfur content of the resulting base oil can be reduced to 0.5% by mass or less by mixing the amount of feedstock A used with respect to the total amount of feedstocks A and C. In this case, in the flow diagram of Figure 1, feedstock A stored in storage tank A and feedstock C stored in storage tank C are mixed to produce the base oil.

As described above, the properties of the stock oil stored in the storage tank, the amount of stock oil, the properties required for the desired base oil, etc. can be comprehensively taken into consideration to determine which storage tanks to store the stock oil in and how much. Therefore, the base oil manufacturing method of this embodiment makes it easy to accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils, as well as the demand for various base oils.

(mixture)
In the case of step (2), at least two types of feed oils are mixed. The mixing of the feed oils may be carried out, for example, using a mixing tank equipped with an agitator blade. In the flow diagram of FIG. 1, it is assumed that the feed oils stored in storage tanks A to C are mixed in one mixing tank. However, the number of mixing tanks is not limited to one. For example, in addition to a mixing tank for mixing the feed oils stored in storage tanks A to C, a plurality of mixing tanks may be provided, such as a mixing tank for mixing the feed oils stored in storage tanks A and D, and a mixing tank for mixing the feed oils stored in storage tanks B and D.

The mixing tank may be provided with a plurality of nozzles for piping for transferring the feed oil from each storage tank. It is not necessary to provide the same number of nozzles as the number of storage tanks, and it is possible to determine which storage tank the feed oil will be used in and then connect the piping from that storage tank to the mixing tank.
The mixing tank may also be provided with a nozzle for piping to discharge the base oil from the storage tank.

The mixing tank may be equipped with a level gauge, a heater for preventing solidification, a heat insulating material, a nozzle for supplying the additives described below, and the like, as required.
In order to control the flow rates of at least two types of feedstock oils, a flow meter and a control valve for adjusting the flow rate may be provided in the piping from the storage tank to the mixing tank.

(Mixing of additives)
In the method for producing a base oil according to this embodiment, additives may be mixed in the base oil preparation step.
The additives may be appropriately selected and used depending on the desired base oil, and examples thereof include various additives such as antioxidants, low-temperature flow improvers, lubricity improvers, cetane number improvers, combustion promoters, detergents, sludge dispersants, anti-fungal agents, viscosity index improvers, extreme pressure agents, friction reducers, oiliness agents, metal deactivators, and anti-foaming agents.

When the fuel oil is used as a marine fuel or the like, additives generally used in fuel oils such as marine fuel, for example, various additives such as antioxidants, low-temperature fluidity improvers, lubricity improvers, cetane number improvers, combustion promoters, detergents, sludge dispersants, and anti-fungal agents, among those mentioned above, or coumarin, etc., may be used as an additive from the viewpoint of the diesel fuel delivery tax.
Furthermore, when the base oil is used as a lubricating oil, it is advisable to use additives generally used in various lubricating oils, such as antioxidants, lubricity improvers, detergents, sludge dispersants, viscosity index improvers, extreme pressure agents, friction reducers, oiliness agents, metal deactivators, and antifoaming agents, among others.

When additives are used in the base oil production method of this embodiment, the additives are supplied to the mixing tank and mixed with the feedstock oil to produce the base oil, as is common to the preparation steps (1) and (2) above. In the flow diagram of Figure 1, the feedstock oil stored in storage tanks A to C is designed to be mixable with the additives.

(Base oil)
The base oil obtained by the base oil production method of this embodiment can be used for any purpose, such as lubricating oil base oil, fertilizer base oil (for waste oil fertilizer, etc.), soap base oil (for recycled soap, etc.), paint base oil (for waste oil paint, etc.), fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces (mainly used in fields (factories) such as aluminum recycling, lime production, steel, and papermaking), boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and various fuel oils such as marine fuel oil.

Considering the advantages of the base oil production method of this embodiment, such as its ability to accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and to meet the demand for various base oils, particularly its ease in adapting the desired properties of the desired base oil, and the expected large-volume demand, various fuel oils such as fuel oil for direct-fired industrial furnaces, boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and marine fuel oil, with marine fuel oil being particularly preferred as the base oil.

[Base oil manufacturing equipment]
The base oil production apparatus of this embodiment includes:
A raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks that distribute and store at least one raw oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
Equipment (1) Equipment for producing base oil from the raw material oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing with other raw material oils. Equipment (2) Equipment for producing base oil by mixing at least two of the raw material oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks.

Using the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment makes it easy to implement the base oil production method of this embodiment. Therefore, the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment can efficiently accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils, and produce base oils that meet the demand for various base oils.

The details regarding the feedstock oil, distribution to and storage in storage tanks, and preparation of base oil in the feedstock oil storage equipment and base oil preparation equipment that make up the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment are the same as those described in the base oil production method of this embodiment above. Also similar are the details regarding storage tanks and mixing tanks, and the possibility of having a receiving tank that is temporarily used when receiving feedstock oil.

The feedstock oil storage facility mainly consists of multiple storage tanks for storing feedstock oil, and piping for distributing feedstock oil received from vehicles such as tank trucks and ships such as tankers to the multiple storage tanks. As mentioned above, it may also have a receiving tank that is temporarily used when receiving feedstock oil.

The feedstock oil storage facility may also include processing equipment for processing feedstock oil (mainly waste oil) to produce recycled oil. As processing equipment, a preferred example is a filtration facility that performs filtration, as described above.

Furthermore, it is preferable that the feedstock oil storage facility further includes refining equipment for refining the feedstock oil. Examples of refining equipment include refining equipment that can perform various refining processes such as filtration, desalting, dehydration, desulfurization, ash reduction, sludge reduction, and fractional distillation. The refining equipment that performs refining processes may be located upstream of the storage tank, as shown in Figure 1, or may be located downstream of the storage tank and refining the feedstock oil stored in the storage tank.

When recycled heavy oil is typically received as feedstock oil and the base oil is used as marine fuel, it is preferable to perform dehydration treatment and low-ash content treatment as described above, so it is preferable to provide dehydration treatment equipment and low-ash content treatment equipment.
Furthermore, when using lubricating oil used as raw material oil, particularly lubricating oil for metal processing (including metal cutting oil, press oil, quenching oil, etc.), it is preferable to carry out desalination treatment as described above, and therefore it is preferable to provide desalination treatment equipment.

For example, a pump may be provided to pump raw oil temporarily received in a receiving tank to a storage tank, to pump the raw oil from the storage tank to a mixing tank, or to pump the raw oil from the storage tank as base oil, as needed.

A flow meter and a flow control valve for the flow meter may be provided on the line for the raw oil discharged from the storage tank, and various instruments such as a level meter may be provided on the storage tank, receiving tank, and mixing tank.
Furthermore, the storage tank, receiving tank, mixing tank, and piping may be provided with a heater, a heat insulator, etc., for the purpose of preventing the raw oil from solidifying.

(Application)
As described above, the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment can efficiently produce base oils that meet the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and the demand for various base oils.
Therefore, the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment can be adapted to produce base oils for any purpose, such as lubricating oil base oil, fertilizer base oil (for waste oil fertilizer, etc.), soap base oil (for recycled soap, etc.), paint base oil (for waste oil paint, etc.), fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces (mainly used in fields (factories) such as aluminum recycling, lime production, steel, and papermaking), boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and various fuel oils such as marine fuel oil.

Considering the features of the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment, such as its ability to accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and to meet the demand for various base oils, its ability to easily accommodate the required properties of the desired base oil, and the expected large-volume demand, it is preferable for use as a production apparatus for various fuel oils such as fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces, boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and marine fuel oil, especially marine fuel oil.

[Base oil manufacturing and logistics complex system]
The composite system for manufacturing and distributing base oil of this embodiment is as follows:
a feed oil receiving facility for receiving at least one feed oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil;
a raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks that distribute and store the raw oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
a base oil production apparatus including: equipment (1) equipment for preparing base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing it with other stock oils; and equipment (2) equipment for preparing base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks; and a shipping facility for shipping the base oil supplied from the base oil preparation facility.
The idea is to have the following.

The combined system for base oil production and logistics of this embodiment includes feedstock oil storage facilities and base oil preparation facilities, and can therefore be said to be a combined system equipped with the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment. Therefore, the combined system for base oil production and logistics of this embodiment can easily implement the base oil production method of this embodiment, efficiently responding to the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils, and producing and shipping base oils in response to various base oil demands.

(Feedstock oil storage facilities and base oil preparation facilities)
The feedstock oil storage facility and base oil preparation facility in the composite system for base oil production and distribution of this embodiment are the same as those described above in the base oil production apparatus of this embodiment.

(Feedstock oil receiving facility)
The feedstock oil receiving facility is a facility that receives at least one type of feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil.
The feedstock oil receiving facility has pipes, nozzles, etc. as feedstock oil receiving means for transferring the feedstock oil from a transportation means such as a tanker or tank truck that has transported the feedstock oil to a storage tank or a receiving tank that is provided as needed. It may also have a flow meter to manage the amount of received feedstock oil, and may also have a pump to transfer the feedstock oil to the storage tank or receiving tank, or from the receiving tank to the storage tank, as needed.

(Shipping equipment)
The shipping facility is a facility for shipping the base oil supplied from the base oil preparation facility. The shipping facility has piping, connection nozzles, etc. as base oil shipping means for shipping the base oil, i.e., for transferring the base oil to transportation means such as a tanker or tank truck.

The shipping facility may have a product tank for temporarily storing the base oil before shipping. By having the product tank, working hours can be adjusted.
A pump may be provided to transfer the base oil from the storage tank to the product tank, and from the storage tank and the product tank to transportation means such as a tanker, a tank truck, etc. A flow meter may also be provided to manage the amount of product shipped.

(Application)
As described above, the base oil production and logistics complex system of this embodiment can efficiently respond to the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils, and can produce and ship base oils in response to demand for various base oils.
Therefore, the base oil production and logistics integrated system of this embodiment can accommodate the production and logistics of base oils used for any purpose, such as lubricating oil base oil, fertilizer base oil (for waste oil fertilizer, etc.), soap base oil (for recycled soap, etc.), paint base oil (for waste oil paint, etc.), fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces (mainly used in fields (factories) such as aluminum recycling, lime production, steel, and papermaking), boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and marine fuel oil.

Considering the features of the base oil production and logistics integrated system of this embodiment, such as its ability to accommodate the supply of various waste oils and recycled oils and meet the demand for various base oils, its ability to easily accommodate the required properties of the desired base oil, and the expected large-scale demand, it is preferable to use it as a production and logistics integrated system for various fuel oils, such as fuel oil for direct-fire industrial furnaces, boiler fuel oil, diesel fuel oil, and marine fuel oil, especially marine fuel oil.

Claims (11)

a feedstock oil storage step of distributing and storing at least one feedstock oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil in any one of a plurality of storage tanks based on the properties of the feedstock oil; and a base oil preparation step having at least one step selected from the following steps (1) and (2):
Step (1) preparing a base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing with other stock oils; and Step (2) preparing a base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks .
The properties of the feedstock oil are sulfur content or sulfur content and gross calorific value,
The base oil is used for marine fuel oil.
Method for producing base oil. The method for producing a base oil according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of refining the feedstock oil. The method for producing a base oil according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising the step of refining the feedstock oil stored in the storage tank. 4. The method for producing a base oil according to claim 2 , wherein the refining treatment is at least one treatment selected from the group consisting of filtration, desalting, dehydration, desulfurization, ash reduction, sludge reduction, and fractional distillation. The method for producing a base oil according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , further comprising a step of treating waste oil to produce recycled oil. The method for producing a base oil according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein additives are mixed into the base oil in the base oil preparation step. A raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks that distribute and store at least one raw oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
Equipment (1) Equipment for producing base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing with other stock oils. Equipment (2) Equipment for producing base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks .
The properties of the feedstock oil are sulfur content or sulfur content and gross calorific value,
The base oil is used for marine fuel oil.
Base oil manufacturing equipment. The base oil production apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising a refining facility for refining the feedstock oil. 9. The base oil production apparatus according to claim 7 or 8 , further comprising a refining facility for refining the feedstock oil stored in the storage tank. The base oil production apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 9 , further comprising a treatment facility for treating waste oil to produce recycled oil. a feed oil receiving facility for receiving at least one feed oil selected from waste oil and recycled oil;
a raw oil storage facility having a plurality of storage tanks that distribute and store the raw oil based on the properties of the raw oil;
A base oil preparation facility having at least one facility selected from the following facilities (1) and (2):
a base oil production apparatus including: equipment (1) equipment for preparing base oil from the stock oil distributed to the plurality of storage tanks without mixing it with other stock oils; and equipment (2) equipment for preparing base oil by mixing at least two of the stock oils distributed to the plurality of storage tanks; and a shipping facility for shipping the base oil supplied from the base oil preparation facility.
Equipped with
The properties of the feedstock oil are sulfur content or sulfur content and gross calorific value,
The base oil is used for marine fuel oil.
A complex system for base oil production and logistics.