Materials Extraction
Engine lubricating oil is extracted and refined from crude oil with a process called sedimentation.
During the process crude oil is heated in large divided towers with vapours released to use as fuel or
propane which are then collected at different areas in the tower. The oil is filtered and then
additives are added in while the oil is refined with the physical properties needed for its purpose.
Additives like lead or metal sulphide are used to improve the oils scoring on the metal surfaces it
interacts with under really high pressures.
Figure 1 Oil extraction (Advameg Inc.)(2015)
High weight larger molecule additives are formed to help improve the viscosity which is the
thickness of the fluid also helping stop the oil from getting thinner at higher temperatures. The oils
processing stage is expanding the oil to make larger surface areas to simplify the vaporous extraction
of water and other impurities. More rapid evaporating substances like Water is converted to a
vaporous state and the rest of the substances remain as a liquid or oil.
The vapour formed is either condensed or withdrawn into the atmosphere with no pollution.
Vacuum distillation units are used to remove easily absorbed and emulsified substances and take
water from lubricating fluids which are in wide use in the industry today. The use of low heating
vacuum distillation units are the lowest cost for methodical dehydration as an alternative for
removing water. Oil digging is another way of finding oil deposits but can be harmful to the
environment if an oil spill occurs.
References
(Advameg Inc.)(2015) (Lubricating Oil) (http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Lubricating-Oil.html)
(Jim Fitch Noria Corporation)(n.d)(Vacuum Distillation for the Removal of Water and Other Volatile
Contaminants)(http://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/162/vacuum-distillation-water-oil)
By Kenny Chand