Patent ID: 6402937
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: C10M

Abstract:
A process for direct contact heating and vaporization of used motor oil, UMO, comprising:a. heating and vaporizing in a UMO vaporization vessel operating at UMO vaporization conditions a liquid UMO feed by direct contact heat exchange with a recycled, superheated, vapor to produce a UMO vapor fraction comprising a mixture of vaporized lubricating oil boiling range hydrocarbons and said recycled superheated vapor and a liquid phase residue fraction; b. withdrawing, at least intermittently, from said vaporization vessel said residue fraction as a liquid product of said process; c. withdrawing from said vaporization vessel, and partially cooling and partially condensing, said UMO vapor fraction and charging same into a hot separator operating at hot separator conditions including a temperature below the boiling point of said lubricating oil boiling range hydrocarbons and above the boiling point of said recycled vapor and separating therein a liquid product phase comprising at least a majority of the lubricating oil boiling range hydrocarbons present in said UMO vapor fraction from a vapor phase comprising at least a majority of said injected, superheated vapor; d. withdrawing from said hot separator, and cooling and condensing, said hot separator vapor to produce a recycle liquid comprising condensed hot separator vapor condensed liquid; e. pumping at least a portion of said recycle liquid to increase the pressure thereof and produce a pressurized recycle liquid; f. heating and vaporizing said pressurized recycle liquid by indirect heat exchange or heating in a fired heater to form superheated vapor; and g. injecting said superheated vapor into step a) of said UMO vaporization process to vaporize by direct contact heat exchange, liquid UMO feed.