METHOD OF PROCESSING AND REUSE OF OIL SLUDGE Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: crude oil treatment. SUBSTANCE: invention relates to integrated processing and reuse of oil sludges and consists in the skimmer-mediated gathering from the surface of accumulator of liquid phase composed of upper (oil) and mediate (water) layers, said skimmer being provided with special self-cleaning grid serving to remove possible floating fragments. Liquid phase is fed into separation reactor to form mixture, which is fed through sand catcher into gravitation separator, wherein upper layer, corresponding by its composition to light fuel oil, is separated and introduced into product tank, whereas water layer from separator is transferred under pressure to biological posttreatment unit, which results in that residual hydrocarbons are converted into carbon dioxide and water. The latter is subjected to further posttreatment being preliminarily discharged from apparatus by the aid of air fed into bottom part of apparatus. Bottom deposits remaining in accumulator are removed. Method allows carrying out continuously following principal operations: gathering of liquid and solid products constituting sludges accumulated in oil storage pits (accumulators); separation into pure phases (petroleum products, water, mineral and organic solid residues; and making ready cleaned territory for further restoration. EFFECT: increased production of useful petroleum products and improved environmental condition. 5 cl, 1 dwg, 2 ex