Oil sludge thermal treatment

Oil sludge treatment and recovery system

A configurable route combining separation, dewatering, drying and thermal treatment for tank-bottom sludge, refinery sludge and oily cuttings.

Published models and values are references for early comparison. Final capacity, weight, power, shipment and configuration remain subject to confirmed technical documents.

Oil-sludge treatment starts with water, oil and solids data

  • Water, oil, ash, salts, metals and viscosity vary widely by source. RUNDA compares separation, dewatering, drying and homogenization before defining the thermal, condensation, gas and solids scope.
  • The system can recover condensable oil and reduce residual oil in solids. Local testing and regulation determine the final classification and downstream route.

Product overview

  • Feedstock

    Tank-bottom sludge, refinery sludge, oily cuttings and industrial oily waste

  • Main outputs

    Recovered oil, process gas, treated solids and a possible water phase

  • Key tests

    Water, oil, solids, ash, sulphur, chlorine, salts and metals

  • Selection inputs

    Source, lab report, viscosity, throughput and local disposal requirements

Process flow

  • Representative sampling and three-phase analysis
  • Separation, dewatering or drying
  • Homogenized feeding and controlled thermal treatment
  • Condensation and gas treatment
  • Testing of water and treated solids

System composition

  • Receiving and homogenization
  • Separation and dewatering
  • Drying and metered feeding
  • Thermal treatment
  • Condensation and gas treatment
  • Solids cooling and controls

Main outputs

  • Recovered oil

    Quality and use depend on feedstock and pretreatment.

  • Water phase

    May arise from separation and condensation and requires a defined treatment route.

  • Treated solids

    Must be tested for residual oil, metals and other contaminants.

  • Process gas

    Handled in a closed system or assessed for heating reuse.

Product and engineering features

  • Evaluate separation and dewatering before thermal treatment
  • Calculate capacity with a material balance and verified feedstock data
  • Plan oil, water, gas and solids as one material-flow system
  • Coordinate local hazardous-waste interfaces

Frequently asked questions

  • Why not select oil-sludge equipment by tonnes per day alone?

    Water, oil, ash and viscosity vary widely and change pretreatment and thermal load.

  • Are treated solids automatically reusable?

    No. Residual oil, metals and other contaminants must be tested under local rules.

  • What data is most important for a quotation?

    Source, representative lab report, stable quantity, existing pretreatment and local disposal requirements.

Selection basis

Oil-sludge equipment starts with representative sampling and a three-phase balance

Tank-bottom sludge, refinery sludge, oil-based cuttings and contaminated soil cannot share one fixed capacity assumption. Water, oil, solids, salts, metals, viscosity and debris define separation, feeding, drying, heat load and residue handling.

Sample by source

Sample tanks, units, drilling locations and sites separately so average data does not hide extreme batches.

Separate before heating

Compare settling, screening, centrifuging, thermal washing or dewatering for high-water material.

Conveying and heat transfer

Viscosity, particles, sand and metal affect pumping, screw feeding, fouling and cleaning.

Three-phase outlets

Recovered oil, water and treated solids require separate testing and local downstream routes.

Confirm before technical selection

  • Source and generation process
  • Water-oil-solids analysis
  • Ash, salts, sulfur, chlorine and metals
  • Viscosity, particle size and debris
  • Existing separation, dewatering or storage
  • Requirements for recovered oil, water and solids