Abstract
The permeation characteristics and reclamation efficiency of waste lubricating oil were studied as a function of the types of ceramic composite membranes and the membrane separation process variables. The oil permeability of the TiO2 composite membrane(pore size 0.015 $\mu\textrm{m}$) was directly proportional to the crossflow velocity(0.22∼0.9 m/s) and temperature(150$^{\circ}C$∼200$^{\circ}C$). In the batch concentration process, as the concentration factor increased, both the permeability and the ash content of the permeate decreased. The average ash contents of the total permeate through the A6 alumina membrane(average pore size 0.8$\mu\textrm{m}$), Z1/A6 and Z1/A4(pore size 0.23$\mu\textrm{m}$)/A7(pore size 6$\mu\textrm{m}$) zirconia composite membrances(average pore size 0.07$\mu\textrm{m}$) were about 0.063 wt%, 0.045wt% and 0.08wt% in the region of 1∼2 concentration factor, respectively. The ash content of the mixed permeate through the A6 alumina and zirconia composite membrane was about 0.06 wt% and it can be also reduced to 0.06 wt% in the Z1/A6 membrane and below 0.003 wt% in the TiO2/Z1/A6 membrane. It was concluded that the treated oil obtained from the multi-step membrane separation process could be used as reclaimed lubricating oil as well as reclained fuel oil.