Characterization and Analysis of Cracked Hydrocarbon Fractions in Used Lubricating Oil

• Authors: N. H. Peter , D. A. Idowu , R. E. Ereh , R. Z. Kabantiyok , A. C. Ikeji , O. I. Oresegun , I. O. Popoola
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This study was aimed at regenerating used lubricating oil into any useful product as well as investigating the cracked hydrocarbons present in it if any. This was based on the fundamental fact that as a result of prolonged usage of the lubricating oil in the crankcase over long distance miles, some cracking must have taken place as well as degradation due to oxidation, as well as contamination thus reducing its viscosity. The methods used to achieve the results were chemical desludging and neutralization, vacuum distillation and gas chromatography. From results obtained, used lubricating oil can be regenerated to base oil, burner fuel though it burns with smoky flame and likely diesel. The light transparent base oil was of appreciable viscosity and comparable to standard. Also, the diesel fraction obtained was distilled at cut temperature range of 260-280 °C while the lube oil fraction was distilled at cut temperature range of 310-330 °C. The two fractions however contained few cracked hydrocarbons. The cracked hydrocarbon in the diesel fraction is decane (C10H22) while the cracked hydrocarbons in the lube oil fraction include n-Hexadecane (C16H34) and n-Heptadecane (C17H36). Therefore, an appreciable part of what we refer to as ‘used lubricating oil’ can be regenerated and if further work is done by incorporating additives, can be used again in cars. The masses can do the environment good by going into used lubricating oil regeneration and avoid economic waste as well as environmental pollution.

Keywords

EN

Cracked Hydrocarbon; Environmental Pollution; Gas Chromatography; Lubricating oil; Vacuum Distillation

Discipline

• CHEMISTRY: CHEMISTRY

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 61
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 167-177

Contributors

author

N. H. Peter

• Department of Petroleum Engineering, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

author

D. A. Idowu

• Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria

author

R. E. Ereh

• Department of Nuclear Applications, Aachen University of Applied Sciences, Juelich, Germany

author

R. Z. Kabantiyok

• Department of Research and Innovation, Schrödinger Technologies Limited, Kano State, Nigeria

author

A. C. Ikeji

• Department of Laboratory and Medical Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

author

O. I. Oresegun

• Department of Mechanical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

author

I. O. Popoola

• Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lagos State University, Lagos State, Nigeria

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• Document Type: article