RESEARCH OF THE TREATMENT OF OILY SOIL BY

WASHING M E T H O D
Wang Jialin, W u Fangyun, Liu Jiangang, Shi F a n g and Xie Fei, University of Petroleum,
Beijing

Abstract. Background: During developing and exploiting of petroleum, artificial and technical things led to
petroleum spilling onto the ground, then oily soil formed. Spilled petroleum not only gets a waste of resources
but also pollutes soil, water and air.
Summing-up the results of literature, it illustrates that burning, solidifing, biodegrading, thermo-treating,
solvent extracting and washing are feasible treating method. Among them washing method is energy-saving,
higher efficient.
Experiment: Oily soil was made-up with Xianhe crude oil (from Shengli oilfield) and Shengli sandy soil, then
was put into a self-made reactor, mixed with hot surfactant water in a proportion and agitated for a period.
After being washed, oil, water and soil was separated, and analyzed oil content by UV spectrophotometry.
Results and Discussion: (1) Comparison of hot water without surfactant, surfactant water and basic solution.
The results demonstrate that with hot water without surfactant and surfactant water (OP series, EL series, AES
and 7010), better washing effects and separating effects can not achieve; with basic solution(containing alkaline
mixture NS), better washing effects can get and oil washed-out can easily separate with water and soil.
(2) Comparison of different NS concentration. With increasing of NS concentration, oil concentration in
washed soil decreased from 13.7% at NS concentration of O mg/l to 2% at 10 O00 mg/l. More than 10 O00 mg/i,
oil concentration changed slowly.
(3) Influence of temperature. With increasing of temperature, oil concentration in washed soil decreased.
When temperature was up to 70 O C , the oil concentration varied near a value, about 1%.
(4) Influence of retention period. When retention period exceeded 20 min, oil concentration began to change
smoothly, and tend to 1%.
(5) Influence of liquid/solid ratio. The change of liquid/solid ratio hardly influence the washing effect.
(6) Influence of the washing liquid recycling. After washing, washing liquid was separated from oil and soil,
then added NS and water, and reused. The results illustrated that after 7 cycles, no obvious change in washing
effect could get and oil concentration in washing liquid changed in a little after the 3 cycle.
Conclusion:
1. Better result of oily soil treating can acquire by washing with NS. Under condition of temperature of 70 "C,
NS concentration of 10000 mg/l, liquid/solid ratio of 2 : 1 and retention period of 20 min, a 30% oil-content
soil may be washed down to only about 0.3% oil concentration.
2. It is meaningful that the washing liquid may be recycled directly without obvious effect on the washing result,
which will reduce not only the use level of fresh water, but also the discharge level of waste water and,
therefore, the cost of operating and waste water treating.
3. Since this washing method isn't involved in phase transition process and the mixing base NS is cheap, its
energy consumption and processing cost are lower comparatively and moreover, the washed-off oil may be
retrieved.

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