Experimental assessment of recycling methods of used engine oil for sustainable environment

Used engine oil is a high pollutant material as it contains extremely toxic contaminants accumulated during operation. These contaminants if disposed improperly can not only cause extensive damage to the environment but also affect all living organisms. To tackle this rising problem the engine oil can be recycled by recovery of its base oil and reused for various purposes. Since the cost of recycling is comparatively much lower than production from crude oil, so recycling can prove to be a preferable alternative source as crude oil reserves are getting depleted. In this research study, SAE 5W30 was collected from the vehicle where it had been used for about 3000 miles operation and the collected oil was then subjected to various recycling methods. The recycled oils obtained undergo various tests for quality check comparison by Rheometer, FTIR Spectrometer, Oil Densitometer and Flash Point Tester. From the results obtained it was clearly observed that the acid/clay treatment method fetched superlative results. The degree of viscosity reduction (%) in acid/clay treatment method was found to be 95.077% which was significantly greater than other methods. Also, different engine oil samples were analyzed and compared for contamination by FTIR spectroscopy which can assist in condition monitoring of the vehicle engine.