Beston Group’s thermal desorption unit provides an effective solution for managing your petrochemical waste. The thermal desorption system is not only clean, safe, and reliable but also exceptionally efficient. With thermal desorption technology, you can maximize the recovery of usable fuel oil from oil sludge while greatly diminishing reliance on hazardous waste landfill disposal.
Thermal desorption is an environmental remediation technology for hazardous waste treatment. It utilizes heat to increase the volatility of contaminants to remove them from the solid matrix (like soil, sludge, or filter cake). All thermal desorption technologies consist of two steps:
Therefore, a thermal desorption equipment usually has two major components: the desorber itself and the off-gas treatment system.
Note: Not all thermal desorption units (TDU) can handle every type of contaminated material. Factors like temperature range, capacity, and the specific contaminants present influence their suitability. Therefore, consulting the manufacturer or a qualified environmental engineer is crucial to ensure a TDU can effectively process a specific type of raw material.
Beston Group’s thermal desorption unit (TDU) is specifically engineered for oil sludge treatment and recycling. Whether you’re an oilfield operator, refinery manager, or environmental remediation contractor, the TDU solution addresses your oil sludge waste challenges.
Through indirect heating method, the thermal desorption unit vaporizes organic pollutants in oily sludge, eliminating contaminants safely via an integrated emission control system. The process ensures that the Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPH) in the treated solid discharge are consistently reduced to below 1% w/w, meeting environmental standard.
Through advanced condensing and separation system, the Beston TDU achieves an oil recovery for light and heavy crude fractions trapped in the oil sludge. The oil can be sold as inudtrial fuel oil, turning hazardous waste into a high-yield revenue stream.
| Model | Blackgold P30 | BLJ-20 | BLJ-16 TDU | BLJ-16 Standard | BLJ-16 ULTRA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturer | BESTON | BESTON | BESTON | BESTON | BESTON |
| Time to Market | 2026 | 2025 | 2013 | 2013 | 2022 |
| Motor Brand | Chinese brand | Chinese brand | Chinese brand | Chinese brand | ABB Explosion-proof |
| Suitable Raw Materials | Waste plastics; Tires; Oil sludge | Waste plastics; Tires; Oil sludge | Oil sludge; Landing oil sludge; Drilling waste; Tank bottom oil sludge | Whole tire Tire blocks Oil soil with liquid content | Waste plastics; Tires; Oil sludge |
| Input Capacity (Max.) | Waste plastic pellets: 0.8-1.05t/h; Rubber powder: 1.25-1.5t/h; Oil sludge:1.8-2.3t/h | Waste plastic pellets: 12-13t/d; Tire: 18-20t/d; Oil sludge:20-25t/d | 16-18t/batch | Whole tire Sidewall removed tire: 15-16t/batch; Oil soil: 16-18t/batch | Waste plastic bales: 8-10t/batch; Whole tire Sidewall removed tire: 15-16t/batch; Oil sludge: 16-18t/batch |
| Working Method | Fully Continuous | Batch | Batch | Batch | Batch |
| Final Oil Quality | Pyrolysis oil; Pyrolysis oil with wax or light oil; Gasoline blending components | Pyrolysis oil; Light oil and non-standard diesel | Pyrolysis oil | Pyrolysis oil | Pyrolysis oil; Pyrolysis oil with wax or light oil |
| Reactor Material | 304/310S Stainless steel | Q345R Boiler steel and 304/316L/310S Stainless steel | 304 Stainless steel | Q345R Boiler steel | 304 Stainless steel |
| Reactor Life Span (Years) | 5-8 Years | Q345R Boiler steel: 2-3 Years; 304/316L Stainless steel: 5-8 Years; 310S Stainless steel: 8-10 Years | 5-8 Years | 2-3 Years | 5-8 Years |
| Guarantee (Months) | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 |
| Delivery Time (Calendar Days) | 60-90 | 60 | 60 | 45 | 90 |
| Land Space Required (L*W*H*m) | 50*20*10 | 40*13*8 | 33*13*8 | 33*13*8 | 33*26*8 |
| Packing | 20*6*3m in bulk+13*40HQ | 1*40FR+4*40HQ | 1*40FR+3*40HQ | 1*40FR+3*40HQ | 1*40FR+8*40HQ |
| Installation Period (Calendar Days) | 60-90 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 60 |
Challenge: With environmental audits becoming the global norm, oily sludge (Hazardous Waste) is strictly banned from open storage. Non-compliance or improper disposal risks catastrophic fines, legal liabilities, and forced operational shutdowns.
TDU Solution: Beston TDU keeps you fully compliant, audit-ready, and operational.
Challenge: Outsourcing oil sludge treatment to third-party facilities involves complicated transport permits, rigid cross-regional approvals, and soaring service fees that severely erode your bottom line.
TDU Solution: Cut third-party dependency and take control of your treatment economics. TDU recovers up to 90% of that oil, putting revenue back in your hands.
Challenge: Conventional thermal units often experience severe coking, clogging, and crusting when handling high-viscosity oil sludge. Worse, a lack of rigorous explosion-proof mechanisms poses extreme safety and fire risks to your plant.
TDU Solution: Beston TDU is engineered with anti-coking technology to improve production efficency.
Oily sludge is an inevitable, highly hazardous byproduct generated across upstream oil exploration, midstream transportation, and downstream refining. To meet stringent environmental mandates, Beston thermal desorption unit is engineered to handle a wide range of oily sludge, summarized in the table below:
| Image | Source | Type | Water Content % | Oil Content % | Solid Content % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drilling and Oil Extraction | Oil-based Cuttings | 8~15 | 15~25 | 60~80 | |
| Waste Oil-based Mud | 40~50 | 10~20 | 30~40 | ||
| Oil-contaminated Soil | 5~25 | 5~10 | 70~90 | ||
| Oil Gathering & Transportation | Tank Bottom Oil Sludge | 40-70 | 20-40 | 5-40 | |
| Oil-contaminated Soil | 5~25 | 5~10 | 70~90 | ||
| Oil Refining | Oil-water Separator Sludge | 60~70 | 10~15 | 25~35 | |
| Air Flotation Tank Sludge | 75~90 | 5~10 | 3~10 | ||
| Activated Oil Sludge | 75~85 | ＜5 | 10~20 |
Oil sludge pretreatment achieves initial phase separation of oil, water, and solids, drastically reducing the overall material load feeding into the downstream TDU to save treatment costs.
Thermal desorption process is to thoroughly purify the remaining solids, achieving non-hazardous disposal and full resource recovery.
The dewatered solid cake from the centrifuge is fed into the Thermal Desorption Unit (TDU). It is heated to target temperatures (typically 350°C – 550°C) within an oxygen-deficient environment. Residual heavy hydrocarbons, light oil, and moisture within the cake vaporize through heating, completely stripping away from the solid phase.
The oil-bearing vapor enters condensation system where it liquifies and is recovered as oil. The non-condensable syngas is recycled as fuel for the reactor after purification.
Solid residues (mainly sand and soils) are continuously moved out of the reactor via water-cooled jacketed screw conveyors, safely lowering the discharge temperature for onsite storage or immediate backfilling.
The exhaust gas passes through a comprehensive dedusting system, ensuring all final emissions fully align with your local environmental regulations, even meeting stringent EU standards.
Since it fully meets strict global environmental and landfill disposal standards, this heavy-metal-stabilized soil can be used for risk-free onsite backfilling, road construction base, or raw material for brick manufacturing.
Combustible gas is redirected back into the TDU’s burners to be used as fuel for the heating process. This hot-air self-recycling loop significantly lowers the plant’s overall energy consumption and operational costs.
💰 Project Profitability & Revenue Sources
In previous projects, Beston Group was commissioned by multiple clients to evaluate the oil yield of different types of oil sludge. The following controlled test results are provided for technical reference.
👨💻 Senior Project Engineer’s Practical Insights & Advice
The actual oil yield from oily sludge is highly variable, depending entirely on the feedstock’s initial oil content (typically 10% to 50%) and the specific ratios of water and solids. Based on our global field installation experience, we strongly advise clients to conduct moisture testing before securing a feedstock supply contract. This can ensuce final oil yield and profitability.
| Composition | Unit/g | Ratio/% |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 37g | 24.67% |
| Slag | 38g | 25.33% |
| Syngas | 42g | 28% |
| Water | 33g | 22% |
| Composition | Unit/g | Ratio/% |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 22g | 7.33% |
| Water | 8g | 2.67% |
| Slag | 259g | 86.33% |
| Syngas | 11g | 3.67% |
| Composition | Unit/g | Ratio/% |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 125g | 58.7% |
| Water | 65g | 30.5% |
| Slag | 8.5g | 4.00% |
| Syngas | 14.5g | 6.8% |
| Composition | Unit/g | Ratio/% |
|---|---|---|
| Oil | 90.5g | 45.25% |
| Water | 66.5g | 33.25% |
| Slag | 21g | 10.5% |
| Syngas | 22g | 11% |
Beston Group has matched oil distillation and purification technology, decolorization and deodorization technology, etc. This can improve the value of end products and overall profitability.
The machine includes a syngas recycling system. Syngas produced in the thermal desorption process is recycled to heat the reactor, reducing energy costs.
The dedusting system comprises three to four layers of dust removal treatment. The exhaust gas is treated by this system to meet the emission standards. It can even meet EU standards.
Multiple designs like temperature gauges, pressure indicators, and explosion-proof valves ensure the safety of the machine and operators.
IoT monitoring technology and PLC and DCS remote control technology can achieve intelligent and automated operation.
Beston Group adopts corrosion-resistant and high-temperature-resistant materials to design the reactor of the thermal desorption system. The common choice is Q345R.
Now you find that investing in thermal desorption projects is popular and some investors have started their actions. This is because managing industrial hazardous waste, such as oil sludge, makes sense. It can minimize their impact on the environment and human health. It’s a win-win situation for both investors and the planet!
Beston Group has matched oil distillation and purification technology, decolorization and deodorization technology, etc. This can improve the value of end products and overall profitability.
We don’t just manufacture machinery; we ensure your long-term operational success. Beston provides proactive engineering support spanning the entire project lifecycle—including customized site layout designing, meticulous onsite installation supervision, commissioning milestones, and comprehensive onsite operator training.
With an extensive footprint in international environmental engineering, Beston Group is a trusted partner for global oilfields and refineries. Our structured supply chain and experienced field deployment teams are capable of executing high-efficiency deliveries—such as our recent 42-day rapid installation and commissioning milestones in major international projects.
Beston Group operates a modern industrial manufacturing base in Jiaozuo alongside our corporate headquarters in Zhengzhou. Every heavy-duty rotary drum, condensing module, and automated control system is fabricated 100% in-house. This direct supply chain guarantees premium engineering precision, transparent project timelines, and elimination of middleman costs.
Partner with Beston Group to bring your oil sludge thermal desorption unit (TDU) project to life. With Beston Group’s expertise and full-service support, you’ll be one step closer to sustainable, profitable waste management. Contact us now for customized solutions and expert guidance. Follow us on Linkedin/Facebook/YouTube/Pinterest for the latest updates.