Efficient eradication of odor pollution in refinery plants. Self-contained alkali residue wastewater treatment technology has been promoted
On June 5, a reporter learned from the Fushun Petrochemical Research Institute of Sinopec that a groundbreaking technology for treating refinery alkali residue and wastewater, developed jointly by the institute and Sinopec's Shanghai Gaoqiao Branch, has proven highly effective in breaking down spent caustic solutions and hydrocarbon-containing liquids. This advanced, independently developed system has reached international standards and is now being used in over 10 domestic refining and chemical companies.
In China, most oil refineries and petrochemical plants rely on oil-based alkali refining processes, which generate large volumes of highly polluting alkaline waste liquids. These wastes contain significant levels of COD, sulfides, and phenols, contributing up to 20–30% of total emissions from the industry. Recognizing this challenge, Sinopec has prioritized the treatment of spent lye as a key environmental initiative. The joint development between the two units has led to a new and efficient solution.
The technology employs a "modulating wet oxidation deodorization + batch activated sludge process" to address complex engineering challenges, including reactor design, gas-liquid cooling, and bioreactor structure. Researchers have created five proprietary equipment and process technologies, such as an internal-circulation wet-oxidation reactor, gas-liquid separation systems, and a tail gas purification tower. They also obtained two patents related to waste alkali treatment.
Industrial testing shows that this technology can reduce sulfide content in waste lye from 8g/L to 0.5mg/L, phenol from 10g/L to 2mg/L, and COD from 150g/L to below 500mg/L—meeting the standards required by refinery wastewater treatment facilities. It effectively eliminates air and water pollution caused by sodium sulfide and organic sulfides, removing over 90% of pollutants like COD and phenol.
This innovation provides a comprehensive and efficient solution for refinery waste lye treatment, significantly reducing the load on sewage treatment plants and ensuring the stable operation of existing systems while meeting discharge requirements. The technology offers advantages such as a simple process, compact footprint, low investment and operational costs, high automation, and ease of use. It can replace imported systems and support the expansion and renovation of Chinese refineries and ethylene plants.
So far, the technology has been successfully implemented in more than 10 petrochemical companies across Shanghai, Daqing, Qingdao, and other regions, achieving excellent results.
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