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 liquid waste. This innovative, independently developed technology has reached international standards and is already 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 high-pollution alkaline waste liquids. These waste streams contain significant levels of COD, sulfides, and phenols, contributing up to 20%–30% of total emissions from these facilities. Recognizing this challenge, Sinopec has prioritized the treatment of spent lye as a key environmental initiative. The collaboration between the two units has led to the development of advanced technologies for managing alkali residues and high-concentration wastewater.
The technology employs a "modulating wet oxidation deodorization + batch activated sludge" process, addressing key engineering challenges such as reactor structure optimization, gas-liquid mixture cooling after deodorization, and SBR bioreactor design. Researchers have also created five proprietary systems, including an internal-circulation wet-oxidation reactor, gas-liquid separation, cooling mechanisms, and a tail gas purification tower. Two patents have been granted for these innovations.
Industrial testing has demonstrated impressive results: sulfide levels in waste lye dropped from 8g/L to 0.5mg/L, phenol from 10g/L to 2mg/L, and COD from 150g/L to below 500mg/L, meeting refinery wastewater treatment standards. The technology effectively eliminates air and water pollution caused by sodium sulfide and organic sulfides, removing over 90% of COD and phenol from the waste streams.
This achievement provides a comprehensive solution for refinery waste lye treatment, significantly reducing the load on wastewater treatment plants and ensuring the smooth operation of existing systems while meeting discharge requirements. The technology offers advantages such as a simplified process, compact equipment, low investment and operating costs, high automation, and ease of use. It can replace imported systems and support the expansion and modernization of Chinese refineries and ethylene plants.
So far, the technology has been successfully implemented in over 10 petrochemical companies across cities like Shanghai, Daqing, and Qingdao, delivering excellent outcomes and proving its value in real-world applications.
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