System and method for cleaning and recovery of hydrocarbons

Abstract

A system has a heater that heats a contaminated input hydrocarbon to a process temperature. An ionizer applies an electron inducing voltage to the heated hydrocarbon and a flocculent supply provides a charged flocculent into the ionized hydrocarbon. A separator removes the flocculent and contaminants from the hydrocarbon to produce solid waste and oil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a heater that heats a contaminated input sludge to a process temperature;   an ionizer that applies an electron inducing voltage to the heated sludge;   a flocculent supply that provides a charged flocculent into the ionized sludge; and   a separator that removes the flocculent and contaminants from the sludge to produce solid waste and oil.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the separator removes water from the oil. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the separator comprises a three phase horizontal decanter centrifuge. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flocculent comprises a polyelectrolyte copolymer. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a heated conveyor that moves the solid waste and applies heat thereto and a condenser for reclaiming hydrocarbon evaporates from the solid waste. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heater comprises a vertical heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a transfer pump and a hydrocarbon source heater, wherein the hydrocarbon source heater heats contaminated input sludge at a hydrocarbon source to a pumping temperature for pumping toward the ionizer by the pump. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a melting tank that receives the input sludge from the transfer pump. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a feed pump that moves the input sludge from the melting tank and into the heater, and ionizer. 
     
     
         10 . A system comprising:
 a grinder that grinds tars;   a heater that heats the tar to a liquefied state;   a sodium hydroxide supply that provides a sodium hydroxide solution to the liquefied tar;   a diluent supply that provides a diluent to the liquefied tar;   an ionizer that applies an electron inducing voltage to the liquefied tar;   a flocculent supply that provides a flocculent to the ionized tar; and   a decanter that separates solids from the tar.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the decanter comprises a two stage horizontal centrifuge decanter. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , further comprising a three phase horizontal centrifuge decanter that further separates additional sediment from the tar and produces oil and water from the remaining tar. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the flocculent comprises a polyelectrolyte copolymer. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the diluent comprises one of diesel or a gas oil. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 heating a contaminated hydrocarbon;   applying a voltage to the hydrocarbon to ionize the contaminants;   infusing the ionized hydrocarbon with a flocculent to coalesce contaminants; and   removing the coalesced contaminants to produce solid waste and oil from the contaminated hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein removing the coalesced contaminant comprises decanting the hydrocarbon in a three phase horizontal centrifuge decanter producing solid waste, oil, and water. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein removing the coalesced contaminants comprises:
 decanting the hydrocarbon in a two phase centrifuge decanter to remove a first quantity of solids from the hydrocarbon; and   decanting the hydrocarbon in a three phase horizontal centrifuge decanter producing solid waste, oil, and water.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising grinding the contaminated hydrocarbon.