Wax Deoiling is valuable process for refineries, processing Waxy Crude and looking for improvement in Gross Refinery Margin (GRM). CSIR IIP has facilities for investigation of different available refinery waxy streams for the production of marketable grades of paraffin waxes.
Typical steps involved in Wax Deoiling investigations related to wax production from potential feedstocks are collection of feedstocks from refinery, physicochemical characterization of feed, feed – solvent miscibility and generation of wax crystallization temperature data, followed by simulated lab and bench scale deoiling runs under varying operating conditions. Typical variables for Solvent deoiling process include solvent, solvent composition, S/F ratio and dilution pattern, temperature profile, filtration temperature, wash solvent ratio, repulping stage and filter aid requirements etc.
Commercial reference for ‘CSIR IIP Wax Deoiling Technology’ is the grass root ‘Wax De-oiling Unit’ of Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL).This is the first wax plant set-up by any petroleum refinery in the India based on indigenous technology with the largest investment. This wax plant is designed to produce high quality and high value 50,000 Metric Ton Per Annum (MTPA) of ‘Paraffin Wax’ and 4,500 MTPA of ‘Microcrystalline Wax’. CSIR- IIP has developed this ‘Wax De-oiling Technology’ with Engineers India Limited (EIL) and Numaligarh Refinery Limited (NRL). The Numaligarh Wax plant was dedicated to the nation on 5th February, 2016 by Honorable Prime Minister of India.