Abstract
The study investigates the effect of High-voltage short-pulse electrohydraulic discharge (HVSPED) on the catalytic cracking of oil sludge to enhance the production of light hydrocarbon fractions. A series of laboratory experiments were carried out by varying the main HVSPED parameters, including the voltage amplitude, pulse frequency, and treatment duration. A nickel-modified zeolite catalyst was used as the catalytic system. The optimal process parameters were determined: catalyst content - 0.8 wt.%, capacitor capacity - 0.3 μF, treatment duration - 6-8 minutes, interelectrode distance - 9 mm. The maximum yield of light and medium fractions (up to 300 °C) was achieved at 25–26 mass%. The results obtained demonstrate the high energy efficiency of HVSPED treatment for catalytic cracking of oil sludge. At a power input of 60–96 W and a treatment time of 6–8 minutes, the total energy consumption was 21.6–46.1 kJ for processing 0.2 kg of oil sludge, corresponding to a specific energy consumption of 108–230 kJ/kg, an energy requirement of 4.2–9.0 kJ/kg% per 1% conversion, and an energy consumption of 0.42–0.92 kJ/g of product. The results demonstrate that the use of HVSPED improves the resource and energy efficiency of oil sludge processing, which indicates the high prospects of this approach for further scaling and industrial use.