Problems Connected with Operation of Fire-Resistant Oils and Ways for Solving Them

In the mid 20th century, type OMTI fire-resistant oil (fire-resistant oil of the thermal engineering institute), whose production technology was developed by specialists of the All-Russian Thermal Engineering Institute (VTI), received wide use at Russian and also at some foreign power plants. Type OMTI oil is distinguished by its high fire-resistant qualities, good lubrication properties, high thermal oxidation and hydrolytic stability, and long service life. Its drawback, as of any phosphorus esters, is sensitivity to the presence of water and increased temperatures, the action of which destructs the fluid with generation of acidic products. This process is "autocatalytic" in nature with a rather quickly reached unacceptable acidic level, at which the replacement of oil may be required. Nowadays, in view of the fact that fire-resistant oils are widely used but have a high cost, matters concerned with supporting the operation of fire-resistant oils and also extending their service life are becoming of much relevance. Another important issue is searching for efficient methods to restore the qualitative characteristics of spent oils that have been accumulated at power industry enterprises with the aim of repeatedly using them as hydraulic fluid or raw material for obtaining new oil. For extending the service life of operating oils and restoring spent oils to the required characteristics, oil purification plants, in which the fluids are subjected to sorption purification and acid destruction products are removed, are required. To ensure the effectiveness of the implemented processes, the sorbent must comply with certain criteria. It should be noted that stable operation of the power industry is essential for the energy security of the state; therefore, it is necessary to commence work on developing the compositions of a new type of fire-resistant oils on the basis of tert-butylphenyls and also elaborating the technology for manufacturing them and estimating the possibility to implement the process at existing industrial chemical sites. The manufacture of the new type of oils must be accompanied by the development of corresponding regulatory documents.