Stability of waste oil in water emulsions in dependence on temperature

Environmental protection issues and rational use of natural resources are becoming the focus of attention nowadays. It has been found that the construction of road infrastructure is one of the most polluting activities. Road construction is accompanied by a number of processes that directly or indirectly affect the environment. Dust, noise and vibrations are the three most damaging effects of road construction and management. However, good condition of pavement could have a significant influence on noise and vibration reduction, fuel consumption, reduction of CO2 emissions, and even on road accidents. Optimizing industrial processes, creating a quality infrastructure and making it as sustainable as possible is a step towards the environment protection during road construction. Circular economy is an approach to sustainable development which creates value and prosperity through extending product lifespan and relocating waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning. In a circular economy, materials for new products come from old products by reusing, re-manufacturing or recycling. It is said that the circular economy could save European businesses up to $630 billion a year. Waste oil from oil refinery plants mixed with water and a biopolymer creates a water emulsion suitable for using in construction of road infrastructure. The aim of this work is to determine the thermal stability of waste oil/water emulsion. Emulsion stability was investigated by conducting rheology measurements at 30 °C and 60 °C, microscopy analysis of droplet size distribution and subjecting emulsion to laboratory centrifuge at elevated temperatures.