DST does not replace conventional filters, but is an addition beyond conventional filtration.
The oil becomes cleaner than before, and by removing even the smallest contaminants, oil ageing is prevented, allowing the oil to be used again and again.
– We offer Swedish industry cost-effective and circular service solutions for industrial oils by, in collaboration with our partners, offering the world-unique DST technology. The purified oil retains or improves its quality, which leads to reduced wear and a longer service life for machines and equipment, says Torbjörn Pettersson, CEO of Rocco Oil.
Purifies in a two-step process
DST technology (Double Separation Technology) makes it possible to purify oil so deeply that it can be cleaned and reused many times. It is a two-step process in which, in the first step, the oil is mixed with a special liquid, a so-called booster, which attracts contaminants and binds them together like a magnet. In the next step, the contaminants are separated mechanically through sedimentation and filtration.
– The result is a clean oil that can continue circulating in industry instead of being discarded. To determine the climate benefits contributed by the regenerated oils, SKF Recond commissioned IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to compare life cycle analyses for different oils.
– They compared the climate impact of the DST process with a conventional industrial oil cycle and carried out life cycle-based calculations on two sets of regenerated oils — DST Integrated and DST Standalone. The results showed that the climate footprint of both regenerated oils’ life cycles was significantly lower than the footprint of a conventional oil life cycle. The climate impact of a conventional oil cycle is 3830 kg CO2 equivalents per m3 of oil, compared with 154 kg CO2 equivalents (DST Stand-alone) and 20 kg CO2 equivalents (DST Integrated).
Entrepreneurs in Ånge kept them there
Rocco Oil ended up in Ånge because entrepreneur Fred Sundström, who developed DST technology under the name Recond Oil and at the time lived in Östersund, was looking for premises to move from a laboratory environment to production.
– Fred Sundström then contacted his long-time business partner Nils-Erik Jonasson in Ånge, who together with his wife Carina runs the company Recond Concept in the former postal terminal. There was spare capacity in the premises, and the innovators from Östersund moved the business to Ånge and formed a company together with Nils-Erik Jonasson. However, Recond Oil needed resources to bring the product to market, and in 2019 the company was acquired by SKF.
– At the same time, a group of entrepreneurs with ties to Ånge wanted the business to remain in the area. The result was that Nils-Erik Jonasson reached an agreement with SKF for exclusive rights to the Swedish market, a decision that laid the foundation for Rocco Oil, and we are still here, notes Torbjörn Pettersson. It is Sweden’s first production facility for the purification of industrial oils, with a capacity of 2,500 m³ of oil per year, and the production is powered 100 percent fossil-free, including heating of the premises and electricity. For heating and production, they make use of industrial waste heat, which further reduces their environmental impact.
Reduces vulnerability in times of crisis
The major climate benefit is not the only advantage of being able to reuse industrial oils many times. At a time when both the climate issue and Sweden’s preparedness for supply disruptions are high on the agenda, circularity becomes more than a sustainability goal — it becomes a necessity. The pandemic and the uncertain global situation have shown how vulnerable our supply chains are.
– These days, we talk a great deal about the need for resilience in society, about being as independent as possible from deliveries from other parts of the world. Being able to purify and reuse the industrial oils already within the country’s borders is a major advantage in times of crisis, explains Torbjörn Pettersson. Authorities emphasize the importance of ensuring that critical societal functions can continue even during disruptions. The goal is at least two weeks on internal resources and three months in a war scenario. For industry, this means that critical input goods must be secured.
– DST technology makes it possible to extend the service life of the oil we already have instead of relying on new deliveries. This makes supply chains more robust and reduces vulnerability.
