Absolutely. Questiion is how much is too much. Chem E's will need to answer that one. There are furnaces that burn strictly motor, hydaulic, gear, ect. oils already. And they are not complex.
Life is what happens while we're making other plans.
There was a study here in the US several years ago, where the oil was burned and the exhaust residues examined. There were quite a few heavy metals and toxic compounds present. Not sure how it would work in a heavy bunker oil however. There are several companies marketing industrial heating units burning used oils.
Franz
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As for burning used oil in a diesel, you can can do it w/ most any engine up to about 5% without any issues, at least according to some engine manufacturers.. Cummins(I'm sure other companies too) offer a system that continually removes oil from the crankcase, adds new oil and mixes the old oil w/ the fuel and burns it... Popular with larger engines and fleets that want to reduce maintanence costs...
The only negative I have seen is your pretty #2 diesel is now an ugly black..
sbmar (and others) thanks
So a Ruston would burn a bit of used oil in it? Or an EMD?
Could I just put it down the ullage pipe?
No emulsifier needed?
Thanks
Large slow speeds (Sulzers, B&W's, etc.) will burn a mixture of oils without too much negative side effects, up to a point. The amount generated aboard ship isn't likely to cause much harm to the fuel/exhaust systems. Hydraulic fluid in large quantities should be avoided because of the slag it will create in the head and exhaust system. We've burned it in auxilliary boilers in the past, though (mixed with diesel, to support combustion).
Shoreside waste disposal companies send the processed waste oil to steam plants and marine fuel suppliers for mixing with bunker C.
I would definitely avoid using anything like this in an EMD or any other engine that's designed for using light fuels, though.
If you do burn it, you'd want to add it to the deep tanks just prior to fueling in order to disperse it better. Distribute it evenly to each of the tanks being filled.
There's the potential for parafinic precipitation due to mixing oils from different base stocks, but the relatively small quantities you'd add to your base fuel shouldn't cause this to happen.
I asume U are going to burn this in a marine type Boiler that is fuled by Bunker-C fuel? I am very familer with Bunker-c type fuel and NSFO Black oil. Mixed at 30% with bunker-c and heated to 130 140 Degries prior to your burners I don't believe you'll have any problems. Your burner tips / sprayer plates might have to be down sized to get the proper flame your type of boiler requires.
Might run a viscosity and other tests pertaining to Bunker-c fuel prior to using. Should be able to do this in the oil shck aboard ship. The only draw back I can think of is more sediment in your fuel tanks and heavy metal's being dispersist in the atmosphier.
Let me know the out come.
