Used oil as an alternative boiler fuel-promises and problems

The authors examine used oil as a boiler fuel, comparing the properties of used oil fuel with fuel oil and addressing environmental concerns. Availability and cost factors are investigated, and savings available to a medium-sized municipal utility are evaluated. Of special concern to that utility and to others considering the used oil fuel as an alternative are the modifications required to the facilities air permit and requirements imposed by the local permitting agency when granting the required modification. As the municipal utility must purchase its fuel through public bids, a fuel purchase specification was developed which permits per-qualification of potential suppliers and facilitates request and acceptance of single delivery bids at any time the utility elects to purchase used oil as fuel