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30 Jan 2020, 15:52

Russia scientists develop oil waste burner that does not harm ecology

This burner can be effectively developed in small-scale energy generation, in limited access areas, such as the Arctic, where disposing of the oil waste is too costly

MOSCOW, January 30. /TASS/. /TASS/. The scientists from Institute of Thermophysics, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Novosibirsk State Technical University, have invented a burner device that would allow burning oil waste and spent motor oil without harming the ecology, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia press service said Thursday.

"The scientists from Siberia have discovered a new method of oil waste and spent machine oil disposal, which does not harm the ecology," the statement says. "The newly developed burner is the first device in the world that can dispose of liquid and dangerous hydrocarbons using overheated water steam."

Every year, Russia stocks millions of tons of oil waste that cannot be burned traditionally for a number of reasons: unstable ignition, highly unstable burning or high concentration of toxic combustion products. According to various estimations, only 3% to 20% of oil waste is processed in Russia today.

The newly developed burner allows incinerating such waste types as spent motor oil, lubrication liquids, which burn poorly in normal conditions, oil slurry, various oil processing waste, substandard fuel, mazut and even crude oil. Its distinctive feature is burning that happens in a stream of overheated water steam.

"The fuel burns completely, emitting much less toxic components; this increases both burning effectiveness and ecological parameters," says Igor Anufriyev, one of the designers.

He added that such burner might have various applications. For example, they can be used to build mini-power plants that will not only dispose of the oil waste, but will also generate electricity.

According to the press service, this burner can be effectively developed in small-scale energy generation, in limited access areas, such as the Arctic, where disposing of the oil waste is too costly. In the future, the burner could be used in households: for heat, drying or for decoration. The designers currently seek industry partners that could help launch the invention into mass production.