Improving Quality of Used Lubricant Oil as an Alternative Fuel Through the Pyrolysis Process
Bisrul Hapis Tambunan (1), Janter Pangaduan Simanjuntak (2,*), Robert Silanab(3), Riduwan(4)

1,2(*),3Mechanical Engineering Department, Universitas Negeri Medan, Medan 20221, North Sumatera, Indonesia
4UKM Arang Binaan PKBL PT. KIM, Medan, North Sumatera, Indonesia

Abstract

Handling the problem caused by hazardous waste and toxic (B3 waste) including used lubricating oil (ULO) of vehicles is very important because it has a negative impact on the environment and living things. In addition, exploration of energy sources continues to be carried out due to a decrease in the main energy source causing the energy crisis issue to get scarier. ULO is one of the renewable energy sources that can be used as an alternative fuel through pyrolysis. This study aims to examine the pyrolysis process of ULO by controlling its temperature and heating rate. The research method is a laboratory test where a certain amount of ULO is put into the pyrolysis reactor, then heated at a controlled temperature. Due to the influence of heat, ULO decomposes on several types of liquids named waste oil pyrolysis fuel (WOPF) similar to conventional fuels which can be identified by the color of the resulting liquid. Furthermore, combustion was carried out using a simple stove to determine the temperature of combustion and flue gases that can be achieved as an indicator of the thermal energy content in pyrolysis oil. Compared with the combustion of kerosene fuel, the WOPF has the same character as kerosene fuel and can be used as an alternative fuel, especially for industrial processes.

Keywords: Used lubricant oil, Pyrolysis, Combustion, Thermal energy

Topic: Applied Sciences-Computers and Engineering