Oil Firing

That may be the question - but it needs answering properly and intelligently, not in "we've always done it this way" terms. It also needs answering in terms of volume and cost, as the answer may not be the same mix as today.

As for quality, notice that I've not said anything about where it should be produced. There's a whole different set of questions about where things are made, and what the trade offs are between getting stuff done locally and importing it

 

David, do you own and drive, or have you ever driven a motor car?

 

I don't understand the this question. I'm not aware of ethylene being the basis of glycol but ethylene glycol is most definitely used as an anti-freeze solution. I have never heard of it being used as a fuel but would like to know more.

To forestall your next question, yes I own and drive a car, was a mechanic for twenty-five years and have an honours degree in automobile engineering, but am always keen to increase my knowledge base.

 

Glycol will certainly burn. However, using it as a fuel to get rid of waste bumps into two immediate problems. One is that it will come diluted with water. The bigger one is that the volumes of waste you’d have available will be too low to make it viable to manage the inevitable issues you’d encounter going from idea to robust process.

Tom

 

Many things will burn but that doesn't make them suitable for use as fuels, hence "I have never heard of it being used as a fuel." I'm not sure how much of it you'd need to take a 300 ton train ten miles or so, or where you'd get it from. Personally, I can't see it catching on.

 

Yes, but it isn't a diesel (actually a petrol hybrid) and I'm not an expert on diesels - in truth I know next to nothing about them other than was taught in heat engines class 60 odd years ago.
The question was about diesels not small petroleum powered cars

 

Ethylene glycol is a hydrocarbon with two alcohol (OH) bonded to it. Pure EG has similar ignition temperature to Jet A1/Kerosene/diesel. I know it is used in antifreeze, but questioned if it is diluted with water. I believe Omaha has 2 liquid fuel takes, so different fuels could be used. If the antifreeze is not contaminated, and you chose to replace in your diesel fleet once a year, you may have enough for filling one or two tanks. That could save a bit of cash on the normal liquid fuel. Many questions to answer before you know if it could be done. It is an idea to consider, but I suspect that water contamination will probably mean this will not happen.