Filipino inventor turns used oil to fuel

By Anna Valmero INQUIRER.net Can used oil be recycled as fuel for vehicles? “Yes,” according to Teodorico Badua, the inventor of a so-called “fuel energy saving device.” This device, he says, transforms used oil and other combustible liquid waste into flammable gas that can be added to the engine fuel, which can translate to fuel savings of up to 30 percent. This La Union-based inventor says the device harnesses the energy from used oil by heating the combustible liquid waste into a gas generator. This process then generates fuel vapor that can be used for gasoline-based engines. The device has been tested to work with used cooking oil, engine oil and washing fuel, the Filipino inventor says. “The device promotes safe disposal of combustible liquid waste into the combustion chamber of the engine, which burns it as fuel,” says Badua. The device is vying for the Tuklas (Most Outstanding Invention) category along with other novel inventions. It will be on display at the National Inventors’ Week exhibit at the Philippine Trade and Training Center until November 21. Badua has been working with vehicle engines since 1962. Seeing the load of used oil disposed as waste and hearing stories about waste disposal problems and the irreversible environmental impact of used oil, Badua says he started exploring how waste products, especially used oil, can be disposed in an eco-friendly manner and if possible, harness it further as fuel. The idea for the invention came while he was working in a power plant years ago. A co-worker added gasoline into the engine but some of the oil was converted into vapor because of an engine malfunction they discovered later. Despite this malfunction, he notices that the machine run faster. “I was inspired to develop a machine that can do this for used engine oil,” says Badua. It took Badua two years to develop the device. It became a project he did after work or during weekends. He already has invested about P100,000 for the development of the device. He tested his invention on a 1994 vehicle and was able to see increased engine power, torque and speed, which allows for longer mileage in every liter of fuel consumed. The lubricity of the gas oil reduces friction and heat between pistons and cylinders that also pronged engine life, he adds. Benefits for the environment include reduction of hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide exhaust emission in the atmosphere, as well as promotion of oil recycling to protect water resources from contamination, he says. “From processing a liter of used oil, you get several grams of sediments, which is a big help in reducing unnecessary disposal of waste oil,” he adds. With his invention, Badua says Filipinos should also learn how to extract from their experiences valuable lessons that can be developed into solutions to problems. For Badua who finished a vocational course in diesel mechanics, inventing the fuel energy saving device shows that every Filipino can be an inventor.