TAR AS FUEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24946, 19 June 1942, Page 4

TAR AS FUEL

WAR-TIME PROBLEMS SOLVED NOTABLE DUNEDIN ENTERPRISE A notable example of industry adapting itself to war-time conditions is to be found at the Dunedin City Gasworks, where the engineer (Mr H. Horrocks) has met the problem created by a reduced demand for tar by using this material as fuel. Before the war a large proportion of the 250,000 gallons of tar produced as a by-product at the Gasworks was used by the Government for the sealing of roads. When this work was drastically reduced, a difficulty in regard to the disposal of the tar was created. The situation faced by the department was that there was a limited demand for tar, a shortage of the fuel oil required to keep the plant in operation, and, as a consequence of the scarcity of oil, an increased public demand for coke, a material produced by the department for sale, but also used by it in the operation of its plant. Mr Horrocks decided to use a light grade of crude tar as fuel, and, by the modification of the plant for this purpose, he has now eliminated the use of fuel oil and coke at the works, has released quantities of coke to meet the increased sales, and has in large measure solved the problem of surplus tar. In doing so he has considerably reduced costs without affecting the efficiency of the works. Equally important advantages are that: the elimination of the use of fuel oil represents a saving, of both overseas funds and shipping space. Fuel-tar is at present being consumed at the Gasworks at the rate of between 70,000 and 80,000 tons a year, and experiments which are at present being conducted may result in its being much more widely used in industry. An additional market for the products of the works would thus be created. As gasworks throughout the Dominion are capable of producing fuel of this type, its possibilities in meeting the shortage of oil-fuel are far-reaching.