Emulsion Fuels International Announces Supply Agreement With Exxon Chemical

Emulsion Fuels International, Inc. (EFI), New York, N.Y., a leading developer of products that enhance fuel efficiency, has entered into a supply agreement with Performance Chemicals Division of Exxon Chemical Americas of Houston, Texas, a leading manufacturer of a wide range of petrochemicals, from basic chemical feedstocks to small volume, high-performance specialties, it was recently announced by EFI president David Robinson.

Under terms of the agreement, Exxon Chemical will provide a series of specially formulated products to EFI on an exclusive basis.

These chemicals, along with EFI's specially designed mixing equipment, are a key element in producing stable water-oil emulsions.

EFI is the developer of the energy- saving emulsion EF-6, a low-cost, ready-to-use mixture of oil and water that is used in hundreds of commercial, industrial and apartment buildings as an alternative to common #6 fuel oil.

The technology developed by EFI overcomes the combustion deficiencies of fuel oil by increasing thermal efficiency by up to 12 percent and reducing emissions of harmful particulates into the air by up to 90 percent.

EFI has documented this improved performance in field tests conducted by independent environmental testing laboratories.

Since its introduction in 1982, over 100 million gallons of EF-6 have been produced and sold by oil cgyo-mpanies using the EFI technolo- Because EFI has found that different fuel oils on the market require different stabilizers, the agreement with Exxon Chemical will allow EFI to apply its technology to produce emulsions for a wider variety of fuel oils. EFI will run daily tests on fuel samples at its laboratory in Thorofare, N.J., to determine which of these formulations will be used for each type of oil.

EFI will also use Exxon's chemical products to penetrate new markets.

Currently, an EF-6 fuel made with Exxon Chemical products is being tested at a major electric utility for the first time to solve particulate emission problems.

"Utilities are having problems meeting air pollution standards because the asphaltene-heavy fuel oils they use don't burn cleanly," stated energy scientist Dr. John Dooher of Adelphi University Energy Center.

EFI's technology reduces particulate emission and stack buildup, thus providing utilities—which burn over 200 million barrels of oil a year—an alternative to investing in multimillion-dollar stack collection equipment.

The supply agreement with Exxon Chemical Americas will also assist EFI in its project to apply emulsion technology for use in steam generating ship boilers and in large maritime diesel engines that operate on #6 bunker fuel. Over 150 million barrels of oil are burned in these vessels.

The benefits of mixing water and oil as a means of boosting energy efficiency have been known for years. Because fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, only burn on their surfaces, some of the fuel is not burned.

The unburned carbon is deposited in the boiler as soot or goes up the stack as an emission. By adding water to the oil, the surface area of the fuel is increased when it is shattered into tiny droplets, thus allowing more thorough combustion and cleaner burning.

Previously, this process was difficult and required complicated and expensive mixing equipment to be installed on heating systems. EFI's sophisticated approach to the problem created a breakthrough. By discovering the technology needed to produce a stable mixture of oil and water, EFI can install special mixing equipment at distribution centers, allowing oil companies to mix and handle EF-6 just like regular fuel oil.

Tests conducted in Washington, D.C., and at Rockefeller University in New York City demonstrate the improved performance of EF-6. In Washington, D.C., where environmental restrictions on particulate emissions effectively prohibit the burning of #6 oil, tests show that EFI's fuel formula reduces particulates well below allowable levels. Because of its effectiveness, EF-6 has been approved by the D.C. Bureau of Air & Water Quality.

Boilers at Rockefeller University in New York City also found the advantages of EF-6. These boilers, which are similar to the kind used extensively by industry, contain sophisticated computer monitoring equipment that allowed measurement of the effectiveness of EF-6.

The data from those tests demonstrates that EF-6 burned more completely and cleanly than conventional fuel oil. Thus, burning EF-6 offers a cheaper alternative than higher priced distillate fuels or multimillion- dollar stack collection equipment.

EFI is continually improving its product performance. The quality control laboratory recently established in Thorofare, N.J., runs extensive stability tests on fuel samples.

In addition, a team of combustion engineers regularly conduct onsite efficiency and pollution control tests to assure EF-6 is producing desired results for customers.

Some of the country's largest fuel oil marketing companies are major customers of EFI, including Apex Oil Co., Steuart Petroleum Co., Northville Industries, Gladieux Refining, Burnside Fuel Co., Swann Oil Co., and other regional fuel companies.

With current sales at $1.5 million, EFI projects its agreement with Exxon Chemical will help push revenues past $5 million by the 1985-6 fiscal year.

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