For the Billings County Highway Department in North Dakota, the process for collecting and disposing of used oil on vehicles required staff to manually dump 55-gallon barrels—weighing more than 100 pounds—into a chemical holding tank. This was physically demanding on the staff and accidents were inevitable, leading to unsafe conditions and inefficient use of their time. The vehicles were also unable to be used during this time, leaving road safety concerns to wait until after their maintenance was complete.
An oil-saver system was designed using three components: a portable low-profile trailer, a stationary oil collection table, and a chemical holding tank. The portable low-profile trailer is easily put under a vehicle on a lift, then drains the oil into the chemical holding tank using an air pump and hoses. The stationary oil collection table serves as an oil filter drainage pit. The discarded oil is pumped through a pipe into a 250-gallon chemical holding tank.
The total cost to create the oil saver system was $1,200 for all the materials and labor. Eliminating the labor-intensive process, the oil saver system allows for an efficient and safe way for staff to collect and dispose of used oil. Oil changes are now quickly completed, returning the vehicle back to maintain public safety.
Learn more:
- Jeff Iverson, Billings County, ND Highway Department, 701-290-9581