This study proposes a process innovation that, by means of the treatment and the re-use of fuel oil residues, reduces the fuel consumption and increases the efficiency in thermal power plants. In the habitual context of power plants moved with fuel oil, the treatment of the fuel generates residues destined to wastes. The innovation means to pass all the oily residue of the fuel through a new station of treatment that, by centrifugation separates the treated oil, the water and the polluting agents. The thermal plants that use fuel oil in Brazil generate around 4000 MWh, when they are in plenty operation. As average there are produced near of 150 tons of fuel oil residues in a month. In this work near of 65% of this volume can be recovered and reused in the generation of electrical energy, increasing in a 2.7% the generating efficiency of thermal power plants. With this new treatment and model of management it is possible to generate economy in the acquisition of fossil fuels, as well as consequently to obtain a reduction in the generation of residues and therefore environmental impacts caused by thermal plants moved with fuel oil.
