Converting a fuel oil furnace to burn waste oil? Possible?

[allessence]

Originally Posted by Scotts

The hydraulic shop may help you out with filtering the oil. there are shops that have portable filter units that will hook to your tank and circulate the oil in large filters to clean up the oil.

https://www.amazon.com/Parker-Hannif.../dp/B092MZL84V

You might just get out with purchasing the filters and rent the machine. I do not know what it would cost as I have never done it before.

Check with your hose place and see what they have. if you have never used a bag filter like you posted they really can be problematic with thicker oils and fine filter bags.

If you are looking for filter housings like that you could save a little money by not using stainless steel. You may have posted that for reference so all good.

Scott

Scott, these types of filters are extremely expensive and the filters clog easily..

They are not designed for "Trash" type dirt.. Just fine particles.

I own this very unit and it would last about 2 minutes with larger particles.

This type of "filter" is known as a fluid conditioner..

The filter unit I shared is more in line with what is needed..

keep in mind the fluid just needs the chunks taken out.. Think sawdust from a circular saw kind of deal.

The ideal is something that has bags that can be cleaned a few times and then thrown in the furnace to burn the residual..

So, that is the task at hand.. 500.00 or so for a filter is pricey but not anything comparable overall..

If one figures out that it would cost for 1200 gallons of #2 heating oil.. Nearly 4.00 a gallon currently.

The long term investment in equipment is more the idea..

It's been a learning curve and sadly like everything " One does not know, until one knows"..

No one really shared that kind of stuff.. It's the people just figuring it out that share..

Somehow, once they figure it out, they disappear without sharing the results.

[toprecycler]

Originally Posted by allessence

Scott, these types of filters are extremely expensive and the filters clog easily..

They are not designed for "Trash" type dirt.. Just fine particles.

I own this very unit and it would last about 2 minutes with larger particles.

This type of "filter" is known as a fluid conditioner..

The filter unit I shared is more in line with what is needed..

keep in mind the fluid just needs the chunks taken out.. Think sawdust from a circular saw kind of deal.

The ideal is something that has bags that can be cleaned a few times and then thrown in the furnace to burn the residual..

So, that is the task at hand.. 500.00 or so for a filter is pricey but not anything comparable overall..

If one figures out that it would cost for 1200 gallons of #2 heating oil..

The long term investment in equipment is more the idea..

It's been a learning curve and sadly like everything " One does not know, until one knows"..

No one really shared that kind of stuff.. It's the people just figuring it out that share..

Somehow, once they figure it out, they disappear without sharing the results.

I’ve been thinking about some sort of filter to prefilter the oil I get too. But I’m a lot more frugal in my thinking. I’m wondering if maybe taking some old jeans, and tie the legs, and somehow cap the top and push the oil thru. Maybe by gravity, or lightly push it thru will some air pressure. Figure need the pressure light enough not to push dirt thru, but might need a couple pounds of pressure to help it flow.


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[GWIZ]

Originally Posted by allessence

Something like this.

TQSHOoP 304 Stainless Steel Filter Bag Housing, 2 Bag Filter Housing 150PSI High Pressure Filtration System 30t/h 2" NPT Industrial Process Filter Housings in/Out High Pressure Tool https://a.co/d/2jnSRvA

For a pre-filter you can use Window screen material, or there is fine mesh window drapes that you can see thru, get out you sewing machine and sew up whatever size you need.

As for Bag filters, also try searching for sock filters.
I have cut them and sewn them to required size.

Ebay shows a smaller 10t/h #4 sock filter housing for $340 OBF but NOT a dual filter that you posted.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31497914012...3ABFBMtJHSspRj

[allessence]

Originally Posted by GWIZ

For a pre-filter you can use Window screen material, or there is fine mesh window drapes that you can see thru, get out you sewing machine and sew up whatever size you need.

As for Bag filters, also try searching for sock filters.
I have cut them and sewn them to required size.

Ebay shows a smaller 10t/h #4 sock filter housing for $340 OBF but NOT a dual filter that you posted.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/31497914012...3ABFBMtJHSspRj

it's just a single bag..

Just advert error..

These filters come in standard sizes from what I have seen..

For some reason, #1 and #2 are longer sized.. #4 is a shorter version.


The advert I posted was for a #2 sock filter housing.

[mccutter]

What if you used paint filters as would be used by an auto body shop. I imagine the oil would have to be warmed and strained first. How about running it through a colander first? Then rig a drip setup for the strained oil so you don't overwhelm the filter? I have a stack of them I can send you if you want.

[gimpyrobb]

I have done a lot of reading and experimenting. I've found the best thing for me(at the time) was a pneumatic barrel pump to pump my oils from one container to the next. I have a set of filters on the output of the pump that works very well. I quickly learned that I needed a pressure gauge prior to the filters so that I could tell when they were getting dirty. When filtering you have to take the price of the filters into consideration. I ended up getting a few hundred from a surplus auction so my need was filled right there. After that you will learn about micron rating and absolute - a filter might be rated at 10micron but it will let some particles through at that size, what you need to know is the "absolute" which shall not pass.

Since I am getting low on my filter stash, I am preparing to complete a centrifuge to do away with the filtering(though in reading Jen's comments, I may not be).

There is a lot of filtering info on:
https://www.oilburners.net/forums/bi...tive-fuels.96/

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/forums...tive-fuels.73/

[mccutter]

Originally Posted by gimpyrobb

...what you need to know is the "absolute" which shall not pass.

You need a Gandalf filter...

[randydupree]

Originally Posted by toprecycler

I’ve been thinking about some sort of filter to prefilter the oil I get too. But I’m a lot more frugal in my thinking. I’m wondering if maybe taking some old jeans, and tie the legs, and somehow cap the top and push the oil thru. Maybe by gravity, or lightly push it thru will some air pressure. Figure need the pressure light enough not to push dirt thru, but might need a couple pounds of pressure to help it flow.


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I used old jeans from yard sales to filter WVO,just as you say.
Its slow and takes way too much time out of my day,so i gave up.
But in Jens case,one tank of fuel to filter,well it may be worth it to her.
I used a 120vac sump pump to pump the oil,same pump i used to get the oil out of the restaurant's holding tank.
slow but sure and cheap.
a garden hose screws onto the pump.

[allessence]

Originally Posted by gimpyrobb

I have done a lot of reading and experimenting. I've found the best thing for me(at the time) was a pneumatic barrel pump to pump my oils from one container to the next. I have a set of filters on the output of the pump that works very well. I quickly learned that I needed a pressure gauge prior to the filters so that I could tell when they were getting dirty. When filtering you have to take the price of the filters into consideration. I ended up getting a few hundred from a surplus auction so my need was filled right there. After that you will learn about micron rating and absolute - a filter might be rated at 10micron but it will let some particles through at that size, what you need to know is the "absolute" which shall not pass.

Since I am getting low on my filter stash, I am preparing to complete a centrifuge to do away with the filtering(though in reading Jen's comments, I may not be).

There is a lot of filtering info on:
https://www.oilburners.net/forums/bi...tive-fuels.96/

https://www.steelsoldiers.com/forums...tive-fuels.73/

All the solutions mentioned have a place.. Based on time and desired results and money..

Not sure what you read about the centrifuge..

It's still the last pass measure.. and the oil is perfect..


Like you I did a bunch of reading too..

The problem is there are so many variables when getting Used oil from outside sources its nearly impossible to handle with 1 solution.


Removing water is pretty easy.. Let it sit and skim off the top..

What do you do with the murky sludge layer.. No one talks about it and what to do with it. Some say to boil the water off..



The other problem is finding the ideal pump.. A gear pump of any size chops up the small stuff if not filtered before the pump..

Well, what type of filter can deal with sawdust in oil? Well that's simple..


Don't suck off the bottom of the tank.. Sure, but then what does one do when the bottom is 2ft deep with sludge, saw dust, etc, etc..


I just picked up an Air diaphragm pump that will push 4mm solids..

But then you are just moving the stuff from one container to the next unless you guessed it.. Don't suck off the bottom of the tank..


So, Filters are great.. disposable ones get to be expensive based on how dirty the oil is and what kind of volume one processes..


They make self-cleaning centrifuges which I'd love to get but they won't clean out the really large stuff.. And they take water to flush the system of debris.


So how the oil is moved plays in and again it's a learning process.

At this point, I think having a bag filter on the suction tube and then the pump be it gear or diaphragm behind it.. Sucking thru the filter.. Not ideal, but....

The transfer pump I was using is supposed to be for clean liquids..

So I posted previously a photo of the crap removed via the centrifuge after 275gal..

Here is a photo of the crap removed after 30gallons of this last batch.

And this does not include filtering it before going into the transfer tank. I have not emptied that filter yet.


The best oil is the stuff that was pulled by me.. The problem is the variables..

Figuring out a system that works at a reasonable price is key.. That and time.

Like everything.. It's always time or money or both..

[Ironman]

That black stuff will burn nicely in a forge fire with a little air