The Forestry Forum

General Forestry => General Board => Topic started by: Qweaver on June 26, 2006, 08:11:48 PM

Title: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Qweaver on June 26, 2006, 08:11:48 PM
I have an almost in-exhaustable source of frying oil and I'm wondering why this can't be used for home heating?  The house may smell a little like french fries but that's a plus in my book.  :D  Is there a furnace on the market that will burn this stuff?  I'm currently just using it to start wood piles.  Several of my cousins run food businesses and have to pay to get this stuff hauled away.

Quinton
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Mr Mom on June 26, 2006, 09:13:02 PM
     Have you talked to anyone that makes those used oil furnaces. That would be my first place to look.


     Thanks Alot Mr Mom
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Raphael on June 26, 2006, 09:51:24 PM
I think the ignition point would be to high for an effective home system... but that's just a guess.
I does make good diesel fuel.
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Quartlow on June 26, 2006, 10:12:18 PM
Make Biodiesel out of it and burn that. or geta waste oil furnace. If your tnaks are inside where they stay warm you may get away with putting a bigger nozzle and burning like it is.
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: dundee on June 26, 2006, 10:31:17 PM
Qweaver--In your country there is a group called "Organics Consumer Association", I see there is a Boston Diner in Watertown who uses used vege oil from his friers to heat their water and heat requirements, it appears this fellow has more than two Diners

Richard
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: thecfarm on June 27, 2006, 04:49:18 AM
Checking out where the used oil furnaces would be a good start.Here in Maine you can not put a furnace into your home that burns used oil.A garage or workshop is fine,but not in the living space.The furance would have to be outside the home.Sounds like a great idea.Keep us posted.
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: moosehunter on June 27, 2006, 07:21:51 AM
Some of the outdoor boilers have the ability to burn waste oil. Keeping the oil in liquid form in the winter could be problematic.
mh
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Quartlow on June 27, 2006, 08:44:44 AM
Quote from: moosehunter on June 27, 2006, 07:21:51 AM
Some of the outdoor boilers have the ability to burn waste oil. Keeping the oil in liquid form in the winter could be problematic.
mh

Actually it would be a piece of cake, run a line from the boiler to the storage tank two three wraps of  tubing around the tank and unsulate it, run the supply line alongside the water line to keep it warm. Problem solved. If you want to get fancy you could put an aquastat in the oil tank and control the temp of the oil even. Just don't let the fire go out  :o
Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: OneWithWood on June 27, 2006, 09:25:20 AM
Qweaver, I have been investigating the same idea.  A dual fuel outdoor boiler is the ticket.  You can rig up something similar to Quartlow's suggestion if you can regulate the oil temp.  Too hot and you won't get what you want.  Here is a commercial outfit that may be of some use

http://www.geocities.com/thermalstabilitysystems/

You might also check out these folks

http://www.biodieselcommunity.com

Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: Raphael on June 27, 2006, 09:55:59 AM
Dual fuel sounds like a good way to go.  You'll need something along the lines of a grease car kit only bigger.
You can get some good ideas from the technical specs at http://www.greasecar.com/

Title: Re: Heating with vegetable oil?
Post by: red on June 27, 2006, 10:25:51 AM
I did some checking last week on using waste veg oil 

quite alot of info  if you google search WVO

seems like another full time job

always wanted to burn woodchips could be a good combo ?