A filtering method is developing

[alexanderfoti]

Hi all

I have a couple of diesel vehicles, one a W202 250 TD which should run on WVO on a single tank. The other a Kubota D950 powered Honda superdream 250! The Diesel bike will run on anything with an engine design similar to Mercedes and from the 80's.

I have a source for extra spare WVO of varying quality, and have figured out a method of filtering in my ground floor flat with no outdoor space! Hopefully will be putting some inroads into finding some WVO close ish to me.

100 Liter container from B+Q, some metal wire to hold 2 filter socks (one inside the other). 10 Micron and 5 Micron.



The idea is to pour the Wvo into the top, leave it there for a long ish time, then drain the water etc off the bottom using the tap.

With the rather cold temperatures we are having though, I would like to find a way to heat the oil in the barrel to approx 45 degrees or so (to aid in getting the suspended water to the bottom). Any thoughts or feedback would be great.

[Julian]

Hi Alex,

Welcome to the forum.

I fully expected to see 3D printed brackets and fixings as part of your design!

[alexanderfoti]

Hi Alex,

Welcome to the forum.

I fully expected to see 3D printed brackets and fixings as part of your design!

Many thanks!

My 3D printer has been busy printing the "not an" badge for the back of my 202

Still waiting on the i3 clone to arrive as well.

[alexanderfoti]

On the subject of gentle heating. I have decided to go with a 300 watt aquarium heater, suction cups will let me stick it to the inside of the tank. I will modify the thermostat to heat to around 45 deg C.

[knighty]

I was just about to suggest an aquarium heater but you go there first!


one tip, don't heat and filter at the same time, it's best to filter veg while it's cold, if you filter it warm crap gets through the filter bags and will end up in your fuel tank

a bit of insulation around the tank will help a lot, but I'm not sure how to make it look nice for in the garden

[alexanderfoti]

Aha We are on the same wavelength then as I had already decided to pour the oil through the filter socks and into the 100L container whilst cold. When the container is full, then turn on the heater until a temp is reached (45 ish), then allow to cool.

Not sure if I should heat cycle a couple of times though, or if once is enough?

[Julian]

I was just about to say the same a Knighty ... filtering cold will catch all the whites along with BCBs.

Not sure if 45°C will do much in the way of dewatering ... the Berco idea seemed like a good one.

[alexanderfoti]

I was just about to say the same a Knighty ... filtering cold will catch all the whites along with BCBs.

Not sure if 45°C will do much in the way of dewatering ... the Berco idea seemed like a good one.

Its more to get the water to drop to the bottom, rather than "boiling" the water out of the oil.

Will see, its an £8 element, so if it doesn't work, not the end of the world. I also have a Berco on the way, but it seems much more dangerous, and I need to build a little box for it go in, as its outside,

[knighty]

normally people heat to 60'C then let the oil cool to get the water to drop out

give 45'c a try and see how it works, you're a bit stuck for how hot you can do with it all being outside

maybe take it to 45, let it cool, drain water then repeat it again ? - or keep going until water stops dropping out and see how many goes it takes


search for "hot pan test" on here or on the wiki page to see how to test for water in oil :-)

[Glycer-rides]

Using mis-fuel or petrol @ 10% is the simplest way to dewater and speed filtration. No leccy required.

[alexanderfoti]

Will be adding 5 liters of petrol (5% or so) to drop the water out as well as aid starting in these colder temperatures. Thanks.

Fishing tank heater arrived today, It seems as though the top of the tank is warm and the bottom is ice cold, will leave it to heat for a couple of hours.

[Julian]

Must get out more ... this adding petrol to remove water is new to me.

How long have people been doing that and how effective is it?  Perhaps it needs adding to the wiki.

Alex ... I assume you have the heater near the bottom of the tank?

[dgs]

Have a look on 'beyond biodiesel' forum Julian. there is lots about it on there.

[alexanderfoti]

Yes indeed. It's touching the bottom (via a big rubber buffer). My thermometer still shows 11 degrees. My calculations show 2 hours max to heat that amount to 40 degrees. Hmm not sure what's happening there.

[Julian]

Have a look on 'beyond biodiesel' forum Julian. there is lots about it on there.

Ah, that was the chap who appeared on here for a while.  I think I check that forum a little while after he set it up and there was very little traffic.  Seems to have got a little more busy, I'll have a read when I get time.