New plant in the making - building work nearly done

[julesandtash]

Now I have the valves, heater and circulating pump installed on the end of the oil tank. All the pipework is 1" steel or malleable iron. The drain valve on the left hand end of the tank is 1.5"


Both the oil tank and the processor fit in the bund nicely

[Tony]

Looking good   My tank's drain valve is 1/2" I think, never had any problem draining water due to filtering the oil before storage.  I would like to weld in a couple of fittings but don't have anywhere else to put 1100l of oil

Course, you could install a coil in that tank and use it as a coil in tank condenser for the processor, but with oil as the cooling medium (warm your oil for no extra cost).

[julesandtash]

Ahh, but why would I put a coil in there when I no longer have a condenser on the plant? (no need for one with the in processor water washing).

I used the big valve as not only do I not filter oil into the tank (it goes through a sieve to remove chips and the like but that is all) but also shovel palm oil into there so it can melt overnight. My Palm oil supplier filters his oil out of the friers into my blue drums so I know it is clean - hence I can just shovel the big lumps in.

[julesandtash]

Thursday is going to be the big day - making a batch with the plant in it's new position. Some fittings should turn up from BES tomorrow to get the plumbing operational (not quite finished but good enough to make some bio) then I can get cracking.

At some point I will need to get some steel pipe threaded to connect it all.

Does anybody have the kit to thread me a couple of lengths of steel pipe to 1" BSP. Rather than me buy a length and set about cutting and threading it, if somebody out there deals with it all the time and has the kit, maybe they could give me a price for three pieces of specific lengths (all less than a metre) cut to length and threaded 1" BSP at both ends?

[Tony]

How soon do you need it Jules?

I think the 1" lengths I've got are 2.5m, 2.5m and 2.6m.  I know I'll need a few lengths for the processor build but I won't need it all, and I've got the kit to cut it square and thread it.

[Tony]

Do you need insulation for your square tank?  I've got a load of sheets of 50mm polystyrene I paid a quid a sheet for (1200mm x 800mm).

[julesandtash]

Hi Tony. I'm in no rush for the steel pipe - I will initially use some 1" hose to link the oil tank outlet to the processor. After that I can work out the exact lengths I need.

The Polystyrene would be good but I dont have enough gap for that around the tank. It was all designed with 25mm celotex in mind. Thank you for the offer though,

[Rotary-Motion]

hey jules quite an interesting build there, did you weld those sockets/pipes/heater onto the tank? nice job...

what size is that tank?

just a thought but as your valve isnt say on a cone bottom for crud drain you could till that tank help/aid draining... as say 2 inch across that size tank could mount to alot? is it a dewatering tank or good bio store? with it stood on a frame could of got a pipe welded underneath maybe? cut down on that dead zone...

but you deffo get the job of tiling my bathroom 

[Tony]

I only asked about timing as I can't cut/thread the pipes until next week, anytime after that should be fine   I know how urgent getting fuel production rolling again can be!

[julesandtash]

hey jules quite an interesting build there, did you weld those sockets/pipes/heater onto the tank? nice job...

what size is that tank?

just a thought but as your valve isnt say on a cone bottom for crud drain you could till that tank help/aid draining... as say 2 inch across that size tank could mount to alot? is it a dewatering tank or good bio store? with it stood on a frame could of got a pipe welded underneath maybe? cut down on that dead zone...

but you deffo get the job of tiling my bathroom 

Thanks Rotary, yes I did put the sockets in. The 1.5" and 2 X 1" sockets and mig welded in. The immersion flange is soldered in.

I actually made the tank, it's a cut down and re-welded central heating oil tank - capacity is around 800 litres.

It is a bulk oil storage, dewatering an pre-heating tank - it doesn't hold bio. As such, I am not too worried about the small dead zone, especially as soon it will be heated by a central heating radiator laying on the bottom of the tank. The tank does slope very slightly towards the valves. The drain valve (1.5") is as close to the bottom as I can get it.

[julesandtash]

I only asked about timing as I can't cut/thread the pipes until next week, anytime after that should be fine   I know how urgent getting fuel production rolling again can be!

Thanks Tony.
No rush, the steel pipe will just be to link the oil tank to the processor.I will measure the lengths I need and let you know.

[julianf]

Jules - at some point ill have space for my lathe here.  Thatll do screw cutting.

I suspect youll want the parts before then, but something to bare in mind.

(i will mail you soon about the weekend - just not had time to compose a proper thank you yet! : )

[julesandtash]

No probs mate - did you get the base or the rayburn done? I'm still waiting for the pictures to appear on facebook

[julianf]

Changed our minds about the rayburn base.  We put the unit into place, and it has to come out from the fireplace a bit.  Dont really want a step coming out into the room, so are going over to the idea of tiling the whole floor (inc the fireplace) and then getting a lump of slate for the rayburn to sit on.

I did manage to re-install the biodiesel boiler on sunday though, and then make a 200 ltr batch of fuel heated from the other boiler.  It was after 1am by the time i got it onto demeth, and went to bed... (to get up at 6:45 the next morning) - so i havent been slacking!

[Tony]

Jules - at some point ill have space for my lathe here.  Thatll do screw cutting.

Can it do tapered thread?