I have nearly 100 gal of Drain Oil reserved for use in a Waste Oil Furnace for the shop. Trouble is that the oil is throughly mixed with water causing it to be "milky" Can I add this to my Drain Oil tank? Will the water come out of suspension and sink to the bottom of the tank? Is there a way to seperate the oil and water before adding to my tank? I have too much just to waste. any additive I could use to seperate? Any ideas?
Drain Oil Question
- Thread starter RonRock
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AlanB
Elite Member
You have what we technically call............... A mess.
There are ways of breaking the water loose from the oil.
Time, much of it will seperate over time, collect on the bottom, commercial used oil heaters like we burn have a drain there for just that, but it is always hard to tell when you are getting an emulsion.
Heat, helps to seperate it, but is it worth doing, do you have a safe and effective way to heat it?
Yes, there are chemicals they add to make the water drop out, but even at the rate we handle used oil where I work we do not take this approach, (we handle about 10 to 20K gallons a month) The big fuel recyclers do it though, but nothing I would remotely consider doing for 100 gallons.
My 2 cents, if you can co-mingle that oil with other oils and get rid of the emulsion, you will be ahead. (turn it in to the local recycler etc) most will have a limit of 10% water max.
How much does one injector cost for your used oil heater? (assuming you have a commercial unit)
I know when I fed ours a load of water, it was a fairly expensive and time consuming mistake.
There are ways of breaking the water loose from the oil.
Time, much of it will seperate over time, collect on the bottom, commercial used oil heaters like we burn have a drain there for just that, but it is always hard to tell when you are getting an emulsion.
Heat, helps to seperate it, but is it worth doing, do you have a safe and effective way to heat it?
Yes, there are chemicals they add to make the water drop out, but even at the rate we handle used oil where I work we do not take this approach, (we handle about 10 to 20K gallons a month) The big fuel recyclers do it though, but nothing I would remotely consider doing for 100 gallons.
My 2 cents, if you can co-mingle that oil with other oils and get rid of the emulsion, you will be ahead. (turn it in to the local recycler etc) most will have a limit of 10% water max.
How much does one injector cost for your used oil heater? (assuming you have a commercial unit)
I know when I fed ours a load of water, it was a fairly expensive and time consuming mistake.
Thanks AlanB, That is just what I thought. I have considered building my own burner to burn it with as a way to use it with rather than paying to get rid of it. It seems like I've seen plans for a simple Oil Burner that I could assemble. Just a thought, maybe not worth the effort.
DieselPower
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Water co-exists in oil in essentially the same way it co-exists in the atmosphere. It starts off in the dissolved phase - dispersed molecule-by-molecule throughout the oil. Just like water present in the air, it cannot be seen in oil, which may appear clear and bright. However, once the saturation point is exceeded, water is typically present in the emulsified phase creating a milkiness or fog in the oil, just like moist air on a cool day. When sufficient water exists, or when the oil has adequate demulsibility, free water will collect. Because water is typically heavier than oil, it settles below the oil, at the bottom of sumps and reservoirs.
The point at which an oil contains the maximum amount of dissolved water is termed the saturation point. The saturation point is dependent on the oil’s temperature, age and additive composition. The higher the temperature, the higher the saturation point and hence more water held in solution, in the dissolved phase. This is the same as being able to dissolve more sugar in hot water, than in cold water. Similarly, the older the oil, the higher the level of water that can be dissolved. This is due to polar by-products of oxidation in the oil, which act as “hooks” holding on to the water molecules and keeping them in solution. Likewise, highly additized oils, like crankcase oils, have a higher saturation point than lightly additized oils like turbine oils, because the additives - many of which are polar - also hold the water in solution.
In industrial applications the most common ways of removing dissolved water from oil are gravity seperation, centrifuge, vacuum dehydration, absorption filters, dehydration by air stripping and heating the oil dry. None of these are fast and or cheap (except gravity seperation which is time consuming).
Depending on how much oil you burn in your waste oil burner per year you could probably just gradually mix it in with your normal waste oil. Eventually you will use it all up. I wouldn't recommend using it all at one time because it can cause some costly burner repairs as Alan B said.
The point at which an oil contains the maximum amount of dissolved water is termed the saturation point. The saturation point is dependent on the oil’s temperature, age and additive composition. The higher the temperature, the higher the saturation point and hence more water held in solution, in the dissolved phase. This is the same as being able to dissolve more sugar in hot water, than in cold water. Similarly, the older the oil, the higher the level of water that can be dissolved. This is due to polar by-products of oxidation in the oil, which act as “hooks” holding on to the water molecules and keeping them in solution. Likewise, highly additized oils, like crankcase oils, have a higher saturation point than lightly additized oils like turbine oils, because the additives - many of which are polar - also hold the water in solution.
In industrial applications the most common ways of removing dissolved water from oil are gravity seperation, centrifuge, vacuum dehydration, absorption filters, dehydration by air stripping and heating the oil dry. None of these are fast and or cheap (except gravity seperation which is time consuming).
Depending on how much oil you burn in your waste oil burner per year you could probably just gradually mix it in with your normal waste oil. Eventually you will use it all up. I wouldn't recommend using it all at one time because it can cause some costly burner repairs as Alan B said.
Soundguy
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RonRock said:
Pay to get rid of it? Most places that sell oil, also take oil. etc. Some limit quantities.. but you could break it up... etc..
soundguy
AlanB
Elite Member
I am with soundguy, where do you live?
Here our auto parts houses, and our convienience centers for the landfill all take used oil at no charge.
At work we get 40 cents a gallon for our used oil. (we handle a pretty good volume though
Again, just merge / blend that in with other oil so it is not quite so noticably milky and turn it in.
Here our auto parts houses, and our convienience centers for the landfill all take used oil at no charge.
At work we get 40 cents a gallon for our used oil. (we handle a pretty good volume though
Again, just merge / blend that in with other oil so it is not quite so noticably milky and turn it in.
kenmac
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try some of the quick oil change places in your area. They usually take used oil
