Shops that heat with used oil

[Rch]

Here in the north woods many automotive/truck/tractor repair shops heat with used oil, using oil furnaces specially made for that with fancy filter systems. I take my used oils to them. It builds a relationship that comes in handy.

 

[KennedyDiesel]

I pick up a 30 gallon plastic "soap" barrel from the local guys and fill it then swap when full. Handy for me, and helpful to them.

 

[slowrev]

I have friends that heat their shops with used oil, so they get most of mine. However I save a bit to burn brush with. I can burn it while it is raining so I don't have to worry about setting the world on fire. The one thing I find hardest to get rid of is old gasoline, no one will take it, so I just use it on the brush piles too. Amazing how well 5 year old boat gas oil mix burns /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Warning light it from a safe distance....learned that many years ago after some singed eyebrows and such /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Ben

 

[slowzuki]

A way to burn old gas is to mix it with used oil and use a hand pump sprayer to apply it from a distance to a bit of burning paper in the brush pile.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Here in the north woods many automotive/truck/tractor repair shops heat with used oil, using oil furnaces specially made for that with fancy filter systems. I take my used oils to them. It builds a relationship that comes in handy. )</font>

My neighbor works for a truck repair ship that does this.

 

[RalphVa]

A member of our church has had a garage in Charlottesville for many years. He has a wood stove that he dribbles used oil into the fire. It's just a suspended container flowing through a valve into the fire chamber.

There's another one that takes both used oil and antifreeze and uses these in its furnace that heats their shop.

Ralph

 

[Doc_Bob]

Nasty thing to do, used oil as a fuel. All the pollutants that are trapped in the oil probably go right into the air.
Bob
PS This assumes that the air fuel ratio is right (doubtful). Wiht a poor air fuel ratio, the pollution is even worse.

 

[midlf]

The heaters built to burn used oil are EPA approved to do this. I was surprised when I found that out as I also had a concern about the contaminants. But apparently it passes muster with the EPA. It appears to only be practical if you generate enough waste oil to supply your needs.

 

[Doc_Bob]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The heaters built to burn used oil are EPA approved to do this. I was surprised when I found that out as I also had a concern about the contaminants. But apparently it passes muster with the EPA. It appears to only be practical if you generate enough waste oil to supply your needs. )</font>

Good to know. I think just dripping used oil on a flame is a bad idea, but if it can be burned well and EPA says okay, then that is a good thing!

Any links for an EPA approved oil burner????
Bob

 

[CTyler]

I found out in my wood burner that you can burn the oil very hot and with out visible smoke. When starting the stove old shop rags, blue paper towels, are used. They are covered in used oil. These are place right in front of the air intake. Within seconds it sounds like a jet engine, burns very hot and no smoke. The trick appears to be that you need a wick and fast flowing air since you don't the chamber to keep it really hot.

I've considered making a small pan say 12x2x2 to hold oil. Stuff it with the shop towels and used oil. If it burned well then add a feed to it. Already have a 1gal paint can with valve for an oil drip.

Now, just dripping oil onto the middle of the bruning wood will help the btu's but not very efficient. You don't see any smoke if its just a drip and there is any kind of fire going.

If you could get the same air flow in the middle of the fire as you do at the intake it would make a world of difference.

An oil burner would be nice but I only generate about 30 gallons a year.