Puppeteer

Author Topic: Blending used oils with modern diesels  (Read 33016 times)

xyzer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1058
    • View Profile
Blending used oils with modern diesels
« on: April 27, 2008, 05:46:49 AM »
Instead of hauling my used motor oil, auto trans fluid and hydraulic fluid to the proper disposal site I was wondering if there is a safe ratio of the mentioned oils I can mix to my Kubota tractor and late model dodge diesel without worrying about doing any damage. What kind of preparation for it would be required? What should I watch for? I’m not to worried about my “Listeroid” I can fix any problems it has easily.
Thanks
Dave

Vidhata 6/1 portable
Power Solutions portable 6/1
Z482 KUBOTA

BACKROAD

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 42
  • BAGDAD.......AZ
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #1 on: April 27, 2008, 06:43:42 AM »
xyzer, I can't answer your question, but I am interested in the answer.  My little 195 Changfa is really quite tough and this would be a much better way of disposing of the used oils.  If used in reasonably smaller quantities and mixed with diesel, could it be safe to use the "unpurified" excess oils around the ranch.  I've easily used some acquired new oils of various descriptions already. 

I've been reading quite a bit on this site, searching for the easiest way to "re-refine" the used oils.  I just a bit mystified by all this.
Dung-fong #1 - Mfg. Date 1980/8kw Winco gen...In pieces
Dung-fong #2 - Mfg. Date also 1980/8kw Winco gen...runs
      totally awesome after 10+ years of sitting.
1987 Ford F350, crewcab, dually 4X4.....Cummins Powered...
1956 Willy's all-a-round great four wheeler, VERY CUSTOM....

xyzer

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1058
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2008, 05:07:55 AM »
Jens
Appricate the feedback. Backroad, sounds like you have the same situation. I guess to be a bit more specific I probably aquire at the most 30 gallons of used whatever a year and if I added 2 quarts/tank (30 gal) untreated I would keep up with what I generate. Jens, Like you I'm not to worried about the mechanical part of the cummins it is the injection system and cat that worry me . Do you think a couple of quarts would bother it/tank? Yes I still have the warrenty issue but 2quarts/tank would be hard to nail ;D. I already started using a quart / tank in my Kubota tractor with no obvious problems, but it's a much simpler system.
Dave   
Vidhata 6/1 portable
Power Solutions portable 6/1
Z482 KUBOTA

listeroidsusa1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 285
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #3 on: May 01, 2008, 03:31:13 AM »
I run used motor oil in my engines. Here is how I look at it. Fuel here is $4.15 a gallon. UMO is free. At the worst case scenario an injector and injection pump is under $75. If I run over 15 gallons I'm money ahead. (and I've run WAY more than 15 gallons so far with no problems!) My engines run just fine on 100% motor oil in the summer but I cut it 50/50 in the winter. I don't do anything special to the engine, the fuel is not preheated, (I'm going to build a water heated fuel heater though) and I've been running since 2004.  I do distill my oil though so it doesn't have the impurities in it.

rcavictim

  • Certified Generator Head and Grand Master Sparky
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1827
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #4 on: May 06, 2008, 11:03:57 PM »
I run used motor oil in my engines. Here is how I look at it. Fuel here is $4.15 a gallon. UMO is free. At the worst case scenario an injector and injection pump is under $75. If I run over 15 gallons I'm money ahead. (and I've run WAY more than 15 gallons so far with no problems!) My engines run just fine on 100% motor oil in the summer but I cut it 50/50 in the winter. I don't do anything special to the engine, the fuel is not preheated, (I'm going to build a water heated fuel heater though) and I've been running since 2004.  I do distill my oil though so it doesn't have the impurities in it.

Geeze.  Straight distilled WMO without injector heat?  How often do you have to de-carbon the engine with a head removal?  Do you get smoky exhaust?  What about after a cold start until it warms up to operating temp?
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion

listeroidsusa1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 285
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #5 on: May 07, 2008, 01:48:22 AM »
This engine has never had the head off. It is a 2004 GM-90 6/1. It only has a half dozen puffs of smoke when cold and none after that. The running characteristics of the oil are indistinguishable from running on diesel. I do run some Sea Foam through it every 10 tanks or so. Water injection also helps with the carbon. I suspect that the main reason it doesn't carbon up badly is that the oil is distilled. I only get 50%-75% recovery from WMO. If you run straight filtered motor oil the engine slobbers. With the distilled oil the heavy fractions, carbon, and dirt form the bottoms of the process and those I either burn in a modified wood stove in the winter or dispose of them at the collection station. Oil from cars has some gas and/or diesel dilution. This oil  runs well in the engine. I run the still at a temperature that recovers the lighter fractions. A fellow came by a couple of weeks ago and just HAD to have the still, so I sold it, knowing full well that I can build a better one. That one had a 5 gallon capacity. The new one I'm building will be a continuous distiller running on full automatic with a PLC. A still can also be built that is wood fired but I like the electric version with its accurate thermocouple temperature control. I heat the oil to around 150 degrees and let it sit a couple of hours. Any water collects on the bottom and is blown off before the distillation process starts. Once the water is drained the temp is increased to the flash point of the particular oil and once the vacuum is turned on the oil then boils and vaporizes. Like steam, the oil vapor is pushed through the bubbler caps and collection tray, and through the condenser where it is condensed back into liquid and collected in the holding tank. The variables of feed stock, temperature, process rate, and vacuum determine the grade of the final product.

rcavictim

  • Certified Generator Head and Grand Master Sparky
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1827
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #6 on: May 07, 2008, 02:03:16 AM »
I was thinking about making a vacuum still as well.  The system I come up with has the condenser and collection tank at vacuum.  How do you come up with a continuous process?  Do you evacuate an outboard storage tank to receive the collected oil in the condenser output tank when it gets near full, then let this outside oil reserve up to atmosphere to be placed in any normal storage tanks you wish?
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion

Doug

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3386
  • Why don't pictures ever work for me?
    • View Profile
    • Doug's Petteroid Stuff
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #7 on: May 07, 2008, 02:38:12 AM »
Today is your lucky Day .....

Before it hits Ebay I have a Modicon micro 612, included for you Mike are some RTDs and transmitters.

Pm me if interested  also have a cable and programing software I can bundle " Modsoft light "
It's a Good Life, If You Don't Weaken

listeroidsusa1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 285
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #8 on: May 07, 2008, 04:49:35 AM »
Multiple collection trays are used at different heights in a commercial fractioning tower for the different fractions. I only use one for simplicity since on a smaller scale I can vary the temperature and vacuum to get what I want from it. The tray collects liquid and the bubbler caps are just that, short stubs of pipe with  caps similar to a bottle cap sitting on top of them. As the vapor rises it lifts the caps slightly and bubbles up through the shallow tray of liquid. The tray is set up so that once the vapor (oil) is above the level of the tray it is held there so that it can't run back down into the sump for reheating. I'm using a 100 lb propane bottle as a feed tank. It has a nipple welded in near the bottom for a chromolox heating element. (A water heater element would also do) I welded in a 1" bung in the bottom for a way to charge the cylinder and to blow off the crud that accumulates. A thermocouple well is also added at the heater level. Had an old boiler water gage column and glass water level tube in the junk room so I'll use it to check my fluid level in the main tank. I've got an electronic Kiln controller coming from Ebay. These are nice and have digital readouts of both set point and process temperature. They come with a type K thermocouple. Mine was $33 on ebay. I removed the fill valve at the top of the cylinder and screwed my vapor/liquid separator tank into it. From the separator tank the vapor/liquid goes through an automotive oil cooler w/fan. The condenser drains into a smaller propane tank. The vacuum source is connected to the smaller tank, which aids in pulling the vapor through the bubbler and condenser. Variable vacuum and temperature controls the weight of the final product.

The vacuum mist filter is made with a piece of 3" hydraulic tubing. Two fittings are placed in the side at the midpoint. One tube is bent to go to the bottom of the 3" can. ( this is where the incoming mist is connected) The second fitting is a plain bung and it drains the oil back to the bottom of the smaller propane cylinder once the oil level in the separator is attained. The vacuum pump is connected to a third fitting at the top of the separator. The mist from the top of the smaller tank is drawn into the separator through the first fitting (with a tube extending to the bottom of the 3" separator) where it bubbles through the oil in the separator, greatly reducing the free mist. As the separator collects oil it drains anything above the second midpoint fitting back to the smaller tank. Relatively clean vacuum and minor particles are then drawn into the vacuum pump and the excess trace oil is handled by the vacuum pump's factory separator.

Thanks for the offer of a plc Doug, but I've already got a stack of Allen Bradley Bricks and Nano's. I've also got a few Koyo PLCs from Automation Direct.

listeroidsusa1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 285
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #9 on: May 09, 2008, 12:38:09 PM »

listeroidsusa1

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 285
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #10 on: May 09, 2008, 12:46:31 PM »
Of particular interest is figure 4.3 of the preceding link.

MacGyver

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 452
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #11 on: May 09, 2008, 05:43:00 PM »
Aww, but that link is just a "preview" of the book, and it's missing most of the good stuff, including fig 4.3

What of it is available online certainly looks interesting. Is it worth plunking down $60 for the book?
Steve

JKson (PS) 6/1 'roid & ST 7.5

Tom

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1746
  • Green power is good.
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #12 on: May 09, 2008, 08:59:18 PM »
Here is a link I found that is a good read (with pictures!) as an over view of the process:

http://www.oilrecycling.gov.au/what-happens.html
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

Tom

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1746
  • Green power is good.
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #13 on: May 11, 2008, 03:06:34 AM »
No comments? This is a really good read on refining oil for "dummies".
Tom
2004 Ashwamegh 6/1 #217 - ST5 just over 3k hours.

rcavictim

  • Certified Generator Head and Grand Master Sparky
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1827
    • View Profile
Re: Blending used oils with modern diesels
« Reply #14 on: May 11, 2008, 03:47:46 AM »
Gee...tanks!   ;D ;D ;D
-DIY 1.5L NA VW diesel genset - 9 kW 3-phase. Co-gen, dual  fuel
- 1966, Petter PJ-1, 5 kW air cooled diesel standby lighting plant
-DIY JD175A, minimum fuel research genset.
-Changfa 1115
-6 HP Launtop air cooled diesel
-Want Lister 6/1
-Large DIY VAWT nearing completion