Ok, so below is my diagram of my proposed setup. I'd like for this system (mobile) to run straight WVO. Any comments, thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Alex
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...11/07/1050.jpg
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Ok, so below is my diagram of my proposed setup. I'd like for this system (mobile) to run straight WVO. Any comments, thoughts and opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Alex
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/im...11/07/1050.jpg
to me it seems easier and there would be less to go wrong if you processed that WVO into biodiesel and just ran it as you would regular diesel
My ultimate goal is to take this around the world on WVO. It'd be a tad difficult to convert WVO to B100 on the fly :PQuote:
Originally Posted by jazzaD1
Alex
good point!
Good idea Alex, is this just your concept or have you researched it and found what others may already be doing. I've heard of plenty of people driving all around the country but I don't know if they are doing like you or using biodiesel as jazza suggested. How much waste would be produced and is it a problem to dispose of it?
IP = Injection pump.
HE = Heat Exchanger.
I wouldn't recommend the 12v heater before the heat exchanger, as the oil passes through the exchanger, heat is exchanged - this works in both directions.. so on startup it would be COOLING the oil down to the coolant temp.
pressure meter and thermometer = good idea, though depending on what you do with the pumps and lift pumps may be better after the filters. you can pump through the filters, or draw through them (draw through = vacuum, and can indicate blocked filters when vac goes too high)
Return Flow from both tanks returns to the WVO tank!? - this means your diesel will disappear very quickly! could also mean you overfill your WVO tank with the return flow. but the running out of diesel is more of concern!
I also experimented with looping the return from the IP back to the HE (everything in the engine bay and close etc) to get and keep as much heat into oil as possible. worked pretty well but I had trouble with air getting into the system and because there was no return to the tank - the only way out was through the IP and injectors.. bad for the IP and bad for driving (99% power loss!)
I gave up on this, but you may like to experiment with a small 'surge tank' of only a litre or so to rectify this problem.
David
Hey Guys, thanks for your advice and interest :)
I've finally ordered most of the equipment to get my setup going and I thought I'd share my proposed Beta-1 setup.
I've decided on a mesh-filter-based system and I think I'll leave cyclone/centrifuge filters for another day. Upon discovering high grade WVO I will draw the oil from its storage location through a 200Micron mesh screen. From there a two-stage water filter system will filter the oil down to 50micron then to 20 micron - it will then be pumped into the heated WVO tank in the car.
A three valve system will be in place to select between Diesel/WVO tanks (and Returns) though the third valve will purge the WVO system with less viscous Diesel to prevent cold starting problems.
Once the coolant is up to temperature the WVO will be drawn from the tank and through a 30 plate heat exchanger. From there the heated oil will be drawn through two heated Racor 1000FH filters which will centrifuge the oil and filter it to 1 micron (the first stage will filter to 5 Micron). From there a computer controlled 300Watt heating element will heat the oil once more before it hits the injector pump (It will not turn on if the oil is up to temperature).
Feedback please :)
Alex
Alex,
A few comments. Micron ratings of filters are dodgy anyway (as I have posted elsewhere), however your WVO even at 100oC will still be more viscous than bio/dino-diesel.
This will mean that the filters won't work as well (i.e. won't remove particles as small as they do when filtering diesel). e.g., instead of removing 50% of 5 micron particles, your 50% efficiency may be increased to 10%.
(filters aren't sieves - though your 100/20 micron prefilters/screens may be).
I would pre-filter to a much better standard. If you only have a 20 micron screen before the tank, you will rapidly build up crud in the tank, and rapidly block filters.
Will you have on-board air? I would think about finer pre filters using air pressure to aid filtration and shorten the time required.
I would also think about ditching the 12V heat exchanger, and brazing a copper heat exchanger into the WVO tank. You can run the coolant lines with the fuel lines, wrapped in insulation tape.
Thanks for the advice mate.
The prefilter is simply a water filter unit so I can be flexible with the filter sizes. The Racor units should be fairly spot on with micron ratings (compared to house hold water filters).
I will have on board air - how do you suggest I utilise it?
Alex
My main point is that separators (filters/centrifuges) are not sieves. They have a removal curve which looks something like this:Quote:
Originally Posted by alexturner
http://www.pmiamerica.com/wp-content...ency-curve.jpg
The increased viscosity of the WVO will shift your curve to the right, meaning the filters/centrifuges won't work nearly as well on WVO as they do on diesel.
As for the pressurised filtration. you would need a chamber before your filter that you can fill with oil then seal, then connect air up to it to pressurise it (slightly), helping to drive air through the filter.