Morr

[Philip]

Are you still around or does anyone know whats happened to him?
I sent him a message couple of days ago, but no reply.
Question was, Apart from the duty reasons and the cold weather, why if weather is hot, do you need to take the Glycerol out of veg oil. My limited understanding is that it is the glycerol which thickens up in the cold and that the only reason its taken out. True or False?
Philip

[MattF]

There's no need to remove the glycerol. If you do, you're 90% of the way to making biodiesel. Makes good soap, though.

[Philip]

Matt

If you want to mix veg oil with diesel in a hot country for example, to be used to run generators, would leaving the glycerol cause any problems?

[MattF]

If you want to mix veg oil with diesel in a hot country for example, to be used to run generators, would leaving the glycerol cause any problems?

Nobody removes the glycerol unless they are actually converting to biodiesel, so I would assume the answer is no, there shouldn't be any problems. However, generators are harder to get running with SVO/WVO, and some dilution or heating system would probably be a necessity rather than a possibility. If you're mixing with diesel, I would think a 50/50 maximum mix should work fine. I know the Lister/Petter single cylinders won't run on straight SVO without some modification. Not had chance so far to test exactly how far you can push them, though.

[MattF]

As an addendum, the only problems that may be encountered that I can think of are the usual ones that are noted. Excess coking, (which isn't generally a problem with gens due to their ease of strip down for maintenance), and hot spots on the piston crown causing burning, (due to the erratic spray pattern of viscous fuel by the injector).

[Philip]

Matt

The intention is to mix 10% water with 10-15% veg oil, either new or filtered old oil. This would be for quite large generators in hot countries. The mixing will be done with an ultra sonic pump, which mixes the ingrediants so it wont seperate. It also breaks down the fuel structure into smaller particles, so it burns better. Before you ask the pump is for industrial use only.
Philip

[MattF]

The intention is to mix 10% water with 10-15% veg oil, either new or filtered old oil. This would be for quite large generators in hot countries. The mixing will be done with an ultra sonic pump, which mixes the ingrediants so it wont seperate. It also breaks down the fuel structure into smaller particles, so it burns better. Before you ask the pump is for industrial use only.
Philip

Now, I'm confused. I'll ask the obvious first. Why the water?

I may be wrong on the following two points, BTW, as I'm no chemist, but as far as I knew, oil and water won't mix no matter how you attempt to mix them. Secondly, how can you break down the fuel structure? If you break the structure, (which as far as I knew needed chemical rather than physical means), surely it would no longer be fuel but something else?

[Philip]

Oil and water will mix as will diesel and water. In Cologne, Germany, there is a bus been running on diesel and 25%+ water for quite a few months. The idea being they didn't mind loosing some power, but were more interested in emission reduction.
There are a few ways to mix oil and water, without it seperating, at least for quite a while, which of course saves money as well as giving cleaner burn.
It does make a new fuel and when not mixing to high ratio of water, then power not lost, ie not more than 10%.
I have seen this in action. It is not really ideal for cars, but generators and burners which use high quantities of fuel, then a 10% saving is a lot.
Philip