Waste Vegetable Oil

Matthew Cook

Why use WVO?
To reduce dependency on fossil fuel
Monetarily beneficial VS. Diesel pump price
Lower harmful emissions than fossil fuels
Readily available
Emissions

WVO is said to be carbon neutral, meaning
that the CO2 produced into the atmosphere
when burned is proportional to the amount
absorbed from the atmosphere through
photosynthesis.
There are no sulfur emissions as with diesel
fuel

WVO VS Petroleum Gasoline
90% reduction in carcinogens
Hydrocarbons are reduced by as much as 50%
Considerations

Some manufacturer warranties will be voided
Engine life expectancy is debated



WVO processing
WVO should be filtered or settled to at least
the micron rating of the fuel filters, usually
around 8-10 microns
Due to acid content, titration is still
recommended
Acid Content
Acidic oil can reach crankcase oil
Can corrode fuel system components
Measuring acid level can be done with a
titration test
Titration
Measures acid content
With acid level known, proper amounts of lye
can be added to neutralize
Settling
Settling is debated to be more efficient than
filtering.
WVO is left untouched for 7 to 10 days if over
contaminated, up to 2 weeks
Most impurities are settled to the bottom by
gravity
Clean oil can be poured from the top of the
container, or contaminated oil drained from
the bottom
Filtering
Filtering reduces the wait time of settling
Filtering does not remove water that may be
present
Conversion Factors
WVO has a higher cloud point than Bio-Diesel
It must be preheated
before introduced into
the injection system
Two Tank Systems
One tank holds Diesel
The second WVO

The engine is started on regular diesel
After the WVO is heated to proper
temperature a valve switches to WVO
The vehicle will drive as normal
Vehicle Shut Down
Once the vehicle is ready to be turned off,
Diesel is again ran through the system for a
short time.
This is done long enough to clear the lines and
pump of any WVO
WVO left in the lines could cloud and leave
residue in the system if cold
One Tank Systems
There is no diesel present at all
One tank for WVO
Eliminates waiting and switching of fuel
Does not work as well in extremely cold
climates
Components Changed for One Tank
System
Longer and hotter glow plugs
Injectors that have an optimized spray pattern
specifically for WVO
Injector pump pressure is increased
Drawbacks of One Tank
In cold climates it is impractical due to
clouding
Some states require taxed diesel fuel to be
used on the highways
A one tank system does not allow you the
option to switch
FYI
Some filters claim that no filtering or water
separation is necessary
Industry leaders still recommend proper
preparation of WVO

Summary
WVO is more readily available than diesel
It has less environmental impact
It is more cost effective
It can be ran 100% or
blended with diesel

Sources
http://www.bionomicfuel.com/future-of-wvo-
waste-vegetable-oil/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vegetable_oil_f
uel
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_svo.ht
ml
www.elsbett.com/gb