Drum heaters burning WVO glop logs

[Todd T]

I've been running WVO in my diesel truck for years. As a result, I've accumulated three drums of assorted waste oil glop... hydrogenated oils and fat. I don't want to try to burn it in my truck but I've heard folks make great logs out of this glop. Add it to some wood chips and pour into a milk carton... voila... hot burning logs!

I want to use these logs in a 55 gallon drum type heater, the type kits you see advertised as kits from Northern Tools and other places.

Any suggestions regarding the pipe going through to the outside? My warehouse is brick and the only place I have any wood is a 12" panel above one door.

I understand these WVO logs burn really hot. Can these drum heaters handle it?

I've read this site for years but this is my first time to join and post. Thanks in advance for any help.

[sk windpirate]

I Use wood heat in my home "Pure wood" I don't think the 55 gal drum is the weak spot. I would be more concerned about the chimney. That black oil will burn VERY dirty.

The extra heat will keep the stove clean, but to get that much heat up the chimney might cause a fire. The bigest concern is where the chimney go throught the "wall / Roof". Thats where the proble may show up. "LIKE A FIRE"

[richhagen]

There was a story on here a long time ago about mixing old motor oil with sawdust and or lint to make small fire starters.  It would seem likely that one could do the same with WVO.  That would be one use, and would not alter the dynamics of the flue gases that much since the vast majority of the fuel would be wood, although with several barrels, it would take a few years worth of fires to go through it.  Rich

[TomW]

Todd;

This is another one of those situations where a pro should be consulted.

You might be OK going through a stone wall to get outside, but....

Have you ever seen what happens to an uninsulated pipe when you vent gnarly thick greasy smoke thru it? The smoke cools, the crud condenses out and either plugs the chimney [lucky] or the gunk ignites and you simulate a shuttle launch on the side of your building with whatever thin pipe you have containing a LOT of heat. If its regular steel it will glow red then it will collapse with all the joy that brings to the vicinity.

Be very careful with venting this stuff. Consult a qualified installer for information. I used to install chimneys as a side business and have seen the results of "on the cheap" plain pipe chimneys up the side of a building. Its not a pretty sight.

Personally, if I had to burn something like this I would use a gasifier to extract the volatiles like making charcoal somewhat. This would require more effort and a vessel to "cook" off the volatiles and then burn the gases. Not real sure of this material you have tho. If it burns you can probably gasify it.

Try this experiment:

put a gob of this goop in the bottom of a paint can. poke 6, 8 or 10 holes around the upper sides above the liquid level of the goop with a nail. pop the lid on. Build a small fire. Set the can in the fire. After awhile the goop should start boiling off and the holes let gases out which will ignite and burn very much like propane or natural gas. Sometime sooty like acetylene but probably cleaner than the direct burning goop.

Anyway, I digress.

Beware of doing what you propose with the chimney. The barrel will probably be ok awhile but hot fires oxidize them away pretty fast.

More than one way to defur a feline of course.

Cheers.

TomW

[spinningmagnets]

If you have a steady supply of glop and sawdust (and you want to use it for more than the suggested fire-starter-only) perhaps it might be worthwhile to look into building an external furnace shed designed for heating something like a dry-stack masonry block pile. Hot air can be drawn off from the pile as needed.

Or, an external furnace shed could be used to heat a large in-ground hot water store, to be used in a radiant floor heat system or floorboard radiators (builditsolar.com).

I've never heard of "WVO glop logs" before. You may have invented a new thing!

[Boss]

Howdy

Did you already try this? Am I too late to offer my experience?

I've been managing forests for thirty five years, sole heat for our houses on the ranch here in New Mexico is wood, been making biodiesel for three years and burning byproducts and waste veggie oil in stove and on piles of slash in the forest. Slash is the branches and pine needles left over from tree cutting.  Now that we have the gettin' to know me crap out of the way,

WVO burns best when it is hot and water free as you know from running the good stuff in your vehicle. The leftover glop doesn't burn worth a $#|+. I know. I have been burning it for two seasons. It has too much water in it. Not only does it not burn hot it can put your fire out.The best way to get rid of the crap from the bottom of cubees (five gallon plastic boxes veggie oil comes in)is to slowly add it to very hot bonfires. Even then it sputters and some oozes out of the fire before it burns.  

Brian's Biodiesel processor

[TomW]

Brian;

Lets try to keep the language clean.

Thanks.

TomW

[Boss]

Sorry about that

[richhagen]

Nice setup Brian. A freind of mine just rigged his diesel pickup to run on straight veggie.  As TomW alluded to we have had, and do have kids and students who read stuff from this site for science projects and stuff.  I've been reading your posts, some interesting stuff there.  Welcome to the board from a fellow member, Rich

[Boss]

Thanks Rich

Bring on the kids

[Boss]

This little processor has done well for me. After two years I have produced over 1800 gallons of fuel from WVO.

[wvouser]

have experimented with burning wvo and sawdust. found an easy way to make the "logs'

use walmart plastic bags. put in equal parts of wvo and sawdust (in layers) fill it up about 1/3 then wrap it up  and put a rubber large  band around it(to keep it from coming unwraped)

after the fire in your stove is hot add the log.

it will burn completely and not get over hot. I thought you would have to make pressure logs but that is not necessary try it and let me know how it works for you

gene