Filtering

[Michael]

Holiday Greetings to all of you fine, conscientious people.

Since I have established a source for old fry-mac (as we sometimes call used restaurant grease, here in Seattle), more than my meager needs require, I am now concerned with the technology of filtering this stuff - one pale of which has a thick layer of moldy, stinking debris floating on its surface.

But, since my needs are so meager, I do not want to invest a great deal of space or money into the technology needed to filter this old oil. I will eventually burn it in my car by using a 20/80 gasoline/vegetable oil blend, which is a proven fuel blend for my old '85 Golf.

I would like to ask you to share with me what proven technology you have developed or borrowed, to process old restaurant deep-fat frying cooking oil into something that won't clog my filter.

I have installed a vacuum gauge in my fuel line by cutting the line between the filter and the injection pump, installing the small, barbed plastic t-fitting that came with the gauge, and then running the small hose that attaches to the fitting through one of the many available, unused, plugged holes through my fire-wall, into the cockpit of my car, where I have mounted the gauge in a highly visible area under my dashboard.

I have done this so that I can tell when it's time to change my fuel-filter, so that I won't suddenly come to a stop on a busy freeway, or in the middle of the floating bridge - as nearly happened, due to a clogged filter.

I have managed to purchase a filter sock, which is used in the mining industry to filter air, which is about 6' long, and is cilindrical - about 10 inches in diameter. I've been told to cut it into lengths about 1.5ft, sew up one of the open ends, and clamp the other open end around the mouth of a 5 gallon plastic water bottle - such as are delivered to homes and businesses, cut the bottom out of the bottle, and use this as my fine filter. I have yet to figure out how to mount it so that the filter will be able to dangle down and allow the purified oil to run into an open bucket, but I imagine that I could do this by cutting a perfectly round hole - with a drill-mounted hole-saw, into the bottom of a sturdy plastic bucket and once again into the top of an identical bucket, attach the two surfaces tightly, with a plumbing pipe adapter from the hardware store. This will allow me to:
1. put the water-bottle with the filter attached, into the top of a plastic bucket;
2. pour the oil - which I will first dilute with the gasoline, into it, so that it can
3. run into the bucket, through the hole, and be collected into the holding bucket.
This is just a prototype that exists in my mind, to which I have given very little thought.
I do have a couple of 1 gallon sized nylon bags, which I purchased from my local home-brew supply store (beer and wine being hobbies of mine). I will try these out as coarse filter bags, and perhaps try a nylon sock for a finer filter.

I know that it seems as though I might have just answered my own question, but i haven't really, because i don't know if this will work, and you might have a simpler, more elegant solution.

I regret saying this, somewhat, but I ask that you only answer this posting if you have a workable solution. I realize how hard it can be to find excellent and simple solutions that really do work - for the small-timer like me (and I know that there are many of us out there), and how long these inquiry threads can become when they turn into global discussion sessions.

Peace, prosperity, health and happiness to all of you. Take care of yourselves, your families, your environment, and know satisfaction in your lives.

[harvey]

i haven't started making my own fuel yet. but here's a great resource for information.

http://www.journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html

check out the whole website, there's some really interesting stuff.

[nicknack2]

Dear Harvey the forum you mention has lots of outdated stuff, some is great info, but many will agree with me, that their info on Biodiesel (specially) is way way outdated, try this link below, they have the greatest and later info about biofuels.

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/6/ubb.x?a=cfrm&s=447609751

[omar]

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/ ... 6961060812

this link should help you out lots of wvo filtering ideas and photo/video

good luck
Omar