Producing Oil
Used motor oil has been a topic of debate for many years. A lot of people feel that it is a pure waste product, and have always argued over the best way to dispose of the material. As it turns out, used engine oil makes an excellent fuel for both heating and diesel engines. Rather than trying to find a method to dispose of motor oil, many people are helping the environment by reusing this hydrocarbon as an alternative fuel. If you are interested in helping the environment while also reducing your fuel costs, follow the steps in this guide to learn make fuel out of your old used motor oil.
Instructions
1. Obtain two HDPE containers. HDPE stands for High Density PolyEthylene. This highly durable plastic is used for everything from sport bottles to shipping containers. Try to find two of the small blue HDPE barrels. Using 10 gallon barrels is okay, but you should attempt to find 15 to 20 gallon barrels if possible. It is also helpful if you can find barrels that have markings on the side to help identify how many gallons of liquid are in the barrel.
2. Connect your PVC fittings to the barrel. First connect a PVC connector to the pour hole in the barrel lid. The connector should be sized to fit tightly into the hole. Connect a piece of PVC pipe to the connector that is slightly larger. The pipe should be the same diameter of your 10-micron filter, and should be a minimum of 12 inches long so that it can also act as a funnel.
3. Use the 10-micron filter to do an initial filtration of the used motor oil. Once the PVC has been installed, place your 10-micron filter into the pipe and push it to the bottom. Slowly pour the oil into the PVC pipe. Pour very slowly and be careful to not over-pour, because it will take time for the oil to run through the filter into the barrel. You may also wish to stick a large funnel into the top of the PVC pipe to aid in your pouring. Continue to pour until all of your used motor oil has been filtered and is in the barrel.
4. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 on a second HDPE barrel, only using a 5-micron filter. The 10-micron filter that was used initially will remove the larger debris, but then a second filtration with a 5-micron filter will remove any fine sediment from the used motor oil. Repeat the same process of using a PVC connection, PVC pipe and a large funnel, only this time using the higher quality filter. Slowly pour the oil from the first barrel into the second, filtering it a second time.
5. Carefully measure how much filtered motor oil is present in your HDPE barrel. This will be easier to do if your barrel has markings on the side to note how many gallons of oil are in it. If your barrel does not have markings, use a tape measure to measure how many inches deep the oil is. Measure above the oil and mark a line to represent a fill line for doubling the amount of liquid in the barrel.
6. Add standard diesel fuel to the old motor oil. The standard mixture is to add an equal amount of diesel fuel to the amount of used engine oil, giving you a 50:50 ratio. Some people like to add slightly more diesel fuel than the amount of oil, giving them a 60:40 mixture. Stir the mixture for 20 to 30 minutes or until all contents are well blended. If you have access to a commercial grade mixer you can automate the process and stir the ingredients for a longer period of time. Once mixed, your used motor oil is ready to be used as fuel, either in your car or to heat your home.
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