YT2095 - 5-9-2006 at 11:15
wasn`t sure to put this in here or Orgo, here will do though.
I have access to almost unlimited used motor oil in 10 gallon drums, now I know you could band a small hole in the can, drop a wick in it and have a
candle that would burn for years, but is there anyway to make this a little more Usable?
obviously a strong Magnet to get rid of most of the particulate metal particles is a given.
as for the rest, I somehow think filtering will cause more problems than it solves too (else they`de do it themselves and re-use it).
can it be Cracked in any simple way to make it less viscous and a little more Flamable?
Idealy with inexpensive chems.
it just seems TOO good an opportunity/resource to waste.
Rosco Bodine - 5-9-2006 at 11:36
It can be burned , but it isn't the cleanest fuel .
Some ideas are here .
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherea...
It can be recycled , cracked and processed further ,
and I'm pretty sure used in blending with other fuels ,
but the equipment required is no trivial matter IIRC .
Fleaker - 5-9-2006 at 12:20
I suggest you look at the following forums:
http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/forums
http://www.abymc.com/index.php
As far as cracking goes, I would advise against it unless you really know what you are working with and do it in an closed setup. I am doing a project
on catalytic cracking of vegetable oils and I can say that some of the biproducts are rather nasty (carcinogenic/stench).
JohnWW - 5-9-2006 at 13:37
Filtering through a cloth would probably be a quicker method than using a magnet to remove the metal particles from used motor oil, because of its
viscosity, if you wanted to reuse it for some purpose (probably involving lubrication) requiring them to be absent. Large quantities of used motor oil
can be re-refined, although this requires either distillation or solvent extraction (with something like hexane or benzene or toluene), and the result
is supposed to be better than new oil.
Used motor oil has been used as a source of heat in glasshouses in cold climates, to boost plant growth through both heating and increasing the CO2
content of the air, although incomplete combustion may result in the air in the glasshouses becoming unbreathable for a time.
If you live on an unsealed road, and close to it, with the permission of the local body you could spread it on the road to stop dust being thrown up
by passing cars.
To treat insufficiently-treated exterior timber, especially if it is in contact with the ground, and at the same time to seal its surface against
water, it can be used as a solvent for green "Metallex" (copper naphthenate soap, a byproduct of the naphtha from oil refining) and/or creosote, and
the mixture painted onto the timber.
pulver - 8-9-2006 at 09:25
You can distill it. Lighter fraction can be mixed with gas and used so on. Heavyer fraction can be used as lubricant for example in chainsaws. In my
country allmost all shainsaw lubricant is making in this way, it's used years with success.