On Feb 7, 10:22*pm, Pete Verdon
d wrote:
Nick wrote:
Does anyone know of an economical way of either using this waste for heating
purposes or a more economical method of disposal.

My mate's dad heats his workshop in winter with a purpose-built heater
running on waste oil. I believe it drips the oil onto a hot cast-iron
plate where it burns, inside a heavy iron casing. A fan blows air round
the outside of this casing and into the room. Lighting it is somewhat
involved; you have to stuff a few diesel-soaked rags into the bottom to
heat the plate up before it can start burning oil. Apparently though you
can buy self-starting versions, at a price.

He has a big tank outside (domestic heating oil tank surplus to
requirements) that slowly fills up over the summer and gets used during
winter.

Pete

I have seen a 'home-made' heater of that sort which dripped oil onto a
hot ex-heavy truck brake drum some six inches deep which acted as the
burn pot.
It might be possible to use a modified oil stove/heater (not the
paraffin-oil/kerosene wick type) that uses a carburetor, by filtering
the oil carefully first. But they are now uncommon. I have an old oil
stove carburetor but don't have such a heater any more to try it.
There is/was a drive through auto service station in this city that as
long as 20 years ago was burning the waste oil from engine changes in
a furnace that heated the premises by hot air. Made a lot of sense
with outside doors opening and closing as vehicles were serviced and
moved through. Here we now pay a waste oil disposal charge and
understand that it is shipped to a refinery for 'reprocessing'.
Have also heard of mixing it with sawdust and burning. If one had a
plentiful supply, such as at a sawmill, could be used for plant
heating. Probably not environmentally acceptable?
In some places where wood is primary fuel there are outdoor wood
furnaces; in other words the actual burner is located in an outside
shed or building, to keep wood chips etc., ash removal and smoke away,
and hot air or hot water is routed into the residence for heating.
Such a system could perhaps be modified to primarily burn (or add)
waste oil.