Solar Heating WVO
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
Solar Heating WVO
I have been working out how I am going to filter my newly found reserves of WVO and I started thinking about creating a solar collector to help heat it. Here's the idea: (tell me if you think this will work)
1. Find an old radiator from a vehicle and spray paint it black.
2. Sandwich the heater in a box between a piece of mirror and a piece of glass.
3. Run the WVO oil through it on the way to the centrifuge.
Seems like it should work. I don't have a place where I can get enough amps to safely run a pump motor and heater without running more circuits, so I was looking for a supplemental source of heat. We have a lot in Texas anyway, so why pay for heat when the sun is free? I could even sit the radiator on the roof if I had it attached to a flexible hose.
1. Find an old radiator from a vehicle and spray paint it black.
2. Sandwich the heater in a box between a piece of mirror and a piece of glass.
3. Run the WVO oil through it on the way to the centrifuge.
Seems like it should work. I don't have a place where I can get enough amps to safely run a pump motor and heater without running more circuits, so I was looking for a supplemental source of heat. We have a lot in Texas anyway, so why pay for heat when the sun is free? I could even sit the radiator on the roof if I had it attached to a flexible hose.
Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
From: 6 feet under
I haven't started processing my own WVO yet, but speaking on general mechanics, if you send it through the rad before it is completely clean it would just clog it up. I will also say that even if it was cleaned, I think that there are better heat absorption devices.
You can make your own radiator system with black abs pipe and elbows. With the pipe it is not a worry on clogging and you can make it any size you want.
Just my .02
B6
You can make your own radiator system with black abs pipe and elbows. With the pipe it is not a worry on clogging and you can make it any size you want.
Just my .02
B6
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 26,337
Likes: 12
From: Paradise Found!
I haven't started processing my own WVO yet, but speaking on general mechanics, if you send it through the rad before it is completely clean it would just clog it up. I will also say that even if it was cleaned, I think that there are better heat absorption devices.
You can make your own radiator system with black abs pipe and elbows. With the pipe it is not a worry on clogging and you can make it any size you want.
Just my .02
B6
You can make your own radiator system with black abs pipe and elbows. With the pipe it is not a worry on clogging and you can make it any size you want.
Just my .02
B6
Senior User
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Bentonville, AR
Very dumb newbie question here.
Why heat the WVO if it is not in the tank in your truck yet...other than it can't be very cold when you filter it...has to at least flow. I did not know (or even think deeply) that it needed to be that warm to be filtered.
Tim
Why heat the WVO if it is not in the tank in your truck yet...other than it can't be very cold when you filter it...has to at least flow. I did not know (or even think deeply) that it needed to be that warm to be filtered.
Tim
Thread Starter
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
Sounds like a good idea. I figured with a radiator it would have been already filtered down to at least 100 microns, but even then it can gradually clog up the passages. Corrosion might be an issue also. I like the pipe idea. I wonder what would work better, a larger pipe with the oil moving slower or a smaller pipe with the oil moving faster?
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 1,570
Likes: 0
From: South Texas Coast
4 inch id pipe holds approx 2.2 gallons per foot. Just calculate how large your biggest batch will be (ie 50 gal) divide by 2.2 (50/2.2 = 22.72) to find out how much pipe you will need (in this case approx 23 ft).
Since you live in Dallas a day in the sun will be more than sufficient, just remember to paint the pipe black.
You could actually just leave a black painted 55 gal drum sit in the sun but it would take a lot longer.
Since you live in Dallas a day in the sun will be more than sufficient, just remember to paint the pipe black.
You could actually just leave a black painted 55 gal drum sit in the sun but it would take a lot longer.
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Mountain Pass
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 100
Likes: 2
From: 6 feet under
I was actually talking about useing the black ABS you can get from depot or lowes that is normally used for waste water in homes. Bypasses the need for paint and even if it gets scratched, it is still black.
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Tuned
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 454
Likes: 1
From: College Station TX
My problem is that I have a lot of direct afternoon sun where I live. My backyard is shaded by trees most of the afternoon. Good for the house, but bad for solar. Have any of you used band heaters for your barrels? Do they just suck up the electricity? I like the inline heater ideas better. Seems like less heat loss.
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