Running waste oil blend diesel fuel in cold weather by blending it with solvents
In one of my first experiments, during the winter of 2005, to see if gasoline could be used as a solvent for thinning waste oil for use as a diesel fuel, I blended in several wide-mouthed one-quart (liter) canning jars varying blends of WVO and unleaded gasoline (petrol). They were 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% regular unleaded gasoline (RUG, petrol). I found that the unleaded gasoline (petrol) mixed readily with nothing more then a few gentle swirls of the blend, and I found they never separated even after 2 years of no movement.
Recent experiments with new canola oil and new 10/40 motor oil have shown that these oils behaves very similarly. Thus, we can extrapolate similar behavior over similar temperature ranges between WVO and WMO. We can also conclude that gasoline readily blends with waste vegetable oil and/or motor oil and does not separate.
At the time of the 2005 experiments I also wanted to find out if gasoline blending would reduce the cloud point and melting point of recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO), which was soy oil, so in that experiment I later placed the samples in a refrigerator over night, then a freezer over night, to see if the gasoline dropped the pour point of the vegetable oil, and/or would the oil solidify and settle out. At that time I found the WVO and gasoline still did not separate, and the pour point did in deed drop. Even as low as a %5 gasoline blend showed a noticeable lowering of the cloud point just below 32F (0c). I found at that time that it took a mix of about 20% to drop the pour point temperature of waste soy oil down to about 20F (-6.7C).
I have recently been researching the physical properties of a wide range of fuels, solvents and oils. In that research I found that Kerosene and Turpentine have similar melting points at about -50c (-58f). This means that blending them with a light vegetable oil, like canola oil, which has a melting point just below freezing, will raise the melting point of the solvent, while at the same time the solvent lowers the melting point of the oil in a mathematical relationship based upon the mix-ratio. It has been reported that it takes roughly 50-80% Kerosene or JP-4 to keep canola oil liquid down to about -30C (-22f) to -40c/f. However, if one were to use a solvent that has a significantly lower melting point, such as gasoline or acetone, which is about -100C (-148F), then it is very possible that one could keep canola oil liquid down to a much lower temperature.
During the winter of 2011 I found WVO based upon canola oil that was blended at 20% with gasoline remained liquid down to 0F (-18c). Recent reports during the winter of 2012 found gasoline blended at 20% with waste soy oil remained liquid down to 15F (-10C).
So, I recommend at lest 20% gasoline blended in canola based WVO or 10-40 WMO down to 0F (-18c), or soy oil down to 15F (-10C). Another thing to keep in mind is one can actually increase the gasoline content of a waste oil blend up to 50% without damaging a diesel engine. And gasoline at 50% is going to have a lot more anti-gel effect than diesel at 50%. Thus, below to 0F (-18c) I recommend increasing the gasoline content by 1% for every 3F (.5c) degrees lower.
Also, I have since found that animal fat and hydrogenated oils do not blend readily with gasoline so they should be removed for cold weather use.
Here is a photo of my 80% canola oil blended with gasoline at 20% and still liquid at 0F (-18c)
In one of my first experiments, during the winter of 2005, to see if gasoline could be used as a solvent for thinning waste oil for use as a diesel fuel, I blended in several wide-mouthed one-quart (liter) canning jars varying blends of WVO and unleaded gasoline (petrol). They were 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% regular unleaded gasoline (RUG, petrol). I found that the unleaded gasoline (petrol) mixed readily with nothing more then a few gentle swirls of the blend, and I found they never separated even after 2 years of no movement.
Recent experiments with new canola oil and new 10/40 motor oil have shown that these oils behaves very similarly. Thus, we can extrapolate similar behavior over similar temperature ranges between WVO and WMO. We can also conclude that gasoline readily blends with waste vegetable oil and/or motor oil and does not separate.
At the time of the 2005 experiments I also wanted to find out if gasoline blending would reduce the cloud point and melting point of recycled waste vegetable oil (WVO), which was soy oil, so in that experiment I later placed the samples in a refrigerator over night, then a freezer over night, to see if the gasoline dropped the pour point of the vegetable oil, and/or would the oil solidify and settle out. At that time I found the WVO and gasoline still did not separate, and the pour point did in deed drop. Even as low as a %5 gasoline blend showed a noticeable lowering of the cloud point just below 32F (0c). I found at that time that it took a mix of about 20% to drop the pour point temperature of waste soy oil down to about 20F (-6.7C).
I have recently been researching the physical properties of a wide range of fuels, solvents and oils. In that research I found that Kerosene and Turpentine have similar melting points at about -50c (-58f). This means that blending them with a light vegetable oil, like canola oil, which has a melting point just below freezing, will raise the melting point of the solvent, while at the same time the solvent lowers the melting point of the oil in a mathematical relationship based upon the mix-ratio. It has been reported that it takes roughly 50-80% Kerosene or JP-4 to keep canola oil liquid down to about -30C (-22f) to -40c/f. However, if one were to use a solvent that has a significantly lower melting point, such as gasoline or acetone, which is about -100C (-148F), then it is very possible that one could keep canola oil liquid down to a much lower temperature.
During the winter of 2011 I found WVO based upon canola oil that was blended at 20% with gasoline remained liquid down to 0F (-18c). Recent reports during the winter of 2012 found gasoline blended at 20% with waste soy oil remained liquid down to 15F (-10C).
So, I recommend at lest 20% gasoline blended in canola based WVO or 10-40 WMO down to 0F (-18c), or soy oil down to 15F (-10C). Another thing to keep in mind is one can actually increase the gasoline content of a waste oil blend up to 50% without damaging a diesel engine. And gasoline at 50% is going to have a lot more anti-gel effect than diesel at 50%. Thus, below to 0F (-18c) I recommend increasing the gasoline content by 1% for every 3F (.5c) degrees lower.
Also, I have since found that animal fat and hydrogenated oils do not blend readily with gasoline so they should be removed for cold weather use.
Here is a photo of my 80% canola oil blended with gasoline at 20% and still liquid at 0F (-18c)
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