Diesel craft centrifuges in mobile setup

Mt_Man

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I am getting a two diesel craft pressure centrifuges from a long time wvo guy. Oc-25 and oc-50. Need some cleaning up but pretty excited. I have a gravity centrifuge so this is new system for me.

Thinking of setting these up in a mobile filtering setup. Currently thinking trailer mounted for road or camping trips. Was wondering if wmo in an old air tank or propane tank could be pushed through these centrifuges? What's a good pressure?

This is what I am thinking.

Supply air pressure would be regulated down to the pressure need to run and have safety relief valves(on compressor and tanks). I have two 60gal compressor tanks to do batch method, back and forth between the two tanks. Then have third for final cleaned fuel. I have a gas powered air compressor to run my double diaphragm pump for collecting. Extra air tank for charging and then pressurizing the system without running the air compressor continuously. I am hoping to keep from running a generator for an electric pump. I already have most of what I need for the project which is kinda cool.

How many passes do you guys usually run for wmo to be cleaned? Could a diaphragm pump work as the pump for the centrifuge or would the surge/pulse be bad for them?

Goals:
-no generator or electric pumps for easy off grid
-Simi-compact and simple, but could be more effort
-use parts/stuff I have laying around
-use pump fuel to thin oil so heating is not required

Ideas or comments?
Thanks
 

bbjordan

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I saw document stating that the OC-25 requires a minimum 30 psi and a maximum 80 psi to run it. I ran a system similar to what you propose. It was an old 300 Liter propane tank was pressurized up to 100 psi. My PA Biodiesel centrifuge is very similar to the DieselCraft ones.

As for how many passes, it depends on how dirty the oil is. The last batches I have done have taken 48 hours of 'fuging for 3/4 barrel (about 175 L) of oil. Heating the oil helps too. It reduces the viscosity of the oil and helps the crap come out.

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Mt_Man

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Thanks bbjordan, I just reread you thread on your centrifuge project. Good info in there :Thumbs Up

From what I have seen the pabiodiesel unit is very similar to the diesel craft. I really want a ultimate force centrifuge they sell but not in the cards for right now. I really like the design improvements. My current centrifuge has an inline heater on it but I don't always use it. Mainly because I pre-thin/blend and settle before running it though. I like heat though. So good idea. Guess I could come up with a water/oil heat exchanger and some kind of fire well away from the filtering to heat the oil up. That good idea. Use the pressure to push oil though the coil in a water bath then into the centrifuge. Oh maybe just put the coil into my redneck hot tub lol!

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YJMike92

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Nice hot tub. I'm using the PA BIODIESEL Ultimate Force Centrifuge. I run about two gallons an hour heated to 160 degrees F. It seems to do pretty well. I haven't seen a set up like yours. It would be good to see some pictures when it's up and running.
 

bbjordan

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Like the hot tub idea.

This last batch of WMO I had seemed to have some gas in it, and it was really thin. I didn't really want to boil off the light fractions, so this time I only heated it slightly. There's not as much gunk coming out, but that may be because I'm not heating it as much.

My dryer heater right in with the oil may be too hot, and may be causing the oil to polymerize. That may be the crap I'm pulling out. It may be that I'm creating my own problem. :idiot:

This batch has had a little more time to settle out, so I figured the little bit of water that may be in the oil would be 'fuged out.

So far, no water in the centrifuge bowl, so perhaps the settling time has helped.

Time will tell whether this batch is good enough when I run it.
 

Mt_Man

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This is a preliminary sketch. Might have to put the air tanks vertical for space.

Bbjordan, how hot are you getting it? just currious I guess that is possible. I have never got it hot enough to get it polymerize since I am doing single pass at a time and my heater has a thermostat control. I hover around 160-180f for none gas blends. 60f or off for gas blends. Yah gas will boil out somewhere around 100F I think. Not sure if blending would change that. I would think it would off gas above that. It would be a waste at that point. When my gas blended fuel is centrifuged it definitely gives off way more gas smell out of the vent hole. I put an earplug in the vent hole, but leave the shut down drain tube open. Keeps the smell down quite a bit. I run my centrifuge at 2-3gpm like Yjmike92. I have time. So I set it up, let it go, and clean it every 8-16hrs depending on how much crud its pulling out.


I think I might try some different test batches with this different centrifuge. All from the same tote of oil that has settled.
One no heat thinned with gas, run several times till no sludge in the centrifuge.
Another heated wmo, run several times.
I will think of some more combinations I am sure lol
 

bbjordan

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Mt_Man, I was heating the oil up to 110 - 115C (230-240F) for non-gas. I wanted to make sure all the water was out. Now I'm not sure how critical that was, because the water should come out in the centrifuge.
 

Mt_Man

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Makes sense, don't think that is to hot for wmo. I am curious now. Do you have pictures of the sludge? I was wondering how much dissolved water the fuge will pull out. I have seen droplets in the bowl sometimes. Kinda fun to tinker with. thanks!

edit:
I see in thread the post of the sludge thought I remembered you posting pics up. cool cool
 
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Mt_Man

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Mt_Man

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Anyone have good luck getting old baked on wvo off of things? I have tried hot water and dawn, hotel bar soap and hot water, avgas, and now hot water and Tide pod. Lol
Going to try brake clean and maybe some heavy duty kitchen cleaner. Maybe some dish detergent. A friend suggested the dish washer when I get home. lol
 

Mt_Man

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I definitely think boiling water to soften it up nicely. I will probably have to try that at home. Hotwater pressure washer is something I might try out too
 

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