Generating Inexpensive Power From Waste Vegetable Oil
by Justin Thomas, Virginia on 04.14.06
The people at Affordable Power have developed a generator that will burn 100% used, filtered, waste vegetable oil (WVO). The system makes use of their diesel generator with the Detroit Diesel 2-71 engine. The 2-71 Detroit Diesel does not have a conventional injector pump but rather uses a positive displacement fuel pump which supplies fuel continuously to the injectors. This makes the 2-71 Detroit Engine unique in its ability to run a variety of fuels. Waste vegetable oil can be found for free (if you are lucky), or at a low cost. The price for the generators start at $4995. More information on straight vegetable oil can be found on these SVO forums :: Affordable Power
Any diesel generator can run on WVO. All you have to do it heat it first, same as with cars. This has been done for years and this is VERY old news.
I guess that's the point; this one will heat up the oil without any modifications. Other diesel generator have to be modified with add ons.
Yes you could implement without much trouble.
I'm not against it, but it is a total rip-off. 5G's for a used generator and a manual GreaseCar setup... OK, if you're not mechanically inclined, don't have a greaser near you to help out, I guess this could be a plug-n-play option, but you're paying about 3G's for that convenience. That's a lot of electricity to save before you reach ROI. Remember, watts-is-cheap, and generally remains much more stable than fuel prices. In a state with big solar incentives, I would argue that PV, or better yet, solar thermal would make more sense. You also get a nice tax break for that, but not for one of these generators.
i do like that its all set up for anyone to use.. but Chingy is right, you can get a china diesel 5KW for under $1500, and then get an SVO preheater for about $800. Half price... And if you DIY you could also get a diesel catalytic converter hook that in so you won't be so obNOXious... (heck with the $$$ you save in te DIY method you can even get a fancy submarine CO2 scrubber so your energy can really be 0 emissions...)
I too think it is somewhat pricey for an inefficent 2 cycle Detroit Diesel Engine. Furthermore the governing is probably that of the droop type with primitive controls (poor quality output 59 to 61.5 Hz vice 60 Hz). As far as the obNOXious comment the purpose of using WVO is that is it is NOX nuetral. It disappointing how little people know when it comes to energy usage and the conversion of energy.
On top of all that who wants to listen to a 71 series when a 4 stroke is cleaner, quieter, and more efficent!!!
I have three Diamond Head waste oil cleaners for sale. They remove particles down to one tenth of a micron. I can sell them reconditioned for USD1950. each.
Vancouver Canada
Can some one give me some advice on running a small house on Waste oil heater(wvo)? I want the most watts, lowest possible emission(or none), silent and inexpensive.
Anyone's help would be grately appreciated!
What about the emissions produced by burning the used oil. Is it doing more harm to the environment then the used oil in the landfills?
"What about the emissions produced by burning the used oil. Is it doing more harm to the environment then the used oil in the landfills?"
The main benefit is that this vegetable oil is replacing fossil fuel diesel.
Vegetable oil is pretty much carbon neutral because the carbon in it comes from plants that got it from the atmosphere. Fossil fuels contain carbon that was in the Earth's crust, so it's a net gain for the atmosphere.
I have a 2000sq foot restarant in a small Missouri town of about 3000. The electric in this town one of the hights rates in the US. The town is locked up with a COOP and its killing not just all the business but famlies. My electric bills rande from $1.600 to $2.200 a month. Its killing our town we have over 100 homes for sale. We use woood to heat and a water ciller for ac> It droped our bill to $700 but to city razed our rates to get us back to $1.600 to $2.200 and thay have a demand meter that cost us up $400 a month. We work very hard a business 70 to 80 hours a week to make it. So iam looking to buy and instal a vegetale oil generator. Can anyone help me with this. Let me know and thanks for your time If i dont do this I will lose my business
Im not sure how it relates to stationary power generators, but its a cool concept for powering old trucks. Im toying with the idea of an old 2 stroke DD in a 40's chevy or gmc COE truck running on WVO. It would be very nice to avoid the $4.07 a gallon im paying for B20 biodiesel in my 1986 CUCV truck now. (23mpg on the highway at 60-65mph). I also work in the resturaunt field, and could get WVO any time i needed it ;)
as to the emissions of the biofuels, generally speaking (there are always exceptions to every rule) biofuels lower CO, particulates, NOx, Sulfer, HC, and arguably only produce slightly more fromaldahyde. (sp). biofuels also have greater lubricity, are (as was already stated) carbon neutral, renewable, CHEAP!!, and smells better. I honestly wouldnt care too much about mileage of the big truck (i ride one of my several bicycles most every where i go anyway), because the fuel is domestic, free, and better for the environment.