WVO so far

[wal1809]

Here is a pic of the WVO conversion project.  Rather than mounting a piece here and there where space allowed I used an old bed frame angle iron piece to biuld a bar from right to left, high and out of the way in the empty space in the engine compartment.  I am not done but check it out.

[wal1809]

You can't see it but behind the filter is a 20 plate flat heat exchanger which casts off heat.  I mounted the $28 Northern tool Golden rod filter against it to heat the aluminum filter housing.  The other heat exchanger I got from CHarlie Davidson is mounted to the frame 1/2 inch from and parallel to the exhaust pipe to gather heat from it.  I am shocked at how much heat it gathers from the tailpipe.  It immediately heats that exchanger long before the water heats it.

The flat plate didn't get that hot until I hit high idle.  Holy poop it got hot then.  I won't have a heat problem that is for sure.  I didn't think about it but since I am doing a closed loop system the oil will go through the heat exchangers several times before it is used.  It will be 180 without a doubt.

I figure if I get all the parts I need today I might have it running for the trip to Marble Falls this next weekend.

[JohnEd]

WAL,
 
You have some nice features and look t be making progress  GREAT!

How are you filtering your WVO stock?  You seem to be improvising and that appeals to me especially.  Improves the quality of the adventure.  There is one item that I have not been able to improvise and that is a centrifuge.  The little motor oil filter centrifuges seem to be around but their speed and G force are speculation and they need emptied often in a process cycle. My option is the Simple Centrifuge for speed.  With that I can filter at the time of collection and avoid the need to store unfiltered oil.  The CS, if run on oil that is heated and run slow it will get out all the water and all the particulate down to the memory of breaded chicken.  It will filter down to the sub micron and is the only filter I know of that will do that quickly and cheaply.  Initial cost is the problem....$1800 and the operating life span is just shy of forever.  Look into them for info and if you find a way to get around the price please share it.

My other problem was "storing" oil on board.  There is only room for so many 100 gallon tanks.  when you filter using one tank you dump the filtered stock back into the same tank you are drawing from and the actual filter rate for complete filtering goes to infinity, or even longer with some oils.  At home, the obvious solution is to use two tanks and at home there is room for that.  Not so for any oil you pick up on the road and cold filtering doesn't work with an agitated tank and running down the road they do get cranky.  My idea was to use a single closed tank with a bladder and two inlet/outlet ports.  The input for the filter would be from one side of the bladder and the filter would discharge into the other side, all the while using the same "tank".   My real question is what material to make the bladder from that would fold and be durable.  Sealing would present a challenge.  Can you see that with this you could feed you engine super clean VO while on the road and min you fuel costs while on an extended trip.

Of course I am interested in the thoughts and suggestions of any and all.

John the tankless

[wal1809]

Well sir I thank you.  I opted not to go with the fuge for filtering.  I have friends who bought them and time is a huge factor.  I have 2 55 gallon drums welded together to make a 110 gallon drum with only the bottom remaining in it.  I heat and pump from the bottom spraying back to the top to dry the oil.  When it is dry I use a 20 micron filter bag and then a 5 micron filter bag.  I send it off to a 300 gallon cubie for storage.  From there it goes through a home water filter at 2 microns and into the bus.

[NeoplanAN440]

Good seeing that you made progress!!!

im just filling the Bus and Trailer with 500+Gallons of WVO to make another West Coast run!
with the diesel price getting higher and higher (cant wait were its in CA) i can laugh again,about everybody
who asks me why i do this!!!

good luck and enjoy the first trip.
feels good to run for free.

we just came back from a 2200 mile trip.total diesel use with gen and heater (i need my hot shower in the morning) 28 gallons !!

[wal1809]

Well thank you sir.  It won't be long now.  I bought some valves from omarsales for 50 bucks a piece.  He and I think they will work so far as flow.  If not I will pull them out and put it the $150 dollar valves from grease car.  I can then use the Omar valves on the Excursion when I convert it.

[NeoplanAN440]

Thats the same valve we had been talking about before!

just make sure your fuel hoses wont touch the turbo or exhaust.(looks pretty close in the pic)
the filter wrap you did,i did it on my first mercedes conversion!! to be honest,after the first filter change on the road i hated it and removed it.there will always some wvo spill when changing cartridges.and then you have it everywhere.

there are some nice electric wrap heaters that can be easy removed,if you wanna stay with that filter.
i used a racor 500fh.there you can load the filter element from the top,easy reprime,and your heater line can stay on the filter body!
just some thoughts


keep on with the grease

[JohnEd]

WAL/Neo,

Can you guys post a plumbing diagram for your systems. Please?

John

[NeoplanAN440]

if i would spent as much time on my computer then under my bus,i wouldnt have so much trouble posting!!
im just setting up my conversion on photobucket,but be patient with me!
in words my system is a little different then to my car or truck conversions:


i have some more room in my engine bay then others,as i extended my bus 2feet to make room for the planned cummins conversion,and to get my german bedroom arranged on top of it.
so i have a heated 17 aluminum surge tank next to the engine as fuel source for wvo.this tank is heated by coolant via hot fox.from there it goes to a 30 plate stainless heat exchanger,then to a racor 500fh thats wrapped in aluminum pipe thats connected to my coolant loop also.
then i have a 3/4" hyraulic solenoid 3 port valve to switch inlet engine from diesel to wvo.
then it goes to the engine drive gear fuel pump,to the secondary stock fuel filter into the heads!!!

return goes after the orifice and the t from the heads,to the second 3 port hydraulic valve.
diesel back to main tank
wvo to the surge tank in the engine bay!

the surge tank is controlled by a level sensor,that i can also overide and watch from the front
the tank is automaticly filled from the 250 gallon main wvo tank in the front of the bus
i used a shurflow 45psi piston pump and installed 3/8 aluminum lines .

this way i can also change the wvo diesel ratio in the surge tank.makes faster switchover times.
also on stopping the engine i can purge the wvo diesel mix into it,so i get nothing into the main tanks!


this way i only have to heat 17 gallons at a time ((less condensation))
and i get a lot of heat from the return also heating the surge tank.
remember that the detroit is spilling over  3 gallons a minute.

on a ddec you would have to adress he cooling of the ecm via extra diesel loop,but mine is a MUI.


on my other conversions,i dont have the surge tank.
i heat the main tank via hot fox.use 3/8 aluminum line that i run inside a 3/4" heater hose connected to my coolant loop.this way is the fuel line surrounded by coolant at engine temp.
then i use also 1/2 hydraulic solenoid valves for switching inlt and return.



confusing???

[NeoplanAN440]

[JohnEd]

NO!  Not confusing to me but I suspect others, and me, would benifit from a diagram but thats easy for me to say as I ain't the one that can do that.  Your explanation is clear to me but I would really like to "see" how you did the terminations on the fantastic "fuel line in a fuel/coolant line".

John

[NeoplanAN440]

[NeoplanAN440]

the fuel in coolant line is easy

use a 3/4 brass t
one side 3/4 barbed fitting for the heater hose
opposite side crimp lock fitting drilled up that the 3/8 aluminum line can slide through (just remove the small step inside that stops the pipe)

the side of the t uses a barbed 5/8 (or what your coolant feed size is)

the same t on the other end of the heater fuel hose combo and there you go

it a little tricky to route this beast,as you have to insert the aluminum line int the heater hose frst,then route (install )it into your vehicle,and then make the caps via the discriped t.

[NeoplanAN440]

[NeoplanAN440]

the T  as Greasy as it gets in my GMC 3500 converted to cummins 5.9 with wvo