Heating with Waste Vegetable Oil or Biodiesel

Heating with Bioheat and Waste Oil John W. Bartok, Jr. , Extension Professor Emeritus NRME Dept. ,University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269-4087 Increasing interest in alternate fuels has lead to development of heating equipment that will utilize fuels... More

Heating with Bioheat and Waste Oil John W. Bartok, Jr. , Extension Professor Emeritus NRME Dept. ,University of Connecticut, Storrs CT 06269-4087 Increasing interest in alternate fuels has lead to development of heating equipment that will utilize fuels other than the conventional oil and gas. Biodiesel is one that can be produced in large enough quantities that it has an impact on total consumption in the U. S. Waste oils from vehicles, machinery and cooking are others that have high heat value and can fit into many greenhouse operations. Bioheat Biodiesel is an alternative fuel produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Soybean oil is the most common feedstock but other sources, such as, rape seed (canola), mustard seed, corn oil, coconut oil, sunflower seed, recycled cooking oil and rendered animal fats can be used. Biodiesel is made by reacting a wood or grain alcohol, such as methanol or ethanol, with the feedstock and with the help of a sodium hydroxide catalyst the reac Less