Waste vegetable oil is free and can be found at any place that cooks allot of fried food. Waste vegetable oil is cheap and works in diesel engines. Specifically, diesel generators and vehicles. Waste vegetable oil produces fewer green house emissions like carbon dioxide, particulates and sulfur emissions. Thereby, contributing less to global warming. Because it does not come from petroleum, waste vegetable oil reduces the publics reliance on foreign oil.

Waste vegetable oil is fine for all diesel engines. However, waste vegetable oil must be filtered prior to use since it contains many food particles and a greater viscosity than petrol diesel. Viscosity stands for a fluids resistance to flow, therefore, most people install heaters in the fuel line to thin out the oil.

The main components of a waste vegetable oil system are: A second fuel tank (one tank systems are also possible), a heat source for the fuel tank (lowers viscosity), a filter for the food particles and a fuel selector solenoid. Most agree that you need to add a second fuel tank, fuel filter, and a heat source or two, and a way to switch between the two fuel tanks. Yes, waste vegetable oil requires a retrofit system for a diesel engine, but produces even less dangerous emissions than a diesel engine. However, Once the conversion is done you're on the way to lowering emissions, saving radically in fuel costs, and having the satisfaction of self-determination to beat the oil problem.

There are many factors to include: quality of oil, filtering, system maintenance, proper use, and even whether the people developing this system really understand how the system works. We know diesel engines last a long time, half a million miles or more is not unusual, and there are not many thorough, long-term studies of the effects of using waste vegetable oil in diesel engines. All of these factors will be for the public to take in and consider whether or not this is a reliable source of alternative fuel.

I believe, the more people use waste vegetable oil, with whatever system, good or bad, the more likely it is that the auto manufacturers will start to take some notice and begin to realize that there is a market for true multi-fuel capability diesel engines, and put some research & development effort into it at last.

Waste vegetable oil can be a very economical fuel option for those with a mechanical inclination and the ingenuity to put a little work into it. With the amount of fast food restaurants and eateries in America there's more than enough for a commercial operation with major economy of scale to turn a profit. The downside to all this is waste vegetable oil sometimes smells, but then again not near as bad as petroleum Diesel. Others even admit that their vehicles sometimes smell like french fries!

Learn more about this author, Jack Burton.
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