Do-it-yourself boiler for waste oil: an overview of design technology

During the construction of a garage, bathhouse, workshop, greenhouse or other outbuildings, the problem of heating a room often arises. Independent heating will help to solve it, which is simply indispensable when it is impossible to connect the rooms in need of heating to a stationary system. Very often, a used oil boiler is used to equip it, you can assemble it with your own hands quite simply. To do this, you need a small set of necessary parts and the skill of handling the welding machine. If you are still interested, then let's take a closer look.

What is a good boiler for working out?

Autonomous heating in working out has many advantages:

• Cheap, almost free fuel. Which can be transmission, mineral, synthetic oil or their mixture in any proportion.
• Low construction cost, allowing you to recoup it in one season of use.
• Ecological cleanliness of the device. The oil burns out almost completely, without forming toxic waste.
• The ability to quickly warm up the room and maintain a comfortable temperature in it through the use of forced convection.
• Simplicity of design, using a minimum of parts, which reduces the risk of breakdown of the device and its failure.

And of course, another indisputable plus is the possibility of self-manufacturing equipment.

The waste oil boiler is extremely economical. You can assemble it yourself from inexpensive materials, and use cheap waste oil as fuel

The system has several disadvantages:

• The need for more frequent maintenance and cleaning.
• Using a special oil filter at the inlet, which is necessary due to the heterogeneity of the oil and the frequent presence of all kinds of impurities in it.
• Strong burnout of oxygen in the room where the boiler is installed, so it should be well ventilated.

Read about the general principles of arranging heating for mining in our next article:https://aquatech.tomathouse.com/en/otoplenie/alt_otoplenie/otoplenie-na-otrabotannom-masle.html.

What does this boiler consist of and how does it work?

Before proceeding with the manufacture of equipment, we will understand its device.

The main elements of the system

The composition of the development boiler includes two chambers: an evaporation chamber, where the mixture is prepared for ignition, and combustion, in which the combustion process takes place. An oil supply and circulation pump is also installed. All elements of the device are shown in the diagram.

Scheme of the device of the boiler in waste oil indicating all the main and secondary elements of the system

The principle of operation of the device

The principle of the system is quite simple. The axial oil pump delivers the used oil from the supply tank to the evaporation chamber. This device is made of a thick-walled metal pipe that can withstand high temperatures. The operating mode involves heating to 40 ° C. Working off, getting to the bottom of the chamber, begins to evaporate, turning into oil vapor, which enters the combustion chamber.

You need to know that all systems operating on used oils require such a device for heating. Otherwise, mining, which does not reach the desired temperature, will light up badly, will not completely burn out and leave a large amount of soot, which will very quickly “clog” the device. The combustion chamber is equipped with a perforated duct through which air is supplied by means of a boost fan. Oil vapors are mixed with it and completely burn out, heating the coolant. The combustion products that give up their heat are sent to the chimney.

The oil is fed into the evaporation chamber, heated there to the desired temperature and mixed with air. The mixture ready for ignition enters the combustion chamber, where it burns and heats the coolant

Self-made equipment

Component selection

Do-it-yourself assembly of the boiler is quite simple. To do this, prepare a set of necessary details:

• oil feed pump;
• air compressor;
• circulation pump;
• boiler;
• burner;
• pipes for arranging highways;
• expansion tank.

The diagram below shows the details of the boiler with dimensions for self-production. It’s not difficult to pick up material for them and collect the elements. The process of manufacturing a special burner will become more time-consuming. Let us dwell on it in more detail.

Based on these dimensions, indicated in centimeters, it is possible to assemble an existing boiler that operates on waste oil

Mounting a special burner

Burners for mining systems can be of various shapes. The main thing is that the basic principle is observed, according to which the zone where the combustion takes place is located below the mixing zone, and the oil has the ability to safely drain into it. The cover of the device is made according to the size of the socket in the boiler from an iron sheet 3 mm thick.

Scheme of a homemade burner device that can be used in the arrangement of a waste oil boiler

It will take two plates. The first is of such a size that it enters a special installation slot, the second is to overlap it. In the larger element, holes are drilled for fastening to the boiler body. Five layers of asbestos are laid between the sheets for thermal insulation. Between themselves, the plates are connected by bolts and nuts, screwed on both sides of the pipe. When working with asbestos, which is a carcinogen, gloves and a respirator should be worn.

The homemade burner body is made of half-inch angles, tees and elbows, an adapter from 2 inches to ½ and an oil pipe connection. Prerequisite: all elements are made of steel, because the combustion area is very high temperature. All threaded connections must be lubricated with high-temperature silicate sealant used for fireplaces and stoves. The composition is burned and holds very well. If it is necessary to disassemble the structure, a wet rag is applied to the threaded connection for 5-6 hours, after which it will not be difficult to untwist it.

To prevent excessive heating of half-inch tubes located inside the boiler, you need to wrap them with two layers of asbestos. To do this, the material is wetted, laid in place and fixed with wire. Inside the adapter on the threaded section, asbestos is also laid.Two layers of material are applied, which are glued with a silicate sealant. This is necessary, since it is here that the temperature rises to maximum values ​​and without additional protection the metal will burn through very quickly.

For ignition, a conventional glow plug for a diesel engine is used. When you turn on the burner, it starts to work. The candle is heated to a temperature of about 100 ° C and ignites the oil. If it is necessary to replace an element, one may encounter a difficulty due to the fact that it is almost impossible to remove a candle fixed after a half-inch run with a sealant after several cycles of operation. Another nuance: the air supply to the device should be carried out only from above, so oil splashes will not get into the compressor.

A simpler solution is a potbelly stove working out. You will learn how to do it yourself from our next article: https://aquatech.tomathouse.com/en/otoplenie/bani-i-garazh/burzhujka-na-otrabotannom-masle.html.

Video examples with various designs

Safety issues

A potential danger to humans exists when using any heating appliances. It increases even more, if used oil-fired boilers are used, assembled structures are also among unsafe devices. To minimize the risk of threats, the following rules should be followed:

• The system should be equipped with a properly executed chimney that completely exhausts all combustion products.
• The presence of ventilation in the room where the heater is installed.
• The chimney must be equipped with a special damper to regulate the draft. Only with its help can the optimal indicators of the pressure difference in the chimney, forming sufficient draft, be ensured.
• At the passage through the roof, the chimney must be reliably protected by a special casing of refractory material. Otherwise, a fire may result.
• It is strictly forbidden to store fuels and lubricants and other flammable materials and substances in the immediate vicinity of the boiler.

Autonomous heating is often the only option for heating a garage, greenhouses or outbuildings. Build practical and inexpensive do-it-yourself oil boiler - quite a feasible task for many. However, do not forget that a mistake or carelessness in installation can lead to serious consequences, because such a system is considered to be potentially dangerous. All work must be done very carefully, referring to the instructions, and then the heater will serve without problems for a long time and efficiently.