Waste Oil Furnaces
Waste oil furnaces have been used for years in garages and other commercial establishments where a sufficient supply of waste oil is produced. Instead of paying a third party to haul away the waste oil, it can be cleanly burned in a waste oil furnace. Burning the waste oil on the premises not only provides heat for the structure
(at no cost) but also eliminates the expense of having the oil hauled away. A waste oil burner and furnace are designed to burn the waste oil without emitting smoke and with very little odor.
Waste oil is a surprisingly efficient heating fuel. Tests have shown that it contains from 183,000 to 240,000 Btu of energy per gallon. That is more than twice the energy potential of a gallon of natural gas or propane.
Note
Waste oil furnaces are not UL approved for use inside a residential structure. On the other hand, they can be installed in a separate structure with the heat being forced into the residence through ducts.
A typical waste oil furnace is illustrated in Figure 12-21. It con- sists of a multi-fuel burner, pumps, tank strainer, one-way check valve, a filter, a vacuum gauge, and a low-volt wall thermostat. Some waste oil furnaces are also provided with barometric dampers, pumps, and air compressors.
Waste oil furnaces are relatively free of operating problems. Those problems that do occur are commonly traced to incorrect installation procedures. They include (1) using fuel pipes that are too small in diameter, (2) contaminants in the fuel, and (3) im- proper chimney installation or parts.
Periodic maintenance includes cleaning the reusable filter by rinsing it in a solvent bath and vacuuming the ash and dust residue from inside the dual cleanout doors at the end of each day. Both procedures will maximize the operating efficiency of the waste oil furnace.