Use for bad veg oi/lard

[Ivan]

I've been given some bad veg oil (semi-solid) which isn't any good for biodiesel production. (Titrates around 80(!)). Rather than take it to the tip, I thought I'd try some on the fire this evening.

I started with a cereal packet and a orange juice carton (the aluminium foil lined jobbies). I put about two inches of sawdust in the bottom of the cereal packet (main reason was to help stop messy leakage through bottom), then filled with the sloppy semi-solid evil lard. Finally, to top off, another couple of inches of sawdust to stop spillage. The orange juice carton was easier, as it is water-tight. So I just filled that with veg lard, and topped off with about an inch of sawdust.

I built the fire as follows: some screwed up waste paper/junk mail, then some of last year's prunings, small diameter offcuts etc - what I'd normally do to start the fire. This would normally burn for about 15minutes before going out, if I don't add anything else to it once it gets started. Then I added the two cartons of lard/sawdust and lit the bottom. It has now been burning for about 1¾ hours, and very hot too. If I had been running on wood, I would have re-charged the fire with logs a couple of times during this period.

I guess I've burnt about three litres of lard in the woodstove tonight. Seems pretty successful. No nasty smells etc. Will report on residue tomorrow...

[frotter]

Pfff - sacrilege!

 

[Ivan]

Can't say I didn't offer it to you!


I've got a Lister lard-o-matic in the making, but as a few members know, my projects are much slooooower than anyone elses.

[Ivan]

Checked the ashpan this morning. Sure enough, there's somethink like carbonised toffee stuck to the ashpan. Nothing serious, and only a VERY small amount, given the amount of veg oil burnt. Probably similar in quantity to wood ash residue. Didn't take much to loosen it, but I can imagine if you burnt nothing else, that the stuff might accumulate and become quite tricky to remove (I think if I was going to do it regularly, I'd cut a sheet of tin plate, maybe from old tin cans and place in the ashtray, and dispose of the tinplate every now and again, when the ash/residue is removed.

Not sure about acroleins from veg oil. Still an unanswered question. Didn't smell anything funny from the fireplace or from outside, and a few people had mentioned that acrolein is a very acrid smell.

[paul]

Is there likely to be any sort of residue build up in the flue over time?

Paul

[frotter]

Yes it'll completely ruin everything.... far better to burn it in a liitle engine. Kubota, say......

 

[NickW]

I wonder if it would be a good substitute for KY Jelly?

I get through loads of that stuff - getting in and out of wetsuits / drysuits

[Ivan]

It will lubricate you just great. You won't smell very attractive, though. Perhaps it could be marketed as Chastity Jelly?

I don't think any deposits will build up in flue. The residue is the stuff that doesn't seem to burn/evaporate. I only found the residue on the ashpan - none on the backboiler, glass, or any other visible part.

[Chug]

Ivan

as far as acrolein goes it's generally touted as a severe pulmonary irritant and has been used as a chemical weapon during World War I, BUT according to the website below The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that acrolein is not classifiable as to carcinogenicity in humans.
As long as you don't directly breathe the smoke from the flue you should be ok.

more info here
http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts124.html

Chug

[Ivan]

Chug,

Thanks for posting that. Very useful and reassuring. Maybe burning the glycerine/sawdust logs is safe too?

It's a shame to waste the energy in useless WVO and glycerine, if it could be utilised as heat.

[paul]

Thinks I'll be keeping all my left over gunk then for next winter...and our old cerial boxes...and sawdust...

Paul

[NickW]

How about for the Navitron Party - Naked WVO wrestling

Im sure we could 'fix' the lots so Billi and Frot end up in the ring together

[frotter]

Bring it on!

[stephen]

Frotter will possibly bag it and run.  The wvo that is.

[billi]

Billi and Frot end up in the ring together

what an energy waste ... I know a better target