We finally have 220 running out to the shed for out GL Eco-Processor. According to Lamling, he recommends heating the oil to 90c to dewater. The 50 gallon Water heater that we use only goes up to 66c or 150f. You would think that even @ 150, there would be water steaming off, especially since we are 3200 above sea level. most of our water should have seperated out in the settling tank anyway.? The question that we have is, do we run the pump when the oil is heated up, or just maintain the heat @ 150 in the tank. thanks

 

I heat the oil to about 160*F in a open drum with a air fitting and valve on the bottom and a small fan blowing across the top. once the oil is heated to the 160 I put about 20 psi of air through it, you can see the water vapor blowing off the top like a fog. once the fog clears you're basicly water free.this process normaly takes about an hour for relativly "wet" oil

 

i heat the oil a lot hotter than that. Water boils at 212* F.

 

In the summer months when the air here in humid as the congo I'll heat the oil to 212 or so but in the fall and winter when the air is dry and cool 160 or so causes the water to heat off without boiling and it takes less energy.the air bubbleing through the oil also causes the free water to fall out and the desolved water to escape out in the air bubbles.

 

So then the air being pulled through the venturi helps to dry the oil... In other words I need to run the pump during the process. thanks, we were just wanting to make sure...

thanks again

 

Heck I just heat it up with a sumbersible heater in an open drum. I have a pump that I use to then circulate the heat fuel and spray it across the sides of the drum. Once it gets really warm 100-120 F then I let it go until it clears up and then and aditional 15-20 minutes. I never had a problem.

 

Were did you find a submersible heater? Most of the heaters that I have seen are meant for keeping stock tanks open for cattle and float on the surface.

 

Here are a couple of choices after a quick search on Google:

Submersible Water Heater - Home & Garden - Compare Prices, Reviews and Buy at NexTag - Price - Review

 

thanks, looks like we need at least a thousand watt to heat about 50 gallons of oil enough so it flows.

 

True, if you in a hurry...or it's really cold where your filtering oil you may need a 1000 watts. I wonder since most of those have thermostats in them...could you "dial 'em up" if they're not getting the oil warm enough to flow? A couple of them said they're plastic safe...so it sounds like you could use 'em in one of those 250-300 gallon plastic shipping totes.

 

I am a home brewer and have made a couple of 220vac portable water heaters from hot water heater elements. I will post the links to instructions later today. It real easy just find low density water heater elements, use a sink tailstock for a handle. Wire it up and you have a 4500 watt heater for $50 or less. McMaster sells submersible heaters but they are a heck of alot more.

 

look forward to seeing it. Already unusually colder than normal here, and we have frozen oil to deal with now.

 

alfter.us - Heatstick Construction

Burners & Electric Pot Heaters - High Gravity

Here are two examples but I can't find the best one. These won't work with solid oil. You must have liquid around the element.

McMaster has drum heaters that wrap around a drum but they aren't cheap. One of those might give you liquid to work with.

Find Sandhog Long Life II Heating Element, 4500W x 240V and other Water Heaters at Aubuchon Hardware this is the heater element I bought.

 

Found the good page! Bodensatz Brewing - The Beer Site

 

This one shows putting the element in the barrel. We use 1/2 barrels (16 gallon keg) for brewing. I would think a bigger barrel would be even easier.

CD's New Electric Wort Boiler