Onboard filtration systems

[lapeer20m]

i had an onboard filtration system on my veggie bus. i used a 110 volt sump pump to transfer oil from the "grease dumpster" to my "dirty tank". the sump pump had a built in screen that kept any debris from entering the pump...

once onboard, the dirty tank was heated utilizing waste engine heat, then the hot oil was filtered and put into the "clean tank"

from clean tank the oil traveled to the injector pump via a pair of filters.

a centrifuge would be great for cleanign oil.....i was using whole house drinking filters. i found that i could get up to 10 or 20 gallons of oil through a filter before it became clogged......or if i heated the oil i could get over 100 gallons through the same filter.

[dlor1]

I used a centrifuge setup for about 2000 gallons of veggie last summer. Centrifuge is the way to go. Pump with a screen into a dirty tank and let centrifuge take care of the rest. Gonna have to run it on 110V. Better than settling cause sometimes you don't have time to settle. No filters less mess (unless you forget to tighten a hose clamp on a pressure line) Def the way to go. Can give more specifics later but now have to run. Good Luck.

[theVeganBus]

What centrifuge do you use? I would love to see a schematic or photos of any on-board filtration. We are trying to redesign ours.

[bus-bro]

I just did some research on centrifuges. Alfa-Laval (as I recall) has a small unit for yachts, it can be procurred for 115 VAC or 24 VDC. the price is probably more than a bus x 3 (or 4, or 5). Those ones that spin from the oil pressure are not good if you need to seperate some water or lighter particulates.

[SoulFire]

Hey stickman,

How does your centrifuge work? Does the Carbonate motor power the gear pump head that pushes the veggie through the centrifuge? Do the components you got work well together? I'm thinking about getting the same ones...any tips?

[dlor1]

In my opinion a centrifuge is the only way to go for onboard filtration. You should run a 110v motor for the pump, I've never tried a 12v but it does require a lot of time to clean the grease. Movement will not affect the operation just make sure the veg doesn't splash out of the tank!