Currently, several different systems are used to organize heating of a private home. Depending on the availability and accessibility of a particular type of fuel, you can heat a house during the cold season using electricity, gas and various types of solid fuel. At the same time, in recent years, used motor oil has become increasingly used as fuel for small boiler houses. One of the ways to use it is to independently manufacture a waste oil burner from scrap materials. How to do this will be discussed later.
Burner structure during development
The general view of the device can be seen in the photo below.
Having studied it, it is not difficult to notice some features of the burner. The body is a used small-volume gas cylinder. Oppositely directed sections of an inch thick-walled steel pipe are welded to it in the upper and lower parts. The lower one is used to directly supply an oil-air suspension to the combustion zone, and the upper one plays the role of a burner bell, from which a stream of high-temperature flame bursts out. To create an air flow that forces air into the furnace and contributes to the formation of a torch escaping from the burner outlet, an ordinary household vacuum cleaner of sufficient power is used. Having become familiar with the appearance of the unit, let’s move on to its manufacture.
To assemble the above-described unit with your own hands, you need to prepare a welding machine used directly for connecting parts, a grinder, which we will use for cutting materials. In addition to the traditional tool, you will need a screw-cutting lathe.
The first component of a burner operating on waste oil is the housing. To make it, prepare a used gas cylinder. To avoid an emergency, make sure that the gas in the container is completely used. After this, remove the filler hole. Using an appropriate oval template, mark the mounting holes for both pipes and drill them along the inside of the circuit using an electric drill with a twist drill secured in the chuck. Carefully cutting the jumpers between the holes with a metal chisel, or sawing with a grinder with a metal disc installed, remove the excess. To give the mounting holes the correct shape, bore them using a round file by hand, or with a cylindrical cutter installed in an electric drill. Remember to cover your eyes with safety glasses when performing metal machining.
In the resulting holes, the conformity of the shape of which must be constantly monitored using a template, install and weld pre-cut pipes.
Burner waste oil supply system
Please note that in the extreme half of the lower pipe there is a hole with a welded M16 nut. It is necessary for attaching the oil nozzle.
It is convenient to make it on a metal lathe. The basis of the part is a rod with a smooth shank used for attaching the oil supply hose. If a flexible liner is used, it is necessary to make a thread of the appropriate diameter on this part. Most of the rod must be metric threaded with an outer diameter of 16 millimeters. An axial hole is made for almost the entire length of the burner nozzle, which meets a three-millimeter transverse one located at the bottom of the part. If you have access to the specified equipment and sufficient skill in metal turning, producing such a part will not be difficult. Otherwise, order it from the nearest metalworking plant or select a similar part yourself.
The principle of operation of the nozzle is based on the flow of viscous waste from a transverse hole and its capture by the air flow. In this case, the oil is broken into minimal droplets, the ignition of which occurs much more easily.
Air flow control system
Another feature of this burner design is the presence of an air flow control system, which subsequently allows you to change the strength of the fire torch. It is based on a steel cup with a semicircular bottom and a hole of sufficient diameter.
This burner part can also be conveniently made on a lathe. At the same time, to obtain the correct hemispherical shape of the bottom, special cutters and highly qualified turners will be needed. If you are not confident in your abilities, seek help from professionals or find a ready-made unit for adjusting the air flow, for example from a car carburetor.
Direct air control is carried out by a round curtain, secured to the L-shaped axis with an M4 screw.
To ensure reliable connection of the hose outlet and operation of the air valve, an adapter with a longitudinal slot is used.
Access to the chamber for igniting waste oil during burner startup is provided by a weighted lid installed on welded hinges on the neck of the gas cylinder.
When using a lighter option, the device may spontaneously open during operation.
With a correctly assembled design, the operation of the burner should be accompanied by the exit of an even violet torch from the working part, which occurs when the air-oil mixture burns in the housing.
To ensure fire safety when working with this burner design during testing, it is better to additionally protect the attachment point of the nozzle and the oil supply flexible wire with a steel screen, which prevents the ignition of the oil in the event of a leak.
In addition to the device option we considered, it is quite possible to independently manufacture other oil burners. Some use preheating of waste oil to improve combustion. One way to do this is to install an oil cylinder directly on the outlet pipe.
In this particular example, unlike the one described above, the air is pumped using an electric fan.
Well, now start and warm up the burner:
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Often, during seasonal oil changes in cars, problems arise with waste disposal. At the same time, many owners of personal plots would like to have a cheap source of heating for their home needs. A self-made waste oil burner helps solve both problems. A small investment in a simple project pays off in many years of fuel savings.
To save money, you can make a burner yourself
Operating principle and types of structures
Since any oil contains flammable substances, they can be burned. People have long been trying to make the most of this for their own benefit, but solving this problem is not so easy, especially if they try to burn used oil, which contains many additional components. There are three types of devices for this purpose:
- Ejection. Very effective system. Excellent fuel combustion, high temperature, low emissions, but it is almost impossible to do at home. In addition, not all fuels can be used without pre-treatment.
- Evaporative. The easiest to assemble from scrap material, but its effectiveness is low, there is a lot of waste and pollution. Additional equipment is required for ignition and smooth operation.
- Injection. The most acceptable option for making an oil burner with your own hands. Relatively simple design, easy to maintain, unpretentious to fuel. The main disadvantage is the inability to use it in residential premises.
In this video you will learn how the burner works during mining:
Some craftsmen try to adapt blowtorches for heating by working off, but most often such endeavors result in complex alterations and a complete abandonment of the original burner design. The Babington oil burner has become most popular in recent years.
Robert Babington patented his invention at the end of the last century using one of Murphy's laws - to do everything the other way around. Robert did not spray the fuel, blowing it out of the nozzle, I just tried to force air through the oil film. It produces an oily aerosol that burns beautifully. It’s not for nothing that they say that everything ingenious is simple.
A novice master can make such a burner if he has a garage or workshop with a bench vice and an electric drill. Having collected the necessary materials and prepared the tools, they make drawings of a waste oil burner or find ready-made ones on the Internet.
DIY making
Having collected everything you need in the garage, you begin the step-by-step assembly of the liquid fuel burner. Even an amateur can do it with his own hands . For the work you will need the following materials:
- Steel tee DN50 for two-inch pipes.
- Spherical nozzle head. Use brass door handles, ball nuts or similar parts.
- The nozzle is a steel tube with threaded ends. Length - 150−200 mm.
- Copper tube with a diameter of 10 mm for supplying fuel to the injector from the fuel tank.
- A metal tube with a diameter of at least 10 mm for the air duct.
- Threaded plugs for connections.
- Car or motorcycle fuel pump.
Don't forget about the materials we will need Having collected all the necessary parts, begin assembly. . To do this, follow the step-by-step instructions:
- A small hole of no more than 0.3 mm is made in the hemisphere of the future nozzle.
- Attach the air duct tube to the hemisphere.
- Insert the hemisphere inside the tee and screw in the sealed threaded plug.
- Make a hole in the nozzle to ignite the burner.
- Screw the nozzle drive to the body.
- A copper fuel pipe is screwed on top.
- The other end is inserted into the fuel tank.
- The tank is equipped with a heating element for heating the fuel to 70°C.
- The fuel supply tube is wrapped around the nozzle to heat the fuel while the burner is operating.
- A compressor is connected to pump air into the nozzle during testing.
This is how you make an excellent burner with your own hands according to the drawings. For more reliable and safe operation, the device is provided with measuring sensors and additional parts that will increase the efficiency of the device.
When using a homemade burner, there are usually increased requirements for compliance with fire safety rules. Important to remember:
- Do not leave a working nozzle unattended.
- It is prohibited to install the equipment in a residential area.
- To heat the heating main boiler, a special room is usually made without flammable coating on the walls, ceiling and floor.
- To increase operating efficiency, heavily contaminated waste is enriched with clean oil.
- Reliable ventilation is built in the boiler room to remove gases and smoke after fuel combustion.
- Carry out regular maintenance and equipment reliability checks.
If used correctly, a homemade burner will last for many years. The savings from using this type of heating are obvious, because the used oil has already been paid for, and if not for the homemade firebox, it would have to be disposed of.
By making such a simple device, the owner kills two birds with one stone: he saves on fuel and on the disposal of harmful liquid.
Furnaces and boilers running on waste oil have long taken their rightful place among heating appliances. Exhaust is a cheap and sometimes free type of fuel; it is often used for this purpose in car repair shops and garages. Many craftsmen, when choosing a design, ask the question: is it possible to convert a gasoline blowtorch into a burner for mining?
The principle of operation of a conventional blowtorch is to ignite gasoline vapors, which are pushed out under the action of compressed air. This effect is achieved by forcing air into the burner fuel tank.
What happens if you pour used oil into a blowtorch?
Oil itself, even under pressure, does not evaporate well - it needs to be heated. Due to poor atomization, the flame will be uneven and it will be difficult to ignite the burner. The oil burns with the formation of a large amount of soot and soot, so the jet will quickly coke, its cross-section will decrease, and the lamp will fail. Increasing the cross-section of the nozzle will also not give the expected effect - the oil will be sprayed in large drops, which will not allow obtaining a uniform flame of the torch.
In addition, used oil often contains impurities: diesel fuel, gasoline, antifreeze and even water, which can lead to flashes inside the lamp. To use waste as fuel for a blowtorch, you will have to install a filtration system, which will further complicate the task.
Considering all the difficulties, using a gasoline blowtorch as a burner during mining is difficult and unsafe. Therefore, it is necessary to modify or completely change its design.
How to make a burner for mining yourself
For successful combustion of oil, you must either preheat it to the evaporation temperature - approximately 300 degrees Celsius, or finely spray and enrich the oil vapor with air. You can heat the oil to such temperatures using powerful heating elements, but this will increase energy costs.
An oil aerosol can be created by applying a stream of compressed air through a layer of oil. This effect is realized in the Babington burner - a device, an analogue of which you can assemble with your own hands from available components.
Babington burner - an alternative to a blowtorch
The Babington burner was originally patented to run on diesel fuel. Later, having made minor changes to the design, the craftsmen changed the design with their own hands and adapted the burner for burning waste machine and food oils. The degree of oil contamination does not matter much, since the fuel channels of the unit are free of bottlenecks prone to blockages.
Unlike a blowtorch, where the fuel-air mixture is sprayed under pressure through nozzles, in a Babington burner oil is pumped from a reservoir using a low-power pump and flows in a thin film along an inclined or spherical surface, and the oil-air mixture is formed by blowing a thin jet of compressed air air through this film.
The spraying effect is clearly presented in the video:
- The Babington burner consists of several functional blocks:
- Fuel - tank, pump and pipes for supplying fuel.
- Air, it consists of a compressor and an air tube.
- A hemisphere with a small diameter hole where the air stream mixes with oil.
- A nozzle that directs the flame in the desired direction.
The standard design can be modified with your own hands, increasing its efficiency. To do this, the fuel tank is equipped with a heater that heats the oil before the burner starts operating, which makes it possible to increase its fluidity. In addition, a fuel channel made of a metal tube can be wound around the nozzle - this way the oil will heat up while the burner is operating.
The burner nozzle is directed into the boiler, where the fuel chamber and water jacket are heated. You can also use the device to melt and heat metals.
Advantages of a DIY Babington burner:
- a wide selection of fuel - used machine oils, lubricants of any viscosity, diesel fuel, fuel oil, any vegetable oils, including food production waste;
- the presence of impurities in the fuel;
- simplicity of design - you can do it yourself.
Flaws:
- difficulty setting up the burner, especially often when changing the type of fuel;
- smell and dirt - the burner cannot be installed in residential premises, a boiler room is required;
- The use of the burner involves an open flame, so fire safety precautions must be observed.
DIY Babington burner
You can assemble the burner yourself from simple components; for this you will need:
- A hollow ball or hemisphere with such a wall thickness that you can drill a hole with a diameter of no more than 0.3 mm. You can use any metal objects of a similar configuration, for example, a spherical brass door handle, nuts with plugs. The main condition is the possibility of reliable fastening of the air duct.
- Metal tube for supplying compressed air from the compressor, diameter - 10-15 mm.
- A compressor, for example, from a refrigerator, with an operating pressure of 2 atm, a maximum pressure of 4 atm.
- Fuel tank with a built-in heating element of 0.5-1 kW made of non-corrosion metal.
- Fuel sump and pipe to drain excess oil back into the tank.
- Copper tube, diameter - 10 mm, wall thickness - 1-1.5 mm for the fuel channel.
- Oil pump from a car or motorcycle with an electric motor to drive the pump. It is advisable to equip the pump with a filter with a large mesh at the inlet.
- The nozzle is a 200-400 mm long nozzle with an external thread of 2 inches.
- Crosspiece for two-inch metal pipe with internal threads.
- A 1" threaded drain and a 2/1" adapter to drain excess fuel into the sump.
- Adapters and fittings for connecting the fuel line, air duct and nozzle.
Preparing burner components for assembly
- The main and most important task is to make a hole of a given diameter in a spherical nozzle. The power of the burner depends on its size. For example, a boiler with a thermal power of 10-15 kW requires a burning torch obtained by operating a burner with one hole with a diameter of 0.2-0.25 mm. To obtain more power, there is no need to expand the hole - this will lead to larger droplets. It is better to make 2-4 holes with a diameter of 0.1-0.3 mm with a distance between them of 8-10 mm, otherwise the torches will be mutually extinguished. Fuel consumption can be calculated as follows: through one hole of 0.25 mm, 2 liters of waste are sprayed per hour.
Video about how you can make small diameter holes in a metal hemisphere:
- The tank is made of corrosion-resistant metal. A heating element is built into it with a thermostat set to turn off the heating element at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius.
- It is necessary to make a fuel sump from the same material, equipped with a pipe with an overflow. Through this pipe, oil from the sump will flow back into the tank. To drain dirt from the sump, you can provide a plug in its bottom.
- Assemble the burner body: connect the nozzle from the squeegee to the 2-inch cross in the front part, then adapters: from the top for oil supply, from the back side for air. From below, a 2/1-inch adapter and a squeegee are connected to the crosspiece, through which excess oil will drain into the sump. The adapters are made of plugs with drilled holes into which the fuel and air channel tubes are inserted.
The housing can also be made from a tee, in which the air duct is inserted into the upper part, having previously drilled a hole of the required diameter.
- The fuel path is made of a copper tube, one end of which is wound around the nozzle three times, and then led through a plug adapter into the housing at the top. The fuel pipe is connected to the pump, a coarse strainer is installed and the other end of the pipe is inserted into the tank. The fuel path can be equipped with a valve. The pump is connected to an electric motor operating from a 220 V network.
- An air duct made of a metal tube is attached at one end to a hemisphere with a hole, having previously installed a plug adapter at the required distance. The hemisphere should be positioned so that the oil from the fuel tube evenly flows onto the rounded part of the nozzle, and then into the lower part of the housing and into the sump. The other part of the air duct is connected to a compressor, which is also connected to a 220 V network.
- Since the installation will have as many as three consumers of electricity, which are not turned on simultaneously, it is advisable to equip the burner with a control panel: install a separate toggle switch or button to turn on the heating element and a separate toggle switch to turn on the compressor and pump. If desired, you can equip the remote control with a light signaling system made of diode lamps.
- You can equip the burner with a controller that automatically turns on the units in accordance with the selected mode. Electric ignition is realized using spark plugs, and to extinguish the burner it is enough to turn off the oil supply.
Video - burner assembly diagram:
Preparing fuel for the burner
Almost any waste oil can be used in a Babington burner. Automotive waste with a large number of foreign inclusions is filtered before being poured into the tank through a mesh and mixed with cleaner oil. Oils with a small amount of impurities can be poured without preparation.
When using edible vegetable oils, such as deep frying, it is recommended to let it sit for several hours and carefully drain off the residue. These oils are sufficiently fluid at normal temperatures, so they can be heated in the tank only when the burner is started. When using fuel oil and other thick materials, they must be heated to a temperature of 70 to 90 degrees, otherwise the pump will work with overload.
Security measures
- A burner using oils and other GSPs can be dangerous if installed and operated incorrectly. To avoid a fire, a number of measures must be observed:
- floors and walls made of flammable materials are sheathed with metal or asbestos sheets;
- fuel reserves are stored at a safe distance;
- oil leaks must be removed in a timely manner;
- electrical elements of the installation must be carefully insulated to avoid sparking in the oil spray area;
- The burner must be placed out of reach of air currents and drafts.
The Babington burner, unlike a blowtorch converted for working in mining, is a reliable and durable unit that does not require complex maintenance. It is enough to periodically clean the fuel system, tank and sump, blow out the air duct in idle mode, and also monitor the serviceability of the compressor and oil pump. A working burner is a reliable and economical unit with a long service life.
Heating of premises using autonomous heating systems is widespread.
Various types of equipment are used for this.
The main requirements for heating are reliability, uninterrupted operation and low cost, so it is very important to choose the right type of fuel to burn.
There are four main types of fuel: solid, liquid, gaseous and electric. Each of these types is further subdivided into several types. The choice of fuel depends in part on the area.
In some areas there is an excess of waste from some kind of production. For example, a lot of wood chips and sawdust remain from the timber or woodworking industries - they can be burned in solid fuel boilers. From workshops using many mechanisms, waste oil remains; it cannot be reused for its intended purpose, but it can be burned and the generated heat can be used to heat the coolant.
A waste oil burner is a device for mixing oil with air and then burning it to release heat and heat the heating fluid.
Design of waste oil burners
The burner performs several functions: preparing and burning fuel.
Its design consists of several elements:
- fuel tank;
- fuel pump;
- fuel filter;
- burner (nozzle);
- compressor;
- connecting pipelines.
Operating principle of waste oil burners
Liquid fuel burners are also called nozzles. Their work is based on the injection principle. That is, a strong air flow is created through the nozzle and a vacuum is formed in the fuel supply pipeline, due to which oil enters the combustion chamber and mixes it with air.
The efficient combustion of any liquid fuel depends on the intensity of its atomization. And the spraying efficiency depends on the special design of the nozzle and the pressure of the compressed air.
Fuel preparation
Before entering the burner, the fuel is filtered in a fuel filter and preheated in a special chamber. This is necessary to reduce the viscosity of the oil. For burning waste, preheating is 80-900C. The fuel preheating temperature is controlled automatically.
Fuel supply
Fuel is pumped out of the tank by a fuel pump. It is collected from the surface of the flammable liquid surface. This is due to the fact that the waste may contain mechanical impurities or water, which settle at the bottom of the tank.
Combustion process
To maintain the combustion process, there must be a certain amount of oxygen in the combustion chamber. The air that is used to dilute and supply fuel is called primary air, and it supports the combustion process, but this is not enough.
An additional fan supplies secondary air. The intensity of the fan is regulated using a damper and participates in the operation of the automation system.
Ignition of fuel
To carry out automatic ignition of a liquid fuel boiler, an ignition transformer and electrodes are used. The fuel is mixed with a stream of air and sprayed into small droplets. After which it is fed into the combustion chamber and ignites under the influence of high temperature.
Types of used oil
There are various brands of oils used in one or another industrial or domestic sphere of human life. Used oil has its own characteristics (viscosity, level of contamination and water content, presence of additives), so it can be divided into several groups, depending on the area of application.
Lubricating oils:
- aviation oil;
- motor oil for internal combustion engines;
- automotive;
- diesel industrial.
Non-lubricating oils:
- technological;
- electrical insulating;
- condenser;
- transformer;
- liquid;
- cable
Types of waste oil burners
The operating principle of traditional liquid fuel burners is almost the same; they differ only in design features, level of automation, power and efficiency.
There are modified types of burners:
- burners with preliminary fuel gasification;
- evaporative burners.
All burners can be divided by operating mode:
- single-stage burners can only operate in one mode;
- two-stage ones are capable of operating at 40% of their power and at 100%, that is, they have 2 modes;
- modulating burners operate in a wide power range: from 10 to 100%.
Main characteristics for waste oil burners
To choose a suitable burner, you need to know its technical characteristics:
- thermal power (kW);
- air flow (m3./hour);
- air pressure (bar);
- fuel consumption (kg/h);
- electric power (V.);
- dimensions and weight.
Waste oil burner brands
Hiton waste oil burners. Series “HB”
| Model | Thermal power, kW | Air consumption, m 3 /hour | Air pressure, bar |
Waste oil consumption, kg/hour |
Electric power, kW |
Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | Weight, kg |
| HB 65 | 24-70 | 8.5 | 0.5-0.65 | 2.0-6.9 | 1.28 | 560x400x560 | 20 |
| HB 100 | 24-100 | 11.5 | 0.6-0.8 | 2.0-8.6 | 1.28 | 560x400x560 | 22 |
| HB 150 | 24-150 | 23 | 0.4-0.8 | 2.0-12.0 | 1.35 | 560x400x560 | 22 |
Waste oil burners EURONORD Ecologic
| Model | Nominal thermal power, kW |
Consumption air, m 3 /hour |
Pressure air, bar |
Consumption oils, kg/hour |
Consumption power, kWt (eg/frequency) V/Hz |
Dimensions (LxWxH), mm |
Weight, kg |
| EcoLogic 60 | 30–59 | 5 | 0,15 | 3,65–5 | 0,68 (220/50) | 760x515x318 | 36 |
| EcoLogic 120 | 55–118 | 9,5 | 0,18 | 6,03–10 | 0,88 (220/50) | 760x515x318 | 37 |
| EcoLogic 180 | 80–177 | 20 | 0,2 | 7,14–15 | 1,60 (220/50) | 840x610x420 | 45 |
| EcoLogic 240 | 170–236 | 30 | 0,2 | 11,9–20 | 1,60 (220/50) | 840x610x420 | 45,5 |
Waste oil burners NORTEC WB
| Model | Thermal power, kW |
Consumption air, m3/hour |
Pressure air, bar |
Consumption oils, kg/hour |
Consumption power, kW |
Dimensions (LxWxH), mm |
Weight, kg |
| NORTEC WB40 | 15-40 | 4 | 1,5 | 1,5-3,9 | 0,68 (220/50) | 440x350x300 | 8,7 |
| NORTEC WB60 | 30-59 | 5 | 1,5 | 3,65-6 | 0,68 (220/50) | 530x450x300 | 17,2 |
| NORTEC WB120 | 55-130 | 9,5 | 1,8 | 6,03-13 | 0,88 (220/50) | 530x450x300 | 17,5 |
| NORTEC WB170 | 130-170 | 10 | 2,0 | 14-16,9 | 1,60 (220/50) | 530x450x300 | 18 |
| NORTEC WB230 | 165-230 | 12 | 2,2 | 14-23 | 1,60 (220/50) | 700x500x400 | 25 |
| NORTEC WB270 | 220-270 | 15 | 2,5 | 19-27 | 1,60 (220/50) | 700x500x400 | 25,5 |
| NORTEC WB350 | 270-350 | 20 | 3,0 | 26-35 | 2,30 (220/50) | 700x620x400 | 27 |
| NORTEC WB550 | 320-550 | 25 | 3,0 | 32-55 | 2,30 (220/50) | 880x620x400 | 30,5 |
| NORTEC WB650 | 250-350(1) 550-700(2) |
35 | 3,0-6,0 | 25-65 | 2,80(220/50) | 1100x710x510 | 55,5 |
Kroll waste oil burners. Series “KG/UB”
| Model | Thermal power, kW | Air consumption, m 3 /hour | Air pressure, bar |
Waste oil consumption, kg/hour |
Electric power, kW |
Dimensions (LxWxH), mm | Weight, kg |
| KG/UB 20 | 25-33 | 4.8 | 0.5 | 2.1-2.83 | 1.21 | 560x400x560 | 15 |
| KG/UB 55 | 43-64 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 3.65-5.41 | 1.21 | 560x400x560 | 15 |
| KG/UB 70 | 60-99 | 4.8 | 0.65 | 5.08-8.37 | 1.21 | 560x400x560 | 16 |
| KG/UB 100 | 71-120 | 4.8 | 0.8 | 6.03-10.18 | 1.21 | 560x400x560 | 16 |
| KG/UB 150 | 84-150 | 9 | 1 | 7.14-12.14 | 1.35 | 560x400x630 | 26 |
| KG/UB 200 | 130-201 | 9 | 1.1 | 10.98-16.97 | 1.35 | 560x400x630 | 26 |
| KG/UB 450 | 174-465 | – | 0.2-0.3 | 15-40 | 1.25 | 1120x730x365 | 71 |
| KG/UB 900 | 349-928 | – | 0.2-0.4 | 30-80 | 2.2 | 1252x860x455 | 85 |
| KG/UB 1300 | 465-1276 | – | 0.2-0.4 | 40-110 | 3 | 1520x920x600 | 133 |
Advantages and disadvantages of waste oil burners
Advantages:
- high level of automation;
- wide range of regulation;
- high efficiency;
- the possibility of recycling polluting production waste.
Flaws:
- high price;
- cumbersome design;
- the need for a fuel tank.
How to choose an oil burner for a boiler
After deciding to purchase heating equipment, many questions arise about the right choice. In order not to make a mistake, you need to decide on some questions in advance and make the necessary calculations:
- What liquid fuel will be burned. You need to find out what types of waste fuels are available in your area and compare their cost, availability and quality. If there is no single option, then you can purchase a universal burner that can burn many different types of fuel.
- The burner you purchase must match your boiler in size and technical specifications. To do this, you need to take measurements from the fasteners and compare the passport data of the boiler and burner.
- When choosing a burner, you need to check its equipment, because many models are sold without accessories - they are purchased separately.
- If the burner is designed to burn several types of fuel, then you need to inquire about the possibility of reconfiguring the equipment yourself.
- Selecting a burner based on functionality. In this matter, the choice is between a single-stage cheap model and a modulated road.
- Compare prices for the same products in different stores, as well as between similar equipment from different manufacturers.
- calculate fuel savings (liters per hour) when operating a modulating burner;
- multiply the price of 1 liter of fuel by the amount of fuel saved - this is the monetary savings from the operation of a modulating burner;
- determine the difference between the prices of the selected burners and divide the resulting number by the monetary savings - this is the number of hours in which the modulating burner will pay for itself.
Burning waste oil is a fairly efficient form of heating. In addition to obtaining cheap heat, one of the most environmentally harmful substances in the environment is recycled. By operating a home-made waste oil heating boiler, you can achieve a combination of business and pleasure.
Many craftsmen in their practice are faced with the need for new devices, such as a waste oil burner. For owners of auto repair shops and garages, this will replace the furnace for heating the premises, especially if there are decent reserves of used oil and other fuel. Burners, if you understand the principle of their operation, can also be adapted for mixed fuel.
During the cold season, not only residential but also auxiliary premises need heating. At the moment, devices using different types of fuel are used for heating, including waste or used technical oil. On the Russian market you can find devices that process different fuel bases, as well as having a narrow specialization. Based on the type of fuel burned, such devices are:
- gas;
- liquid fuel;
- combined.
The simplest and most economical device for heating a room is considered to be an exhaust burner. According to functionality, burners are divided into 3 subtypes:
- welding;
- lighting;
- heating.
The operating principle of these devices was borrowed from primitive kerosene gas back in the 50s. Quite quickly, the simplest burners became popular; they began to be purchased for heating country houses and garages. In those days, any fuel was inexpensive, but over time, zealous owners, inventors and innovators began to look for a replacement for gasoline, diesel fuel and kerosene. Fuel oil and waste oil were used, which are now used as full-fledged fuel. Today, the device is still relevant, and is also an excellent way to preserve the environment.
Important! In a room where any liquid fuel device will be used, be it a homemade gasoline burner, a testing device, or a DIY diesel fuel burner, there must be a fire extinguisher!
The design of a finished burner operating on waste oil
When purchasing gas burners and similar equipment, people are often interested in one or another element and its purpose in the overall design. For example, they want to know where the oil should flow from and where, how it ignites, and so on. When they think about how to make a burner at home, looking for a model for building a homemade analogue, even more questions arise. Most often people are interested in replacing injectors and oil containers with something suitable from available means.
Having at their disposal photos, diagrams and drawings of a waste oil burner, not every master will immediately get down to business. The main reason is the large number of specific details.
Note! It doesn’t matter what the device is made of, the principle of operation of all burners is approximately the same: filtered and heated oil is supplied from the main container and burned in the combustion chamber.
The multicomponent process consists of several stages, and the success of its operation will depend on the quality of the components of the drip burner using waste oil with your own hands:
- extraction and filtration of waste;
- pumping and heating of purified oil;
- combustion process to produce heat.
Filtration as the start of burner operation during production
Enterprises that produce finished devices operating on liquid fuel or waste are equipped with additional options that purify the oil. These are the so-called intake floats, which take the purest portion of the substance from the surface for heating. This principle of waste collection is currently inherent in the vast majority of manufactured products belonging to this category.
Next, through a hose made of material resistant to aggressive environments, used oil is supplied in portions. The tube is usually immersed approximately to the middle of the main container, so the solid suspension remains at the bottom, and a cleaner layer is used for heating and processing. At this stage, it is possible to filter the fuel quite efficiently without additional effort. Dirty impurities, sand and other insoluble components remain at the bottom.
Important! The duration of operation of a do-it-yourself waste oil burner nozzle largely depends on the purity of the fuel. Therefore, it is worth taking care of at least a rough cleaning of the oil fraction supplied to the firebox.
As you know, filters can be single-use or reusable. Sifting of coarse particles can be done through several layers or filter elements, like the ready-made heating pads from Smart Burner. The traditional equipment of different products is approximately the same: ready-made devices are rarely produced without a filter or elements replacing it.
A small transfer pump is a standard design part responsible for the uninterrupted flow of oil. If you organize the supply for a stationary unit according to the principle of communicating vessels, then in a homemade burner it can flow to the nozzle by gravity.
Warming up used oil before burning it
An equally important stage in preparing the device for operation is heating the used oil before complete combustion to release heat. When heated, the oil becomes more liquid and plastic, resulting in an optimal consistency that burns well.
A preheating tank or heating coil is needed for any do-it-yourself waste oil burner - the drawings show an intermediate location. Usually this is a separate chamber or capsule of small volume, hidden in the middle of the body. The purpose is to warm up the fuel as efficiently as possible before the combustion process. Finished products most often have a temperature relay that monitors the heating level. As a rule, they operate in an operating range of 0-150 °C.
Attention! Burners adapted for combined suspensions usually have a container for heating. Diesel fuel in homemade diesel burners does not require heating.
Manufacturers decide differently how to organize this stage. The Gnome waste oil burner (and other similar models) has a small electric heating element inside the container, which is responsible for heating the waste oil to the required level. Just as in this case, each manufacturer decides in its own way the issue of oil supply. Often float switches and pumps are responsible for the level of its supply. The system switches off automatically when the preheating tank is full.
Compressed air supply for waste oil recycling
Compressed air is required to prepare the oil mixture for combustion by atomizing it. This transport is directed to the nozzle, which is carried out under pressure. Due to the supply of oxygen through a separate channel, it ensures the combustion process in any device, including a DIY Babington burner using waste oil. Although the device was initially patented as running on diesel fuel, it was also adapted to run on technical oil.
Successful air supply requires a mini-compressor built into ready-made liquid fuel devices. It can be transported in other ways, for example, using the pneumatic principle. If there is no compressed air, the nozzle may not work correctly.
Helpful advice! A small pressure gauge helps monitor the operating pressure, thereby maintaining the parameters necessary for the full operation of the entire device.
Air flow regulation is provided by a special solenoid valve on the housing. Expensive equipment also includes air filters to purify the air. They will be useful in dusty mini-workshops, boiler rooms or other rooms where the air taken for the combustion process has many impurities. To operate a burner nozzle using waste oil yourself, you need an adjustable secondary air supply. The following burner parts are responsible for the synchronous operation of all components:
- nozzle (nozzle);
- fuel compartment;
- heating tank;
- air supply valve;
- oil supply regulator;
- a pressure gauge for checking pressure (there may not be one);
- blower (fan).
In finished devices, ignition is provided by electrodes. Compressed air is supplied through the air channel, from where it enters the nozzle. After heating, the used oil also goes there. If the nozzle is clean, it produces high-quality ignition of the fuel, which implies the appearance of an even, continuous flame.
What is Babington's famous invention?
Every invention has its own author, even if his name is undeservedly forgotten by his descendants. For example, in 1969, British inventor Robert Babington received a patent for a stove running on diesel fuel, which was reminiscent of lighting kerosene gas operating on kerosene vapor. Robert Babington's design was originally designed for kerosene, then it was adapted for diesel fuel. When the number of cars increased disproportionately, the used oil had to be disposed of somehow. Therefore, innovators were looking for devices suitable for these purposes.
First, based on the patented invention of R. Babington, a do-it-yourself diesel burner appeared, then it was adapted for burning oil and other types of fuel. The testing device appeared much later than the diesel design, but it surpassed its predecessor in popularity and safety.
After some time, a similar device was proposed again, since the first patent had expired, and the liquid fuel stove had not lost its relevance. Similar devices were repeated in different versions, and not only self-taught craftsmen, but also design bureaus of reputable enterprises tried to assemble the Babington burner with their own hands.
By design, the burner is a simple device, so it can be successfully manufactured at home. It is characterized by fairly high efficiency in terms of obtaining the heat necessary for heating:
- technological installations;
- small workshops;
- workshops;
- garages;
- warehouse and utility rooms.
Helpful advice! You should not adapt a homemade burner with your own hands for heating your home, since burnt oil has a specific smell.
Do-it-yourself burner: operating principle
If you look at photos, pictures and drawings, it becomes obvious that the secondary oil forms a thin film on a curved surface. Through a groove, gas or air is supplied into the container under low pressure. After heating, the oil is atomized by this air flow, ensuring high-quality ignition.
It was this method of ignition that became the basis for inventions that have become widespread in homemade devices and drip burners using waste oil, produced in factories. Used oil is essentially free fuel, a used suspension. Therefore, it is considered more advantageous compared to other heat sources:
- solid fuel and briquettes for homemade;
- gasoline and diesel fuel;
- electricity;
- natural gas;
- kerosene;
- fuel oil.
Helpful advice! Although waste remains the cheapest basis for releasing heat during disposal through combustion, it is still recommended to prepare oil clogged with impurities - to allow the water to settle and filter it from heavy suspended matter.
The first devices using kerosene, diesel fuel and oil smoked heavily and emitted an unpleasant odor. Later they offered a do-it-yourself gasoline burner and devices using other combustible raw materials, but an active search was underway for budget fuel. Oil turned out to be a suitable source of heat, but the soot and smell negated all the benefits. Therefore, all the efforts of the inventors went into eliminating these disadvantages of the burner for waste oil boilers. This should have been facilitated by complete combustion, heating and filtration of contaminated fuel.
Related article:
Operating principle and features. Types of device. How to make it yourself. Manufacturers and popular models.
How to build your own apparatus based on the Babington burner principle: drawings
The principle of operation of a homemade burner, made based on the idea of Robert Babington, is clear from the drawings, where the components of the unit are visible:
- waste oil tank;
- waste tray;
- fuel supply pipe;
- a small fuel pump for supplying portions of oil;
- hemisphere for spraying with a small hole;
- heating chamber with heating element (may be missing).
Note! The testing nozzle is not a mandatory element for organizing the smooth combustion process. It can be successfully replaced by a nozzle - a small hole for supplying an air stream and fuel. To ensure that it does not become clogged, its serviceability must be monitored.
The used oil evaporates and flows down the hemisphere. These oily vapors are mixed with the air mass, resulting in a fuel mixture. The remaining oil that has not had time to be utilized flows into the pan, and from there through the tube back into the fuel tank.
This unit, based on Babington's patent, designed to burn liquid fuel, is quite simple. Therefore, it can be reproduced from scrap parts in a home workshop. Success depends on the exact compliance of the parts with their intended purpose and on the coordinated operation of all components. Therefore, before making a burner with your own hands, you should carefully calculate all the parameters.
Helpful advice! If you take one option as a basis, for example, the Gnome burner, using ready-made drawings and recommendations from craftsmen, it is difficult to make a mistake in the size and functionality of the parts.
Advantages and disadvantages of a do-it-yourself burner
Each technical device has a number of useful qualities and shortcomings. Obviously, this device has more pros than cons. The main advantage is the disposal of waste raw materials for the greatest benefit. Other advantages of oil and liquid fuel recycling equipment:
- burning waste helps preserve the environment;
- ease of operation and high energy efficiency;
- manufacturing of the device is possible under normal household conditions;
- obtaining heat at a minimum cost of raw materials;
- simple design manufacturing scheme, clear drawings;
- a homemade device can be made from available materials;
- use in workshops and enterprises where a lot of processed raw materials accumulate that require disposal;
- the small dimensions of the burner allow it to be moved if necessary;
- waste and the lowest-grade oil go into the furnace;
- device functionality;
- relative fire safety;
- reuse of used oil.
Flaws:
- It is not recommended for use in cottages and residential premises due to burning and odor;
- the need to equip the premises with a fire extinguisher;
- It is imperative to follow all recommendations for the manufacture of the burner;
- the nozzle or injector should be checked periodically (if the holes are clogged with solid particles);
- sensitivity of the nozzle or nozzle to contamination;
- additional power supply to the components of the device (pump, compressor).
How to make a burner with your own hands according to diagrams and drawings
The burners, based on the invention of Robert Babington, have undergone repeated refinement and modernization. Hence the discrepancies in different drawings, diagrams and illustrations. The chosen option needs careful study to eliminate design errors.
Helpful advice! You should not make an average version of the burner for recycling waste oil. It is better to use one proven device based on the proposal of an experienced innovator.
Hints and recommendations from other craftsmen may also be useful for making certain elements and components. The proposed explanations, which were taken from one of the specialized forums, concern the following details:
- a metal hemisphere (can be made from anything, including part of a brass door handle or a spherical nut);
- a steel threaded tee for connecting two-inch pipes (instead you can take a cross with the same parameters);
- a 10 mm copper tube is suitable for fuel supply;
- for the nozzle you need a metal pipe bend with an external thread (up to 200 mm);
- for air supply, a metal tube with a diameter of 10 mm, connected to the nozzle, is useful;
- It is better to connect the channels to the body using threaded fittings of a suitable size;
- The main supply of waste will be carried out by a small pump with a simple motor (from a motorcycle or car).
Helpful advice! It is recommended to use a compressor from a refrigerator. A small pressure (2-4 bar) will be enough for the nozzle to work effectively. Ignition is easily ensured by spark plugs from the car, standing at the nozzle.
The nozzle is a small hole, its size regulates the power of the homemade product according to R. Babington’s principle. Sometimes several small holes are made in the hemisphere, since one may become clogged or it will not be enough. There is information that 1 hole measuring 0.25 mm will provide a burner power of 10-15 kW, which depends on the quality of the combusted raw materials.
In a hemisphere with a finished hole, an air supply channel is attached through an inlet through a tee. The tightness is ensured by a threaded plug in which a groove for the tube is drilled. The tee should be soldered to the fitting where the oil supply tube is connected, which requires heating before disposal. To do this, you need to solder a heating element into the tank, preferably with a thermal relay. A tube with several turns will prepare waste oil for feeding into the nozzle.
In order for air to flow in, you additionally need to drill 2 grooves about 8 mm in size in the nozzle. First, a nozzle is attached to the tee, then a copper spiral tube is attached, after which it is attached to the fitting. Some of the oil will drain into the settling tank, which, for safety, is best directed to the side through a tube. Masters who know the secrets of electronics usually provide the device with a controller and a board for organizing ignition.
The burner is a universal design that can be adapted for other types of liquid fuel. Although such devices are on sale today, their high cost encourages home craftsmen to do something similar with their own hands. In terms of efficiency, home appliances for burning waste are not inferior to brand new products designed for heating mini-workshops, greenhouses, and small farms.
