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One-Tank System Conversion
Two-Tank System Conversion
Article on SVO as a Fuel
One-Tank System Conversion
This conversion is intended for running a mixture of vegetable oil and diesel. During the summer, this conversion can be used for mix ratios up to 80% vegetable oil and 20% diesel. During the winter, the mixture should be reduced to 50% vegetable oil and 50% diesel or less. (The mixture depends on the type of oil used, winter stability, and the outside temperature).
Winter Stability: Flow rating/viscosity in cold exterior temperatures.
The small Biodrive Conversion is comprised of a heat exchanger, vegetable oil cartridge filter made of stainless steel, and oil resistant hoses.
This conversion is designed for passenger vehicles, tractors, etc. where little room is available or an inexpensive alternative is desired. The small conversion is only intended for a mix of diesel and vegetable oil, not 100% vegetable oil, as starting performance of the motor would not be optimal (cold vegetable oil causes poor injector spray and increased stress on the injection pump in the long term).
Before implementing the small conversion, one should ensure that the motor's injectors are functioning flawlessly, especially all of the injector nozzles (opening and closing of the nozzles without leaking when sealed closed). This is especially important for older motors and higher mileage vehicles.
The small conversion does not require a second tank. The vegetable oil and diesel is mixed in the original tank. When refuelling, the lighter fuel, diesel, should always be filled in first with the heavier vegetable oil last. The vegetable oil will mix itself with the diesel as it slowly sinks to the bottom of the tank. The fuel is also constantly mixed when the vehicle is being driven.
The small conversion is also useful to use with biodiesel that is not very winter stable (ie. biodiesel made from palm oil or animal fats).
Maintenance Reccommendations:
Change your engine oil on a regular basis. Never drive more than 5,000km (or 500 hours) without changing your oil. It is important to regularly control and inspect for any change in oil level or vegetable oil smell. If there is a rise in the oil level due to vegetable oil contamination, then an oil change is necessary when the oil level either reaches the maximum fill line or you have driven about 5000km.
Installation/Function:
The original diesel filter is removed and replaced with the heat exchanger and vegetable oil filter. The heat exchanger is connected to the motor's coolant circuit, and must be supplied with a constant hot feed (that is, not connected to a regulated line such as the passenger heater core).
The vegetable oil/diesel mixture is drawn from the tank by the flow pump, where the fuel flows through the heat exchanger and is heated to about 50-70 degrees Celsius. The warm fuel then flows through the vegetable oil filter. By heating the fuel mixture, it ensures that the flow through the filter element does so with little resistance. (This is especially important during the colder months when vegetable oil becomes more viscous.)
The Biodrive vegetable oil filter is available in a heated and unheated version. The heated version has a built in 150 W resistive heater that is thermostatically regulated, wired from the ignition switch. The element heats the oil in the stainless steel filter, thereby allowing the oil to move through the filter effortlessly even with a cold motor. A wait-time of one minute before starting improves the flow of the vegetable oil through the filter. This allows for a higher percentage of vegetable oil to be used in colder temperatures. The filter heating automatically works with a given range of 30 and 50 degrees Celsius, turning on when under 30 degrees Celsius and turning off when over 50 degrees Celsius.
Copyright © by Biodrive AG - CH-5103 Möriken
Two-Tank System Conversion
The Two-Tanks system is intended for larger vehicles or ones that have more space for a secondary tank (either in the trunk or by the diesel tank for example). The two fuel installations are separated using solenoid or manual ball valves and can be switched over automatically by computer or manually by hand respectively. There are no alterations done to the engine and injectors. The oil temperature and fuel regulation are displayed on an optional microcomputer with LCD display and LED indication lights.
The two-tank conversion system allows the user to run a vehicle on any well-known vegetable or animal oils and fats. These biofuels are CO2-neutral, free of sulphur and poison and can act as a replacement for diesel.
Function:
The conversion is comprised of four main components:
1) Integrated control unit with solenoid valves under the vehicle motor hood and computer with LCD display for temperature control and operating elements OR manual hand valves
2) Heated filter
3) Heat exchanger connected to the coolant
4) Vegetable oil tank in the wheelwell or trunk
Maintenance Reccommendations:
Change your oil on a regular basis. Never drive more than 5,000km (or 500 hours) without changing your oil. It is important to regularly control and inspect for any change in oil level or vegetable oil smell. If there is a rise in the oil level due to vegetable oil contamination of motor oil, then an oil change is necessary when the oil level either reaches the maximum fill line or you have driven about 5000km.
Installation/Function:
The original diesel filter is removed and replaced with the heat exchanger and vegetable oil filter. The heat exchanger is connected to the motor's coolant circuit, and must be supplied with a constant hot feed (that is, not connected to a regulated line such as the passenger heater core).
The vegetable oil/diesel mixture is drawn from the tank by the flow pump, where the fuel flows through the heat exchanger and is heated to about 50-70 degrees Celsius. The warm fuel then flows through the vegetable oil filter. By heating the fuel mixture, it ensures that the flow through the filter element does so with little resistance. (This is especially important during the colder months when vegetable oil becomes more viscous.)
The Biodrive vegetable oil filter is available in a heated and unheated version. The heated version has a built in 150 W resistive heater that is thermostatically regulated, wired from the ignition switch. The element heats the oil in the stainless steel filter, thereby allowing the oil to move through the filter effortlessly even with a cold motor. The filter heating automatically works with a given range of 30 and 50 degrees Celsius, turning on when the under 30 degrees Celsius and turning off when over 50 degrees Celsius. As with the single tank conversion, a wait time of approximately one minute improves fuel flow, however it is imperative that the engine and injectors be at operating temperature before switching to 100% vegetable oil.
The vehicle is started with diesel and after a few minutes, the system automatically switches over to vegetable oil. If the user opts for manual controls, they may switch to the vegetable oil source once the engine/fuel components have reached operating temperature. One can drive as long as they want with vegetable oil. Before turning the engine off, the fuel must be switched back over to diesel in order to clean the injectors and flush the lines. The supply valve is switched first, followed by the return valve shortly after. This ensures that little vegetable oil is pushed back into the small diesel tank. The exact timing depends on the distance between valves and the fuel consumption rate of the engine, but is easily determined after initial installation. This keeps any oil from gelling in the lines and allows for easy start-up for the next use.
Every conventional diesel motor will run heated vegetable oil without difficulty. It is setting the proper oil temperature for the motor and regular preventative maintenance that is important. For this two-tank system installation no specialized knowledge or tools are required.
What fuels can I use to run with these conversions? The vehicles converted using Biodrive conversion kits can be run with diesel, bio-diesel, and all natural oils and fats. The most well-known of bio-fuels are pure rapeseed/canola oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil and sunflower seed oil. There are also many other oils well-suited for the use of fuel.
By producing your own vegetable oil or purchasing it in bulk, one can have vegetable oil cheaper than diesel. In the future, this price difference will increase; as is well know from our experience at the gas pumps.
(NB: Cold-pressed vegetable oil fuel quality is considered under DIN 51 605).
For more tips on SVO fuel sources, see the links section under "SVO Research Papers"
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