Saturday, October 11, 2008

Fueled by a desire for change

Dentist uses biofeuls to power family cars

Argen Duncan El Defensor Chieftain Reporter, aduncan@dchieftain.com

Free fuel?

Not quite, but a Socorro family has converted a vehicle to run on used cooking oil taken from local restaurants at no cost, and is in the process of doing the same to a second car. The engine conversion and oil purification take time, money and effort.

Socorro dentist C. Bonner Oates drives a fuel-guzzling 1997 Ford F-350 diesel. He learned of cars running on waste — or salvaged — vegetable oil on television and in laymen's science publications.

"And so as fuel prices went up, you get interested," Bonner said.

Another factor was the idea that buying petroleum gives money to people who are less than fond of Americans.

"But a lot of it's the Tim Allen thing," Bonner said.

Like the character Allen played on the TV comedy series "Home Improvement," Bonner wanted to tinker.

About 3-1/2 months ago, the Oates had Alvie Taylor Sr. and Alvie Taylor Jr. convert the Ford's engine using a kit from the Lovecraft Biofuels Web site, which Bonner's 25-year-old son, Will, told him about. The truck will now operate on waste vegetable oil, biodiesel or regular diesel, Bonner said.

"Driving it, there's no difference, except the aroma," Bonner said. "Diesel stinks and vegetable oil smells like a diner kitchen."

Vehicles use the same amount of vegetable oil as they do diesel. For the conversion, automobiles must be diesel-run and older models, Bonner said.

The Oates recently purchased a 1985 Mercedes Benz to convert as well.

With help from his 17-year-old son, Christopher, Bonner handles the vegetable oil. Restaurant owners were happy to give him the cooking oil instead of continuing to pay to have it removed. However, used cooking oil is messy.

Cooks just throw out the used oil, with bits of food still in it. If water winds up in the mix, the food rots and stinks — badly.

On top of it, someone who isn't careful with the oil will "end up wearing it home," Bonner said.

Once he gets the salvaged oil home, the dentist has to clean it. Advice on how to do so is contradictory and fragmented, he said.

After sitting for a week to settle, the top portion of the oil is clear. The bottom, however, is vile, Bonner said.

Bonner and Chris agree that filtering the waste out is the hardest part.

"There's a learning curve," Chris said.

The two must use a filter with openings no bigger than 5 microns, and 1 micron is better. A micron is one one-thousandth of a millimeter.

If the oil isn't clean enough, Bonner said, the waste would plug the fuel filter and, worse, possibly damage the fuel injectors.

The Oateses clean their oil with industrial fabric bag filters. They can use gravity and patience, or a pressure system.

"We're going to a pressure system," Bonner said. "We're running out of patience."

Once the oil is clean, the Oates must carefully put it in the truck, Chris said. Bonner wears a raincoat for the messy battle.

"But when I think about Osama bin Laden and the presidents of oil companies, it gives me a smile," Bonner said.

The dentist estimated that he spends two to three hours a week on the project, working only when he needs fuel.

Bonner's wife, Barbara, doesn't participate in the vegetable oil adventure. Still, she believes it's good for her husband and son, and appreciates that they recycle the oil.

"I think that people should be looking at this and other kinds of options," Barbara said.

Bonner said Americans can't "fry our way out of the fuel crisis," but every little bit helps.

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