Used-Oil Heaters Save the Day
These recycling units cut energy costs and reduce waste
By Tracy Charuhas

Reprinted with permission from Modern Car Care, the premier magazine of Car Care professionals.
For more information, visit www.moderncarcare.com.

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Quick lubes generate thousands of gallons of used oil each year, and disposal of the substance is no simple matter. Most operators hire hauling companies to get rid of the used oil. But as easy at it sounds, the operator can't relax when the hauler drives away with the oil. According to federal law, an operator is responsible for that used oil from the moment it is collected to the moment it is disposed of. If the oil is disposed of improperly or a spill occurs, the operator is held liable.

Enter the used-oil heater. It won't solve all of an operator's waste-oil problems, but it will help. Used-oil heaters use a fast lube's waste oil to generate heat for the building. Once the oil is burned, the only substance that remains is an ash that contains no hazardous materials and can be disposed of in a regular dumpster.

The EPA has fully endorsed the burning of used oils generated on site as a recognized method of recycling the oil into energy and has exempted the burners from hazardous-waste laws.

Morris Mantey, director of sales and marketing for Clean Burn in Leolo, Pa., says used-oil heaters require anywhere from 500 to 1,000 gallons of waste oil per year, depending on the type of heater being used. Most quick lubes generate much more than that so almost any operator can make use of a used-oil heater.

"I don't think there's a quick lube that would generate less than that," Mantey says. "So I would say almost every quick lube would be a viable customer for one of these heaters."

Bill Forbes, marketing manager for Lanair in Janesville, Wis., says the only factor that might prevent a quick lube operator from installing a used-oil heater is space.

"Some quick lubes are very small and have space requirements," Forbes says.

Ceiling-mounted units can solve some space problems. But if space isn't an issue, adding a used-oil heater can be a win-win situation for operators. Some advantages include:

• Lower heating bills
  
• Energy savings
  
• Slightly lower haul-off costs
  
• Increased employee comfort
  
• Protection of the environment.

Another advantage, Forbes says, is that used-oil heaters have a faster heat-recovery rate than gas units. This is an important advantage since quick-lube doors are opened and closed dozens of times a day. This not only saves on heating costs, but keeps employees more comfortable, Forbes says.

Used-oil heaters operate in a fairly simple fashion, says Ron Foskey, division manager for Memphis, Tenn.-based Reznor. Used oils are delivered to a burner that is designed specifically for their combustion. Primary combustion is accomplished in the combustion-chamber area with the resultant heat being passed into the heat-exchanger, Foskey says. Ambient shop air is brought into the heater and circulated over/through the heat exchanger area. The air picks up the heat and then the air is exhausted into the shop through vents on the heater or through attached ductwork. In addition to used motor oil, most used-oil heaters will accept crankcase oils, automatic transmission fluid, hydraulic oils, #1 fuel oil or diesel oil and gear oil, not to exceed 50 SAE, he adds.

The Choices

Used-oil-heater designs are similar from manufacturer to manufacturer with the exception of different configurations in the heat exchangers and in air movement, according to Foskey. Heaters vary in size from about 140,000 Btu input up the EPA-mandated cap of 500,000 Btu.

In addition to the requirement that used-oil heaters fire at a rate no higher than 500,000 Btu, the EPA requires that the oil to be burned is generated on site and has to be vented to ambient air, Mantey says.

There are two basic types of used-oil heaters: A unit heater that warms large areas but has no ducting capabilities; and a central furnace heater that that uses ductwork to transfer heat to different areas.

The prices for used-oil heaters can range anywhere from $2,500 to $9,000, depending on the model.

"The price difference is based on the size of the Btus," Mantey says. "A smaller size that only burns one gallon an hour would be in [the lower range] and the 500,000 Btu that burns three and a half gallons an hour would be higher."

While used-oil heaters are perfect for wintertime use, they don't serve much purpose in the summer. During warmer months, operators can store the used oil in the quick lube's storage tank and have the excess waste oil hauled away.

Maintenance

Maintaining a used-oil heater is important in keeping the unit functioning properly, Foskey says. Two or three times a season, operators should remove ash from the heat exchanger since its accumulation will eventually interfere with proper heat transfer. The frequency of the cleanings will depend on usage. In addition, Foskey says, an annual basic tune-up of the burner is required, including cleaning or replacement of the nozzle and electrodes. Oil filters also need to be cleaned and replaced as necessary.

Mantey suggests operators clean the fire box every 750 to 1,000 hours. That can be done with an industrial-type vacuum, he says.

Forbes recommends that operators check their used-oil supply to make sure no hazardous waste is mixed in with the oil. Substances such as anti-freeze will eat away at the heater's O-rings over a period of time. And burning substances like parts washer solvent in the heater could lead to trouble if an EPA inspector ever found out, he says. The best way to keep hazardous waste out of the heaters is to train employees to know what to look for when changing a car's oil, Forbes says.

Foskey says most operators he's spoken to say the employee time spent on maintaining the heaters is paid for several times over in energy savings.

Feedback

Most manufacturers say operators who purchase used-oil heaters will recover the cost of the heater within one or two years.

"Most operators are over-whelmed with the free-heat aspect because they generate such enormous amounts of used oil that they're glad to dispose of it," Mantey says.

In addition to saving money, Foskey says operators are pleased with the other benefits of used-oil heaters.

"Most of us are environmentally conscious," Foskey says. "Owners of used-oil heaters are proud of the fact that they are doing a good thing in recycling and keeping used-oil products off the street."

Mantey agrees.

"With ground pollution and everything else, operators really don't want to take the risk of spilling oil or having a transporter have an accident that could come back and haunt them," he says.