A local rancher has a contract with a cottonseed oil mill for oil that he uses as a suppliment in cow feed. In the summer he has one tractor with a second tank that he can switch over to the cottonseed oil, then back to diesel prior to shutdown. Says it works fine, two summers and no problems.

I know the plant manager and may be able to buy oil for $1.00 a gallon. So what would you do, filter the oil and burn it using a second tank like the rancher does with his tractor, or use it to make biodiesel.

I've read reports in the past with long term results of various oils, but can't recall how straight cottonseed oil worked out.

Only problem with the bio approach is I could see the price per gallon approaching 1.70 or so per gallon. Not that much of a savings when you factor in the time required. On the other hand, I don't like the idea of coked injectors or any of the other problems svo can bring about.

Thanks, RR

 

As long as your oil is heated you shouldn't have any coking problems. The key is having a well designed system that will supply sufficiently heated oil in all weather conditions. Check out the infopop biodiesel (they have an entire forum devoted to SVO use) forums for more info. I distinctly remember seeing cottonseed oil mentioned on there.

 

Cottonseed oil will work fine either way.
Reason cottonseed isn't used much for fuel is that historically it's price has been too high. Cottonseed oil prices have been depressed compared to other oil feedstocks for the past five years but this may not last.