Soybean Oil Blend Works Well As Fuel For Home Furnaces.

Byline: Staff Writers

West Lafayette IN (SPX) Sep 23, 2009, 2009 A blend of degummed soybean oil and No. 2 fuel oil can be used as an alternative heating fuel and reduce sulfur emissions, according to a Purdue University scientist.

Klein Ileleji, an assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, tested blends of 20 percent, 50 percent and 100 percent degummed soybean oil - an unrefined and cheaper product to produce than soy methyl esters, commonly known as biodiesel - and found that the 20 percent blend didn't degrade a home furnace's parts or heat output.

The only issue found with the 20 percent blend was a slight early degradation of the …