I am presently repairing a piece of heated process plant. The heat is distributed within the plant by the circulation of a heated oil. I assume this oil is a special type ie. good heat conductive properties, non-falamable etc. but I haven't a clue as regards the details of such an oil.

Matt Holzer, September 2009

{To the people not capable of working with catastrophic potentialities. Don't try this at home.}

Just looking for the same information about the oil in heaters. So I removed the heater element (exactly the same type as a small hot water tank heater element ) from a nonfunctional heater and put a small drop of the oil on a stick match, lit the match and the oil burned like any light petroleum oil. It has the viscosity of sewing machine oil or a bit less. But its flammable!

Would mineral oil or other commonly attainable oil not know for it flammability work. I may experiment (in a explosion proof environment [which I don't have yet]) and let you know.

EFC

nedwired, October 2009