How to Make Biodiesel With a Commercial Kit

[n2doc]

By John Decker
Photographs by Zach Desart
Published in the October 2009 issue.


“Make your own diesel for 70 cents a gallon,” the Internet ad claimed. I was tired of paying for 30 gallons of regular diesel each week to fill my pickup, so I downloaded the instructions. It wasn’t long before I was sucking used fry oil out of tanks behind a restaurant, and mixing it with lye and methanol in a 5-gallon bottle before pouring it into an old water heater.

Two hours later, I opened the valve at the bottom of the heater and black goo oozed from the hose, a biodegradable substance called glycerin. Before long the glycerin drained and gave way to a thin, clear, amber liquid: I had my first batch of biodiesel.

I made that first batch of fuel five years ago. If you factor in all the time I spent making the homebuilt biodiesel processor (a converted electric water heater) and experimenting with the design (some batches went, umm, less than perfectly—I had to replace two injection pumps on my truck), my experience with DIY fuels was often a frustrating and, occasionally, very expensive process.

Since then, the biodiesel industry and the technology have evolved. With the professionally engineered biodiesel systems available today, the process is simpler, safer, takes less time and yields more consistent results. So I decided to try one of the commercially available processors—it came boxed with all of the equipment and reagents needed to turn out consistent, high-quality biodiesel fuel. The FuelMeister processor used here has five fewer valves than the eight in my old homemade one. It also mixes the lye and methanol inside the tank to prevent the chance of dangerous spills.

more:
http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4332200.html

[Craftsman]

1. Only one problem with this, if you know wha tyou are doing

Some state Come after you for taxes. Ca does.

[eppur_se_muova]

2. "biodegradable substance called glycerin" is not an excuse for dumping glycerin in wastewater.

Unfortuantely, a lot of DIYers are doing this, and it's killing rivers.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=150043&mesg_id=150043

Alternative: convert glycerin to CO2 + H2 in a catalytic steam reformer:

"In addition to biodiesel, InnovaTek has also used its technology to produce hydrogen from glycerol (a byproduct of biodiesel production), " http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=115&topic_id=48526&mesg_id=48526