Biodiesel

Fuel produced by conversion of trygliceride oils to alchohol based oils/fuel. The process of tryglycerification requires the removal/fracturing of the glyceride backbone molecule on a fat, and replacing it with Methynol (Methyl Ether) or Ethanol. Methynol is cheaper, faster and produces more stable/reliable fuel. Use of used waste vegetable oil (WVO) or new oil with low free fatty acid (FFA) content is possible. The more an oil is used, as well as being used for animal fats produces more free fatty acids in the oil supply. Generally older used vegetable oil requires more basic catalyst (Caustic Soda, NaOH) to help neutralize the free fatty acids.

The manufacture of biodiesel can cost you as little as 2-3 hours a week (making 20-50 gallons or more) in your spare time. It can be viewed as a hobby that saves you LOADS of money. When streamlined the time to process is less. The majority of your time will be ramping up in learning the process, finding sources for FREE WVO (your local McDs or such) that is mostly used for vegetable cooking (french fries). The process is simple once you have found the source for the pelletized base, 100% dry lye. Often called caustic soda this material is technically Sodium Hydroxide, or NaOH. I aquired a source from a Denver Supply company, thru a local janitorial service, for both the NaOH and the Methanol. I told them what I was doing, making soap and biodegradable biodiesel, and the local compamy provided me with the distributors number to help avoid costs. Refusing to sell direct the quantities I wanted, I ordered a 55 gallon drum of Methanol and 50 lbs of NaOH. The items arrived 3 days later, with a fancy 24 USD surcharge for the cost of delivery and 20 USD for the barrel 'loan'. I'm going to keep the clean Methanol barrel for use in my 2 barrel mixing setup.

NOTE: All this said, take EXTRODINARY precausions when handling NaOH, and Methanol. NaOH is hydroscopic, sucks water out of air readily, in seconds. So, on a dry day, open the pelletized bag in a dark dry room using breathing masks, chemical retarding gloves, long sleeves, and pants and if you have them rubber boots, and eye protection! This stuff if fairly pH basic, and must be considered caustic (thus the name). Methal Ester is EXTREMELY flammable in its pure state, and thus must be treated with GREAT care. No smoking, use same saftey above. Have a running water source ready at all times, and vinegar on hand to help neutralize and contact with skin or spills. Bottomline, read up on this stuff, get the Material Data Saftey Sheet (MSDS) on both items. When you mix the compounds in the prescribed proportions for your application, you generate a very stong base called Sodium Methoxide, or CH3NaO. This stuff will kill the nerve cells ability to 'feel' before you have any idea that the damage is done, thus it is VERY dangerous and should be handled with GREAT care and for the shortest amount of time. Atmospheric exposure of any of these products, the two ingredients and the product of their mixing should be very limited by your planning and careful handling.

Finding out the proper mixture/amount of Methanol to Caustic Soda (the catalyst) requires titration of the WVO. Titration can be avoided with new oil sources. When you titrate, you are taking the pH (basic, neutral or acidic) measurements of the oil source. In new oil, there are few if any free fatty acids and thus a close to neutral 7 pH value. For used oils, the pH will often be around 8 or 9, and seldom higher. Resturaunts like McDs daily take readings of the pH of their fryer oils, and when the FFA volume in that batch of fryer oil causes the pH to reach more than 8 pH, the filter the oil from the fryer in a basic basket type paper filter (to remove the visible particulates), and then move it to a recycling/reclaimation barrel just for fryer oil, or to a general 'hazmat' type barrel setup where they dump grill 'shmegma' like animal fats and meet solids, along with the fryer oil. You want ONLY THE FRYER OIL, so some education to the owners or management may be needed. Do this gracefully and willingly to take the fryer oil filtered, at no cost. They will agree if you provide a well marked barrel, with lid/top for just your new oil source.

All that said, mixing is simple, start with SMALL batches until you get up to speed on titration and the importance of it for good batches is HIGHLY recommended. (note, see my article on making biodiesel).

Related Links

http://www.greatvistachemicals.com/pharmaceutical_intermediates/sodium_m...