INTRODUCTION
Welcome to our Getting Started page! We've packed this page with everything you'll need to know from A to Z to
get you started making Biodiesel. When you make your own fuel, you not only get the benefits of
running biodiesel, but you get the savings benefits of making it yourself.
In many cases, when produced from oil obtained for free,
Biodiesel really can be produced for under $1.00 a gallon.
This page will give you the basics of what it takes to make Biodiesel as well as give you some
great resources for getting started.
Soon, you could be making fuel for next to nothing and enjoying the great benefits of producing
and using your own fuel. So, let's get started!
To make things easy, we've grouped the page into the sections listed below. As you read through the page, you'll see
links that say BACK TO TOP. If you click on them, it'll bring you back to the top of the page allowing you to jump quickly
from section to section.
Be Sure To Also Check Out Our Tutorial Videos!
Also, after you've read through this article, be sure to visit our
Biodiesel Tutorial Page to learn more about Biodiesel and how to make it.
WHAT IS BIODIESEL To begin, let's first talk about what Biodiesel is:
Biodiesel is a replacement for diesel fuel that can be used in most diesel engines. It has properties that allow it to burn and
perform similar to diesel fuel making it an ideal replacement to petroleum based diesel fuel.
Biodiesel can be made from plant oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, and others or from animal fats
such as beef or chicken tallow or pork lard. It can also be made from used fryer oil that's discarded by restaurants as
a waste product; which is what we'll be focusing on. So, yes, that really means you can make fuel out of what restaurants
consider to be garbage! I tend to think of it as liquid gold...and soon you may think the same as well!
Because Biodiesel can be used as a direct replacement for diesel fuel in most diesel powered vehicles, this means that you can
make Biodiesel yourself at a fraction of the cost per gallon of what you would normally pay for diesel fuel! In fact, in most
cases people are producing their own Biodiesel for less than a $1.50 per gallon! Not bad eh? Learn More About What Biodiesel Is Here
STEP 1 - FINDING AN OIL SOURCE | BACK TO TOP Before you do anything else you need to secure a good source of oil.
This is by far the most important thing you can do before attempting to make Biodiesel!
Several people have asked if it's possible to make Biodiesel from new oil. The answer is yes. The problem is that new oil has
risen in price quite a bit in the past couple years; so much so that it typically
doesn't make economical sense for a small home brewer to use it as a raw feedstock to make Biodiesel out of.
For example, new Soybean oil runs about $3.65 a gallon. Add on top of that $0.85 to $1.25 a gallon
production cost and you can see that it just doesn't make sense for most people wanting to produce
their own Biodiesel to use new oil to make it from.
To see what the going rate for "New Organic Oil" is,
visit The USDA National Weekly Ag Energy Round-Up page.
They publish weekly commodity prices for new & used organic oils. You can see pricing for Soybean, Corn, and Edible Tallow Oils as
well as pricing for Yellow Grease (waste vegetable oil) and a few other fuel related commodity prices. Because most of their pricing is in pounds,
a handy tip is to use 7.56 lbs of oil to a gallon to figure out the cost per gallon.
For most people, the best option to make their own Biodiesel is to use waste vegetable oil (WVO). One problem with this scenario
is figuring out where to get the oil from. In most cases, it will mean getting it from a restaurant or from someone that can sell
waste oil that's been prefiltered. We recommend that it be filtered down to at least 400 microns or smaller
(microns is a size rating typically used on filters, the smaller the number the finer the filter).
If you're investigating purchasing waste oil, ensure that it's been filtered and dewatered. You'll also want to test it for
something called it's "Free Fatty Acid Level" (FFA %). We explain how to do this a little later in the article.
By knowing the FFA %, you can get an idea of how difficult it will be to use the oil to make Biodiesel out of.
The most common place people get waste vegetable oil is from local restaurants in the communities where they live.
This is because several restaurants use grease fryers to cook the food they sell. Over time the grease
deteriorates and has to be replaced. Higher quality restaurants tend to change their oil fryers
on a fairly frequent basis while fast food restaurants may let it go a little longer.
I recommend finding a restaurant that changes their fryer oil at least once a week or more often.
The more they change the oil, the better quality the waste oil will be which will translate into more biodiesel
for you.
Another tip you'll want to look for is oil that is made from pure vegetable oil instead of animal fat,
lard, or tallows. While fats and tallows can be made into biodiesel, the gel point of these oils is much higher
than vegetable based oils. Because the gel point is so high, biodiesel made from such oils will often gel
at a much higher temperature causing filter clogging problems. Look for Soy Bean, Canola, Peanut, Corn, or other
vegetable oils in the ingredients and you'll be set. If you're unsure about what the oil is made from, just ask to
see the original container that the oil came in. It'll be printed on the label.
For more information on the gel points of different oils, check out these handy reference materials: NREL Pamphlet - Pamphlet on different gel points of Biodiesel. Based on the guide below NREL Biodiesel Handling & Use Guidelines Incredible resource containing information on biodiesel
Once you've identified your oil source, you'll need to figure out how to transport it back to your processing area.
A truck, some barrels, and a pump always come in handy.
How We Collect Oil
Here at Utah Biodiesel Supply we collect so much oil that we needed to upgrade to something a little more "industrial-grade"
to make collecting quicker and easier. To do this, we bought a lift-gate, threw it on the back of a pickup, and now we collect oil by swapping out
full barrels of oil for empty ones. We seal the barrels with barrel rings and try to collect them when they're about half-full.
One day I took a camera along so we could show everyone how we do it. You can check it out here.
Click here to see how we collect oil
STEP 2 - TESTING THE OIL | BACK TO TOP
Before committing to take on an oil source, it's important to know the quality of the oil you'll be using to make Biodiesel.
Like making a good meal, it's important to start with good ingredients. Making Biodiesel is really no different. So, what makes oil
"Good" or "Bad"? Two main factors really. A How WET the oil is and B How ACIDIC the oil is.
Find really wet, highly acidic oil and your life with Biodiesel isn't going to be fun.
Find dry, fairly low acidic oil, and making Biodiesel becomes much easier and fun to produce!
Testing Oil For Water:
Below we've compiled some links to articles that will show you how to test for water content.
Test #3Using a Water Test Kit
Another way to measure for water content is with an industrial water test kit. We carry one that has been extremely popular with homebrewers and
with professional Biodiesel producers.
It was invented by Mobil 1 to detect water in hydraulic fluid. It's extremely accurate and works well for detecting water in oil and in biodiesel.
The method used to measure the acid content in the oil is called a Titration.
It's performed by taking a sample of oil, adding it to some pH neutral alcohol, typically isopropyl alcohol, adding a pH indicator to
the mixture and then slowly adding measured amounts of a solution of water with a small amount of the base chemical
that you'll be using to produce your Biodiesel with.
Once the basic solution neutralizes the acid in the oil, the pH will go higher (low pH = acidic solution, high pH = basic solution),
indicating that it's been neutralized. The pH indicator will then turn a different color to let you know that you've neutralized the acid.
There are several types of pH indicators that can be used to do a Biodiesel titration, but the most common is
Phenolphthalein. Phenol Red and Turmeric can also be used as well.
STEP 3 - FILTERING THE OIL | BACK TO TOP
Before you can react the oil into Biodiesel, it's important that it be filtered to remove any food particles or other contaminants.
There are several ways to filter oil, but one of the easiest methods is to
obtain an open top 55 gallon drum and use a 55 gallon poly or metal drum filter.
We've found these to be extremely effective and very simple to use.
Most filters will come with a micron rating on them.
The micron rating indicates the size of the holes in the filter. The smaller
the number, the smaller the holes will be in the filter. We find that 400 micron works best for the equipment we use. We stock several micron sizes
to match the equipment you'll be using. Click here to see our poly drum filters. Click here to see our stainless steel drum filters.
Click below to see how we filter our oil at Utah Biodiesel Supply How We Filter Oil
STEP 4 - MAKING A TEST BATCH | BACK TO TOP
One of the best ways to get started with Biodiesel is by making a small test batch of Biodiesel.
It's extremely simple and you can get almost everything you'll need at a local grocery store to make it with.
Click on the video below to see how to make a quick test batch.
Below are two great sites that walk you through making a test batch step by step: Kitchen-Biodiesel.com Great website with excellent visuals to get you started. Collaborative Tutorial Great article that details making a test batch
STEP 5 - OBTAINING PRODUCTION EQUIPMENT | BACK TO TOP
Like all good hobbies, doing them right requires getting the proper equipment. Making biodiesel is no different.
With the proper equipment, biodiesel is much easier to produce. Below is a list of the things I believe
any serious biodieseler should obtain before getting started.
Completely Automated Processors
These processors can dewater, process, wash, and dry biodiesel all at the push of a button. This is what we personally make Biodiesel in
at Utah Biodiesel Supply and we've loved them! I tell folks that you'd have to drag me kicking & screaming to make me make Biodiesel any
other way. We've just been incredibly impressed with them & love using them! We started making Biodiesel years ago in a 55 gallon drum with
a paint stirrer. We then moved up to a water heater based processor, and then one day we found these & have never looked back! They're THAT cool!
Plans & Kits
We carry a set of plans as well as a kit for building such a wash tank out of a 55 gallon poly drum. It's
based on something called a Standpipe Wash Tank as seen on the
Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial site.
We're convinced that poly tanks are the best for storing relatively small amounts of Biodiesel (less than 200 gallons)
for long periods of time. This is because Biodiesel contains a small amount of water in it regardless
of how dry you get it and over time it can rust the inside of a 55 gallon metal drum causing fuel quality problems. A poly drum on the other hand
will keep the biodiesel in great shape. Just be sure to fill the drums up all the way and properly seal them and you should be
able to easily store the Biodiesel for up to 6 months with no problems.
Some have gone even longer than that without a problem but if you are planning on selling the fuel the
NREL Biodiesel Use & Handling Guidelines call for storing it no longer than 6 months.
This is because Biodiesel is an organic substance and therefore is subject to oxidation which can break it down.
Over time the oxidation can cause the Biodiesel to become somewhat acidic.
Oil Collection & Transfer Pump
Can be used to transfer waste oil, filtered oil, and to fill the processor with oil.
Barrel, Electric, Pneumatic, or Trash pumps work well.
If electric, be sure it's rated to handle thick oil.
Methanol Pump
Should ONLY be used to transfer Methanol.
Siphon or Barrel pumps work well.
EPDM, Buna, or Teflon seals are recommended.
Viton seals aren't recommended.
Biodiesel Pump
Can be used to transfer completed biodiesel to and from containers
Electric, Barrel, Siphon, Pneumatic, or any fuel transfer pump will work well.
Viton or Teflon (PTFE) seals are recommended.
We carry titration kits that comes with everything you'll need to titrate except
the isopropyl alcohol and distilled water; both of which can be picked up fairly easily at a local grocery store. Click here to see our titration kits
STEP 6 - OBTAINING CHEMICALS | BACK TO TOP
Methanol is used in Biodiesel Production as part of the chemical reaction. When used, the Methanol reacts with the
Waste Vegetable Oil to make Biodiesel, Soap, and Glycerin.
Either one of these chemicals, when used to make biodiesel, will
act as a catalyst to get a chemical reaction going between the Methanol and the Oil.
When purchasing either one of these chemicals, be sure to find chemicals that are
as pure as possible. I recommend getting Sodium Hydroxide that is at least 98% pure. If Potassium Hydroxide is used,
try to find it in at least 90% purity.
My personal favorite catalyst to use is Potassium Hydroxide (KOH). It dissolves easier in Methanol, makes runnier
Glycerin, and when everything's done, it doesn't clog the plumbing on processors like Sodium Hydroxide can. It will
usually cost a little more to use, but the extra cost is worth it.
STEP 7 - PRE-TREATING THE OIL | BACK TO TOP
Before the oil can be made into Biodiesel, it's important to make sure that it's ready to be processed.
In Step 2 we discussed testing the oil for water and acid content. Now it's time to talk about how to deal with oil with
water and/or high acidic content.
Dewatering
There are several ways to dewater oil, however, one of the most simple ways to do it is to let the oil settle.
Water and oil really don't like each other and with enough time, the water will simply sink to the bottom and can
then be removed. To help this process out, you can also heat the oil up. This allows the oil molecules to expand
allowing the water molecules to fall out of suspension easier.
A simple way of doing this is to place the oil in a 55 gallon drum and then heat the drum up using
an electric drum heater. Once the oil is up to temperature, allow it to sit that way
for several hours. Then, simply drain off the water from the bottom.
This can be accomplished by sucking the water out by using a barrel pump to draw the water off the bottom or
by placing a small hole with a stopper in the bottom of the drum to drain the water off with. We've seen people weld cones
to the bottom of drums or even something as simple as a
stand-pipe wash tank style tank
where they can drain the water off the bottom and then drain the oil from the stand pipe.
For a great example of a setup using a settling tank for dewatering, click here.
Another excellent method to dewater the oil is to simply heat the oil and recirculate it on top of itself for several hours.
This method is usually used to dewater finished Biodiesel, but will work equally well for dewatering oil before it's used
as well. Click here to see how to build a dewatering tank
Reducing Acid Level
If the oil you obtain contains a high free fatty acid level, then you may want to consider reducing the acid level in the oil before
using it to make Biodiesel with. Making Biodiesel from high free fatty acid feedstock can be done, but it's kind of a pain. The reason
is because you end up using so much extra catalyst that by the time you have Biodiesel, you'll also have a lot of soap to deal with.
Soap is the by-product that comes from neutralizing the acid with a strong base. It's just not fun to deal with.
Reducing the acid content can be done several ways.
Here's two effective methods that we're aware of.
Caustic Stripping
This involves dissolving some of the strong base (either Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide) into water and then adding the mixture to the oil.
This will cause the free fatty acids in the oil to bind to the strong base and form soap. The soap is then removed from the oil, the oil
is dewatered, and then can be used to make Biodiesel with.
This method, while effective, will decrease the yield of Biodiesel you'll obtain from it because a portion of the oil gets converted
into soap. While we at Utah Biodiesel Supply have never used caustic stripping as a means of reducing free fatty acids, we know that it
can be done and is effective. We just prefer to use the second method.
For more information on Caustic Stripping, we recommend the following: Article on Caustic Stripping
Rick of B100 Supply wrote this great thread Infopop Search
Searched for Caustic Stripping at the Infopop Biodiesel Forum Google Search
This links to a Google search using biodiesel and caustic stripping as key words.
Acid Esterification
This method uses sulfuric acid to modify the free fatty acids (FFA's) in the oil so that they can still be made into Biodiesel.
It's the preferred method to use among biodieselers when dealing with high free fatty acid oil. The reason it's preferred
is because instead of converting the FFA's into soap like caustic stripping does, it actually modifies the acid chains and allows them
to be converted into Biodiesel. This means that the yield won't suffer as much as it does in caustic stripping.
There are several recipes for performing acid esterification, but the one most commonly used is to use
1 mL of sulfuric acid for every liter of oil you have. For instance, if you have 190 liters of oil, you'd use 190 mL of sulfuric acid.
While this method works extremely well, it's important that the oil be extremely dry before using this method. If it's not dry the sulfuric
acid will react with the water istead and the reaction won't occur as readily. It's also important that the sulfuric acid be highly concentrated;
usually 95% pure or better is recommended.
This is the method that our automated BioPro processors utilize to handle high free fatty acid oil. We've seen
it work extremely well. We've been able to make Biodiesel from some pretty nasty oil using this method and have become extremly impressed
with how well it will work.
There are some downsides to using acid esterification. The biggest downside is that it takes more time for the reaction to occur. In fact,
most people that attempt to do it typically don't wait long enough for the reaction to work and run into problems. When using this method
plan on adding at least 6-8 hours of additional reaction time for the esterification process to work right. Keep the oil as dry as possible,
use only highly concentrated sulfuric acid, and give it enough time and you should see good results. Another important note on using this
method. Be sure your equipment can handle sulfuric acid. Black steel and sulfuric acid don't like each other. They can get along in diluted
quantities for a while (1 mL to 1 liter is somewhat diluted) but it's not recommended.
For more information on using this method, we highly recommend our sulfuric acid biodiesel tutorial article!.Click here to go directly to the article.
If Acid Esterification interests you, we carry Sulfuric Acid in a couple different sizes. Click here to see our selection.
STEP 8 - PROCESSING BIODIESEL | BACK TO TOP
During this step you'll actually be producing the Biodiesel. It's where the magic happens and where the actual reactions occur that allow
you to make Biodiesel from organic oil. Before we get started, it's important that you practice good safety.
MAKING BIODIESEL CAN BE DANGEROUS!
You'll be dealing with Methanol (a poisonous alcohol), a strong base of either Sodium Hydroxide (commonly called Lye)
or Potassium Hydroxide (commonly called Caustic Potash), both of which can burn you if they get on your skin, oil (which can be downright messy),
and heat and electricity. YOU WILL NEED TO BE CAREFUL! YOU CAN GET HURT!
LEGAL STUFF (you must agree to this before proceeding) By reading the rest of this article, you hereby absolve ('hold harmless') Utah Biodiesel Supply,
MGBJ Enterprises, and any of it's employees or staff from any and all responsibility
for any potential harm to person(s) or property that may result from the use or misuse
(accidental or intentional) of this information.
You understand that Methanol (Methyl-Alcohol), Sodium Hydroxide (Lye, NaOH),
Potassium Hydroxide (Caustic Potash, KOH), and Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4) are
highly corrosive chemical substances and may be dangerous or harmful if misused.
You hereby accept full and sole responsibility for any potential harm to
person(s) or property that may result from the use or misuse (accidental or intentional) of this information.
If you don't agree with the above, discontinue reading this article and proceed no further.
Still reading? Great! Now that we've got that out of the way we can proceed. While Biodiesel can be done
in a safe manner, it's extremely important that you practice good safety techniques and watch what you're doing.
You're dealing with some pretty dangerous chemicals and if you don't watch it you really can get hurt. Respect
it for what it is, treat it safely, be cautious and prudent and things will probably go well.
Below are two MUST READ guides on Biodiesel Safety. Biodiesel Safety Article from the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial Biodiesel Best Practices Excellent guide from Penn State on producing Biodiesel safely.
Here are some additional precautions we also recommend following:
PRECAUTIONS 1- You'll be dealing with some fairly caustic chemicals,
an alcohol called Methanol, fair amounts of heat, and the transferring of flammable fluids from one container to container so
it's a good idea to have a fire extinguisher around that is capable of putting out an oil based fire.
2- Biodiesel should always be made in a well-ventilated area away from children
and pets with the proper safety equipment utilized.
3- Before making large batches of Biodiesel, check with your local municipality and fire marshall
to ensure that any chemicals, alcohol, or other substances you will use are being stored and used within
the proper laws and ordinances for your area. Some areas refer back to state and federal fire codes.
It's always a good idea to check before you get started. Click Here for some helpful tips on working
with your local municipality & fire department
4- Using home made Biodiesel in a diesel engine vehicle may void your manufacturer's warranty.
Although the steps outlined to make it are fairly bullet proof and have been tested in several thousands
of vehicles all over the world, there's no guarantee your engine manufacturer will honor your warranty.
5- Biodiesel is considered a fuel so if you plan to use it in a vehicle for on-road use, it may
be subject to taxes. Check with your state and federal taxing agencies if in question.
6- Biodiesel itself, when properly made, is actually quite safe. It's less toxic than table salt
and degrades faster than sugar. It has a higher flash point (point at which it ignites) than regular petrodiesel
and if spilled isn't considered toxic.
OK, with that out of the way, let's start discussing how to make Biodiesel.
Below is the basic theory of what you'll be doing to produce it. In really simple terms here's what happens:
1- Put your pre-treated oil in a processor
2- Heat the oil up to about 130-135 deg F (make sure your processor can handle the heat!)
3- Figure out how much catalyst (lye or caustic potash) you'll need (Titration)
4- Add the strong base (lye or caustic potash) to the methanol to make methoxide
5- Add the methoxide to the oil & mix it all up
6- Let it separate & pull off the glycerin
7- Wash it & dry it
8- Add it to the tank & drive on down the road!
Here's the basic recipe
1- Start with a known amount of oil.
2- Oil Amount X 0.20 = Methanol required
3- Titrate Oil = Strong Base required
4- Mix Methanol & Strong Base together until fully dissolved
4- Heat oil to 130-135 ° F
5- Kill heat source & add methoxide to oil
6- Mix for 2 hours
7- Allow to sit for 18-24 hours
8- Drain off glycerin
9- Wash out excess contaminants
10- Remove any water by drying the Biodiesel
11- Add final product to diesel tank
12- Drive away!
EXAMPLE:
1- Add 100 liters of oil to processor & turn on the heat
2- Measure out 20 liters of Methanol
3- Titrate oil using KOH as strong base
4- Assume a Titration of 3.
5- 3 + 7 = 10 grams per liter. 10 X 100 = 1,000 grams
4- Add 1,000 grams of KOH to the methanol
5- Allow the KOH to fully dissolve
6- Once the oil hits 130 deg F, kill the heat
7- Slowly add the KOH/Methanol mixture to the processor
8- Mix everything in the processor for at least 2 hours
9- After 2 hours, allow it to sit for 18-24 hours
10- After it's sat, drain off the glycerin
11- Transfer it to a wash tank
12- Wash and dry the Biodiesel
13- Once dry, add it to the fuel tank & drive away!
For a great analogy of what is going on chemically during the reaction, Click Here!
For more detailed information on making Biodiesel, visit the links below: Make Biodiesel Website A great tutorial page on making biodiesel complete with plans for building biodiesel processing equipment. Kitchen Biodiesel Explains the basisc of making a small batch. Wikipedia Biodiesel Recipe Well written recipe for making a small batch of Biodiesel. I believe it's based off of Mike Pelly's recipe. World Famous Dr. Pepper Method - Part 1 Part I of a recipe for making a small batch of Biodiesel in a Dr. Pepper bottle. Followed by many the first time they make biodiesel. Dangerous Laboratories Great instructions for making a batch of Biodiesel for the first time. Complete with pictures and detailed instructions. Infopop Biodiesel Forum Great place to post questions and learn about making Biodiesel. Appleseed Biodiesel Instructions Instructions for making Biodiesel in a hot water heater.
STEP 9 - WASHING & DRYING BIODIESEL | BACK TO TOP
After you've processed your oil into Biodiesel you'll need to wash it. The most common way to wash Biodiesel is with water.
I know that sounds weird to add water to something you just tried to get water out of, but follow me on this one.
When we make Biodiesel, we always add more methanol than we need to. This is to ensure that the chemical reaction goes to full completion.
After the reaction has occured, the majority of the methanol is now a part of the actual Biodiesel (however it's now chemically different), but
the extra methanol that wasn't used typically will end up in the glycerin. There also is a portion of the excess methanol that ends up in suspension
in the actual Biodiesel itself.
Now Methanol is a funny molecule. It's something called a bi-polar molecule. This means that one part of the molecule can hold onto Biodiesel molecules (kind of like "sticking to it")
and the other part can hold onto some of the glycerin, soap, and catalyst. So, now we have finished Biodiesel, Glycerin, and some excess methanol hanging around in the Biodiesel itself
holding onto some "contaminants". In order to cleanse the Biodiesel, we wash it.
How Washing Works
If water is used, the methanol molecule likes water more than it likes Biodiesel and the water pulls the methanol and all the other stuff hanging onto it down into the water layer.
Wash it enough and all that excess methanol will wash right out along with all the other stuff it was holding onto.
If a dry wash system is used, the same process essentially happens as well. The dry resin or powder absorbs or catches onto the glycerin, soap, & methanol allowing the Biodiesel to
slip on by.
We personally still use water washing here at Utah Biodiesel Supply when we produce our Biodiesel and really don't plan on changing anytime soon. We think it works that well
and we don't have a problem disposing of our waste water. It just goes down our drain. We do have an industrial waste water discharge permit and our sewage treatment plant has
tested our water & knows what's in it and knows who we are. It cost us $125/year to discharge up to 425 gallons of waste water per week. We think it's a great deal!
To learn more about washing Biodiesel, be sure to visit these great sites: Using A Standpipe Wash Tank Learn how to use a Biodiesel Standpipe Wash Tank! Washing Biodiesel Great article from the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial. Breaking Emulsions With Salt If you water wash, one day you'll make an emulsion. It's just gonna happen. Here's a quick way to break them!
We stock a full supply of great Biodiesel Washing Devices. Everything from misters to complete wash tank kits and everything in between.
We've even taken videos of each mister misting to show the different flow rates. Click on any of the pictures above to see more information on a misting product. Click Here to see more washing supplies.
DRYING BIODIESEL
If you use water to wash your Biodiesel, you'll need to dry it when you're done. Diesel engines REALLY HATE water in the fuel.
It'll kill a fuel injector really fast and can corrode the fuel injection systems. It's just not pretty!
So, now that you know you want to get rid of the water, let's talk about how it can be done. First off, there's a million different ways to dry Biodiesel. You'll find them scattered
all over the internet if you look. For our purposes, we'll just discuss some of the more simple ways to do it.
Use The Sun
One of the easiest ways to do it is to set your Biodiesel out in the hot sun & let mother nature work it's magic. If it's warm enough, the heat from the sun can help evaporate off all
that water fairly quickly. When I first learned how to make Biodiesel, this is the method I was shown.
We'd stick 5 gallon buckets out in the hot sun with a screen over top of them & let the heat work it's magic.
To see if it was done we'd point a laser at it & shine it down through the Biodiesel.
If we could see the laser on the bottom of the 5 gallon drum we called it dry. Yep. Pretty simple. Pretty archaic & primitive.
Probably not the best way to do it, but, it worked...at the time.
Bubble Drying
Another method that's a little more effective than using the sun is to use air bubbles.
To do so, attach a bubbler to an air line, drop it into
the biodiesel somewhat near the bottom and turn on the air. Then allow the air to bubble for at least 7-10 hours.
Depending on ambient temperature and relative humidity in the room the biodiesel can dry fairly quickly.
In order for this method to work well, it's important that the Biodiesel be kept warm. If using a Stand Pipe Wash Tank, an aquarium heater can be used
to keep the temperature warm. We recommend keeping it at about 80-90 ° F while bubble drying.
Recirculatory Drying
Another extremely effective method of drying Biodiesel is to recirculate it on top of itself.
Essentially, you rig up a pump to pull the biodiesel from the bottom of the tank and spray it back on top of itself at the top of the tank.
This works so well because you actually circulate the whole batch of Biodiesel several times. The moisture evaporates away as the biodiesel is circulated.
For this to work well, it's important to be able to heat the Biodiesel up. Typically to temperatures above 80 to 90 ° F. Once the Biodiesel is hot, simply
turn on the circulatory system and allow it to do its work. After just a few hours, the Biodiesel can be completely dried.
For more details on how this can be done we recommend visiting the following Drying Washed Biodiesel Article at the Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial
We carry a great nozzle designed to help dry Biodiesel in a circulatory system. Click here for more information on this great drying nozzle. Click here to see a video of this great nozzle in action.
STEP 10 - DEALING WITH GLYCERIN | BACK TO TOP
When Biodiesel is produced the question is often raised as to what to do with the waste glycerin that also is generated.
The good news is there are several things that can be done with it. Finding the one that best fits you will be your only real challenge.
Waste Water Treatment Plants Here at Utah Biodiesel Supply, we personally dispose of our glycerin by taking it to a waste-water treatment plant.
The plant has a special kind of processing system called an Anaerobic Digester. It's also known as a Methane Digester as well.
Basically, all of the raw sewage is mixed up in a big mixing machine and is then transferred to a big tank where bacteria feed on the
raw sewage and break it down. The bacteria then produce methane gas as a by-product which is captured and then burned in the plants
methane powered generator. It's a very effective use of the methane gas and adds to the recyclability of the system.
We discovered early on that waste water treatment plants with these special digesters were willing to take crude glycerin like that
produced in Biodiesel production. We called them up & asked if they'd be willing to give it a try & they were willing but they wanted
to test a sample first. We took them down some of our glycerin, they pulled a sample and in a few weeks called us back & said we could bring
them as much as we wanted. Turns out the crude glycerin acts like food to the bacteria and causes more methane generation to occur. Because of this
the plant was willing to take all of our glycerin and we now had an environmentally friendly way to dispose of it.
About every month or so we take about 3-5 55 gallon barrels full of crude glycerin to the plant and they take it off our hands. They don't pay us
to take it but we also don't have to pay them either so it's a great arrangement. Click Here To See Us Dropping It Off
Soap Making
If you're interested in making Soap from your glycerin, you're in luck! We've teamed up with a great Biodieseler from Michigan
that offers a great book on how to make Biodiesel glycerin soap. Click here for more details.
He also offers a really nice soap making kit that can make up to 50 bars of Biodiesel Glycerin Soap.
It comes with great instructions and even online video's to get you started. Click here to learn more about the kit.
If you'd like to try some soap made from Biodiesel glycerin, we sell custom hand-made soap made from
Biodiesel glycerin that's produced by Piedmont Biofuels in Pittsoboro, NC. Click Here to see our selection.
Additional Uses For a great list of additional ways and methods to dispose of glycerin, we highly recommend visiting the "Uses for Glycerin-ByProduct" section at the Infopop Biodiesel Forum.Click here to go directly to that section.
CONCLUSION:
This concludes our Getting Started article on Biodiesel.
We encourage you to read through our selection of other great articles on Biodiesel
Additional Utah Biodiesel Supply Articles Why Biodiesel? addresses why we believe Biodiesel is such a great alternative to petro diesel Basics of Biodiesel explains the background of Biodiesel production including some of the chemistry How Its Made shows the basic theory of how Biodiesel can be produced Titrating Oil gives an overview of what a titration is and how it can be performed Using Biodiesel discusses how easy it is to use Biodiesel as a replacement for petro-diesel.
Additional Resources
While we have a wealth of information here, we strongly encourage you to explore some of the other great websites available that discuss
how Biodiesel can be made. We also encourage you to become a part of the online Biodiesel community. You'll quickly find a vast amount
of knowledge and helpful people ready to help you get started making this great renewable fuel.
Below are a few websites that we've hand-picked that we highly recommend
Highly Recommended! Biodiesel Safety Video Produced by Dr. Jon Van Gerpen
Highly Recommended! Biodiesel Primer Produced by the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service, this guide walks
through the basics of getting started making a mini batch of Biodiesel.
Highly Recommended! Biodiesel Handling & Use Guidelines Excellent guide from NREL!
Highly Recommended! Biodiesel Safety and Best Management Practices for Small-Scale Noncommercial Use and Production
Published by Pennsylvania State University as a "Best Practices" manual for Biodiesel production. Jam packed with great content and a must-read.
Highly Recommended! Home Brew Guide Contains step by step instructions
for making Biodiesel using an Appleseed processor. Also contains several testing guides.
Make Biodiesel Website This website is absolutely fabulous! It's packed to the gills with helpful information! Kitchen Biodiesel A site that will walk you through the basics of making a small batch with great visuals Murphys Machines Visit here for great articles on Titration, Using A Syringe, How To Collect Oil, and a great chemical & methanol locator Biodiesel Log Allows you to easily log your Biodiesel production online! Biodiesel Pictures A site with tons of pictures of peoples different Biodiesel equipment. Infopop Biodiesel Forum Absolute best Biodiesel forum on the planet! We love this one! Go here to learn from the pros!
And Now For Some Fun....
To learn about some great stories about how people (including myself) got into Biodiesel in the first place
Click Here!.
Biodiesel--Semi Style
A while back I started a thread that used "Semi-Trailers and a brick wall" as a sort of analogy to explain
the chemical reactions that occur when you make Biodiesel. Click Here!
You Know You're A Biodiesel Nut When...
After you've been making Biodiesel for a while you may find yourself doing some strange things. One night I started a thread on a popular
Biodiesel forum I participate in where several of us "chimed in" to share the crazy things we Biodieseler's do once we get hooked. Click here to enjoy the fun!
Funny Captions To Biodiesel Pictures
Just to show that we don't take ourselves too seriously, a prominent Biodieseler started this hilarious thread where we post some of our nutty Biodiesel pictures
and others chime in with fun captions.
Click here to see the fun!
Contact Us!
As always, we're here to help you get off to a great start! If you have questions about making Biodiesel, feel free to contact us.
We're always happy to help out and, if we don't know the answer, you can bet we'll know where to direct you.
We've been involved with Biodiesel since 2003 and we're still crazy about it and enjoy helping people out all the time!
Best of luck to you as you begin your journey with Biodiesel. Just watch out!
Once it gets ahold of you, it can be very addicting (something about saving gobs of money while having fun at the same time I suppose).
Thanks for stopping by & here's hoping your Biodiesel adventures are as fun as ours have been!
Biodiesel is a replacement for diesel fuel that can be used in most diesel engines. It has properties that allow it to burn and
perform similar to diesel fuel making it an ideal replacement to petroleum based diesel fuel.
