Diesel power doesn't have to come from petroleum products.
Bio diesel is a renewable resource that fuels vehicles from garbage. Waste vegetable grease and oil is broken down chemically by a process called transesterification. This process breaks down the bonds in oil in much the same way as soap making. In fact, one of the by-products of bio diesel is glycerin, a common ingredient in soap. There are many kits and systems that make the process easier and safer. But all of the necessary equipment is available from any local cooking and hardware store. Many of the chemicals can be purchased at hardware or pool supply stores.
Instructions
Preparation and Titration
1. Strain the waste vegetable grease or oil. If necessary, heat the grease before pouring it through the filter.
2. Slowly heat the oil to 260 degrees F to remove any residual water.
3. Mix 1 gram of lye to a liter of distilled water. Put the lid on the container and make sure that the lye dissolves completely.
4. Measure 1 ml of oil to 10 ml of Isopropyl alcohol. Add two drops of Phenolphthalein to the mixture.
5. Add drops of the lye/water mixture at the rate of a tenth of a milliliter at a time to the grease/alcohol/Phenolphthalein mixture. Stir after each drop. Count the number of drops needed to turn the mixture pink.
6. Add 3.5 to the number of milliliters of lye needed to change the color of the sample mixture. Multiply this sum by the number of liters of oil to be transformed. This is the amount of lye needed to change the oil into diesel.
7. Divide the volume of the grease to be changed by 5. This is the amount of methanol needed in the process.
Transesterification -- Turning Fat into Fuel
8. Prepare the tank. The tank can be purchased or made. It must have a hose connection at the bottom. There must be an opening at the top for adding materials that can be closed during the settling process. The entire tank must be stainless steel or glass since the chemicals react with plastic, aluminum and tin. The size of the tank depends on the amount of grease you will be transforming.
9. Heat the grease to between 120 and 130 degrees F. Pour it into the tank.
10. Combine the calculated amount of lye with the calculated amount of methanol in a large container. Mix the chemicals with the paint stirrer attached to the drill. When the chemical gives off heat, it will have transformed into sodium methoxide. Use gloves to prevent any chemical from spraying on skin. Sodium methoxide is a very dangerous chemical. It's toxic and caustic. It will burn the lungs if inhaled and the skin if touched. Its a good idea to keep water running nearby to immediately wash any chemicals from the skin.
11. Carefully pour the sodium methoxide into the tank with the warm fat. Use the drill with the paint stirrer to mix the chemicals for an hour.
12. Allow the container to rest for eight hours. This allows the glycerin and diesel to separate.
13. Attach the clear tubing to the nozzle at the bottom of the tank. Turn the spigot and allow the glycerin to drain into a bucket. The glycerin will be dark brown. Watch the tube carefully. When the fluid lightens to a honey gold, stop.
14. Drain the light, honey gold fluid into a diesel container. The container must sit for a week. This allows any soap particles to settle at the bottom.
15. Filter the bio diesel through a disposable paper filter and store for use in vehicles.
Tips Warnings
Quickly cap any unused lye solution. As long as it is uncontaminated, the solution can be used for titrating many batches of biodiesel.
A children's medicine spoon is often marked down to single milliliters. This can be used instead of a small beaker. If used for Phenolphthalein, do not use the spoon for children again.
Always use protective gloves and glasses when working with bio diesel.
Methanol and Sodium Hydroxide are toxic and can burn skin. Keep water running when working with these chemicals so any spillage can be quickly rinsed away.
Sodium methoxide is extremely caustic and toxic. It should never come in contact with mouth, lungs or skin.
Always work in a well ventilated area.
Keep children and pets away from the work area.
Never use any of the measuring or mixing appliances used in this process for food.
