I am new to the biodiesel thing. I would like to start making it (cant even really buy it here, except in 2% and 5% blends in very very few stations. I was given a bunch of biodiesel supplies including a 330 gallon caged tank, a couple of pumps, filters & elements, a wix fuel/water separator, some hose, fittings, etc and a bucket heater. Dont know how a 1000w bucket heater is supposed to heat very much oil, but ok. The same person also gave me a bunch of diesel secret additives (which i wont be using, heard lots of bad stuff about DSE), some biodiesel cold flow improver and like 200 gallons of filtered used frying oil of unknown type.

I have a 55 gallon drum that i bought a year or so ago that i was going to use for a fuel tank, but i may use it for making bio diesel instead. I just need to know if i build a stand to elevate it, if i could use a propane burner attached to a gas grill sized propane tank to heat the oil inside the drum or if the drum cant take the heat? It has some kind of coating inside it looks like and drums are relatively thin in construction. If this will work, then I have the heating part taken care of. If not, its back to the drawing board on this. I would like to make about 35-40 gallons at a time, which is about one tankful on my truck (96 suburban 6.5L)i wont have to store much if any fuel this way, and i can be making another batch while driving on the last batch.

Next problem. Approximately how much sodium hydroxide and methanol do I need? I bought some 100% pure lye from the hardware store in a 2# tub. If i go to the race track and buy some methanol there will that work? Or does it have too many additives and other things in it? Is there a test I can do to tell me about how much I need?

How do i know that i have used enough methanol and lye? And how do i know when i have successfully completed the seperation process? I know the glycerin will settle to the bottom, but how do i know i have ALL the glycerin from the oil?

When it comes time to wash, I under stand that i add water and mix for a while. Mixing will actually be performed by a circulating pump in this case. Then drain off the water and do it again over and over until the water is clear correct? Does it have to be distilled water or can I get water from the sink? Then I let the bio diesel dry (by bubbling, or circulating the bio diesel and spraying it back in the barrel a few inches above the liquid level so that it all gets some exposure to the air). Once its clear, it is dry right? Or do i have to do a test to be sure?

After its dry its ready to use, correct?

Lastly. My truck is a 96. Been on dino diesel since new. It should have the new type of fuel hoses so do i need to worry about if the hoses can handle the bio? I know i will have to change the fuel filter a few times...

Thanks ahead of time!

All the information you need is on here-start small with 1 Lt test batches(use new oil to start)-learn the process-make sure you understand the health and safety issues-then you can scale up to bigger batches-post any problems,people will help

quote:

Originally posted by Torque454:
I just need to know if i build a stand to elevate it, if i could use a propane burner attached to a gas grill sized propane tank to heat the oil inside the drum or if the drum cant take the heat? It has some kind of coating inside it looks like and drums are relatively thin in construction.

Heating with OPEN FLAME when mixing methanol and oil is dangerous. There are barrel heaters that wrap around the outside or you can weld a fitting in the barrel and fit an element from a water heater in it. The latter option is dangerous too if the element is exposed to the surface of the oil.

have a look at our collaborative biodiesel tutorial (CBT) lots of info for beginners and advanced brewers.

http://www.biodieseltutorial.com/

I was and still am pretty new... but my best advice is to read read read... it's ALL on here somewhere.. yet I asked a dozen or so quesetions as I got up and running. Remember that people who post here are passionate- so they'll be quick to offer an opinion. It's often helpful, though sometimes can have too much passion in it. Everyone does it differently. There is no exact science to each step- everyone has a little twist to their processs which works for them and not for others. Best thing you can do is read as much as you can. start small. test along the way. ask specific questions as they arise. Be prepared to spend more time and money than you think - at first. I planned a week to build my reactors... took me 3 till I got it set up in the way that works "for me" and I'm STILL fine tuining.

Now your questions... Propane flame is not the safest unless precautions are taken. I have a propane fired heater for one step though. But it's never on in the presence of "open" fuel.. only when it's in the reactors and is not going to allow vapors... especially with methanol. And i have a fire extinguisher in the garage ready to go in case I need it.

The lined drums are bad because that lining will cook off and that's probably not good for the fuel. However, storing a batch of clean bio in ther would probably work well unless the bio eats the lining.. it destroys some plastics...

I'm using about a liter of lye and 22 liters of methanol per 100 liters of oil... you can plan for a similar amount once you do larger batches. Racing fuel is usually pure methanol... check the label.

A completed process will pass the 3/27 test... look it up. in fact there's a good half dozen tests to check various things in the process... ALL are VERY helpful.

A pump will likely be too forceful for initial washing.. you're better off spraying on top with a mist and saving the aggressive agitation until most of the lye is washed out. I don't even bubble until after the second wash stage. And a garden hose from hosuehold water is OK.

Don't forget the environmental steps too.. neutralizing wash water with vinegar or other mild acid and recovering methanol and neutralizing lye in the glycerine. Otherwise you're doing more harm than good.

And yes there's a few test's for dryness... though until it's clear, there's no way it will pass any of them. Hot pan test/crackle test is good for checking for water in waste oil and clean bio.. there's more scientific approaches too..

Once it's dry it's good to go... though after sitting a week or two there still might be a little settlement. but you can use it right after it's dried.

Hope that helps.. keep reading... and designing... and reading... and posting questions.. and reading... and building... and reading...

All very good information. Thanks everyone.

I'm going to think of another way to heat the oil if possible. Cost is an issue for me unfortunately and i was hoping to not have to use electricity to heat with due to the cost of the heater, and the cost of the electricity itself. A heater capable of heating 50+ gallons and providing more than a 100 degree rise will be quite expensive, not to mention the electricity it will consume. Perhaps it wont be as bad as I expect tho.

With the propane I figured it would be cheaper, at least initially plus I could keep track of my total cost of production easier that way. I don't know of a cheap way to keep track of electricity consumption and cost. But with an open flame being so dangerous and my drum with the coating of some sort in it, that idea probably isn't as good of an idea as I initially thought.

When we speak of mist washing, are we referring to misting (spraying) the biodiesel over a tank of water? Bubbling i would assume is using an aquarium air pump to pump air through a tube to the bottom of the biodiesel tank, correct?

Thanks again everyone

Hi touque and welcome to both the site and the world of BD.
To make beutiful relatively trouble free Bio the recepe is ...
20% meth
7 + titration of lye ..(Koh)
In my case STIR at 50 degrees C for one hour
After this you settle, draw off glyc, filter/wash, dry (if washing), use
The secret to sucess is ...Tritate, Tritate, Tritate ... be careful with measurements.
Should you encounter any problems, folks here will help just ask specific questions giving as much info about your process should you have any problems.
As you FINE tune your plant and process small deveations from the recepe can be done ...i.e down to 18 and up to 22 percent meth ect the biggest mistake made by most is not getting the lye amount right .. to much makes soap .. to little gives incomplete processing.
As for your plant ..a personal choice .. drum and mix (my choice) or a version of appleseed, either way there is plenty of info here ..read up , ask questions and good luck, BE SAFE ALWAYS!. Let us know how you go as you go forward.
Regards Kev