Yes it's true, you can make your own Biodiesel! With everyday household items, you can be set for life when it comes to expensive fuel! This fuel source will soon expand itself throughout the world, delaying global warming and GHG (Green House Gases). Anybody can make Biodiesel with proper safety and sources. Although the steps for making Biodiesel consume enormous amounts of time, helping the environment and saving money are bigger aspects.
Ingredients Required for Biodiesel
1) 1 liter of new vegetable oil (or another type of cooking oil)
2) 200 ml of methanol,
3) 99+% pure lye catalyst -- either potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide
4) Blender or mini-processor
5) Weight scales accurate to 0.1 grams, (or less)
6) Half-liter translucent container
7) 2-liter PET bottle (water or soft-drinks bottle) for settling two 2-liter PET bottles for washing
8) Duct tape
9) Thermometer
Method for producing Biodiesel
1. Lye You need to be quick when measuring out the lye because it very rapidly absorbs water from the atmosphere and water interferes with the biodiesel reaction. Measure the lye out into a handy-sized lightweight plastic bag on the scales (or even do the whole thing entirely inside a big clear plastic bag), then close the lid of the container firmly and close the plastic bag, winding it up so there's not much air in it with the lye and no more air can get in. Have exactly the same kind of bag on the other side of the scale to balance the weight, or adjust the scale for the weight of the bag. How much to use. NaOH must be at least 96% pure, use exactly 3.5 grams. If you're using KOH it depends on the strength. If it's 99% pure (rare) use exactly 4.9 grams (4.90875). If it's 92% pure (more common) use 5.3 grams (5.33). If it's 85% pure (also common) use 5.8 grams (5.775). Any strength of KOH from 85% or stronger will work.
2) Mixing the methoxide
Measure out 200 ml of methanol and pour it into the half-litre HDPE container via the funnel. Methanol also absorbs water from the atmosphere so do it quickly and replace the lid of the methanol container tightly. Carefully add the lye to the HDPE container via the second funnel. Replace the bung and the screw on the cap tightly. Shake the container a few times -- swirl it round rather than shaking it up and down. The mixture gets hot from the reaction. Dissolve in the methanol, forming sodium methoxide or potassium methoxide. As soon as the liquid is clear with no undissolved particles you can begin the process. The more you swirl the container the faster the lye will dissolve. With NaOH it can take from overnight to a few hours to as little as half-an-hour with lots of swirling.
3) The Process
Check that the blender seals are in good order. Make sure all parts of the blender are clean and dry and that the blender components are tightly fitted. Pre-heat the oil to 55 deg C (130 deg F) and pour it into the blender. With the blender still switched off, carefully pour the prepared methoxide from the container into the oil. Secure the blender lid tightly and switch on. Lower speeds should be enough. Blend for at least 20 minutes.
4) The Transfer
As soon as the process is completed, pour the mixture from the blender or the mini-processor into the 2-litre bottle for settling and screw on the lid tightly. (As the mixture cools it will contract and you might have to let some more air into the bottle later.)
5) Settling
Freshly made biodiesel, 20 minutes after processing Allow to settle for 12-24 hours. Darker-coloured glycerine by-product will collect in a distinct layer at the bottom of the bottle, with a clear line of separation from the pale liquid above, which is the biodiesel. The biodiesel varies somewhat in colour according to the oil used (and so does the by-product layer at the bottom) but usually it's pale and yellowish (used-oil biodiesel can be darker and more amber). The biodiesel might be clear or it might still be cloudy, which is not a problem. It will clear eventually but there's no need to wait. Carefully decant the top layer of biodiesel into a clean jar, making sure not to get any of the glycerine layer mixed up with the biodiesel
6) Drying
When it's clear (not colourless but translucent) it's dry and ready to use. It might clear quickly, or it might take a few days or up to a week.
Congratulation you've just created your first batch of environment-friendly Biodiesel!
Links for Extra-Information:
http://biodieseloil.com/article1.html
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html
http://biodieseloil.com/
Mahdi Siad
Langevin Science School
Note from Mayte:
Many thanks Mahdi, very interesting comment!
I have seen Colombian students can read about this in Spanish in this Link:
Mensaje para la Institución Gabriel García Márquez:
El artículo que escribió Mahdi es muy interesante.
Pueden leer en español sobre el tema haciendo clic aquí.
En este artículo se explican las ventajas del uso del biodiesel y cómo puedes hacerlo en tu casa!
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