Are They Making
Biodiesel Fuel Without You?

You may be surprised at the simplicity of making biodiesel fuel, and how cheaply it can be done! You can also piece together your own processor if you have the time and resources!

If you're new, start with this 1-liter batch recipe.


Is it Safe?

Biodiesel is a safe substance. It is 10 times less toxic than table salt, and has a flashpoint greater than 266°F.
However, when making biodiesel there are a few safety measures to be aware of. You will be handling a caustic chemical and a highly flammable fuel - methanol.
Photograph by Justin Ruckman
(Licence: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic)


Is it Cost Effective?

When using waste vegetable oil (WVO), biodiesel can be made quite inexpensively. Many home brewers are making biodiesel fuel for less than $1 a gallon. They are most likely obtaining their WVO free - from restaurants.


How About the Chemistry?

When making biodiesel fuel the oil goes through a process called transesterification. In this process the oil is mixed with methanol and the catalyst molecules become chemically modified resulting in biodiesel.
Here is a list of chemicals used in transesterification.


How is it Made?

Here is a very brief overview of how biodiesel is made from waste vegetable oil:

• Collect used oil

• Filter the oil

• Begin heating the oil.

• Perform a titration test to figure out how much catalyst is needed.

• Add the catalyst to the methanol and mix until the catalyst is dissolved.

• Add the methanol and catalyst mixture to the heated oil and mix.

• Let the mixture stand until it is separated.

• The biodiesel will float to the top; glycerin will settle on the bottom.

• Drain the glycerin off the bottom and recover the methanol if desired.

• Wash the biodiesel to get out the small amount of water left.
Here is a list of dry wash chemicals.
Here are some general dry wash instructions.

• Take care of the biodiesel waste /by-products.

• Perform a Conversion test on the finished biodiesel.

• To legally sell biodiesel a sample must be sent in for astm testing .

• Fill ‘er up!


What are the Processor Options?

When making biodiesel fuel of any reasonable amount, you will need some sort of processor. Biodiesel processors may be bought pre-assembled or as a kit. They can also be made from objects found around the farm, junkyards, and home-improvement warehouses.


Make a Test Batch with New Oil:

Once educated on what is happening to the oil chemically, and observing the process a few times first hand, you will realize how simple it really is. If you are brand new to the process, I recommend you start with a simple, non-committing 1-liter batch.

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