How to Make Bio Diesel

Article provided by wikihow the wikihow manual.

Bio diesel is a natural and renewable fuel alternative for diesel engines. You can make it from organically derived vegetable oil or animal fat. Most manufacturers use soy and corn for this; however, you can use a number of other oils like cottonseed, mustard and palm oil. Bio diesel contains no petroleum, it's non-toxic and biodegradable and it fuels all diesel engines. Bio diesel burns clean, resulting in fewer pollutants. With its list of benefits, many wonder how to make bio diesel.

Steps

1. 1
   Make bio diesel at home with a process called transestrification.

   
   
2. 2
   Dress appropriately. Make certain you completely cover your skin because you will be working with dangerous chemicals.
   • Put on long pants, a long-sleeve shirt and shoes to protect your body.
   • Wear a heavy-duty apron, chemical-resistant gloves and protective goggles or eyewear. The gloves should come up to your elbows or have cuffs you can pull over your long-sleeve shirt.
3. 3
   Filter 4 1/4 cups (1 liter) of vegetable oil into a large pot.
   • Heat the oil to 140 F (60 C). It's important to maintain this temperature for 15 minutes.
   • Allow the oil to cool and then pour it into a container that can hold 8 1/2 cups (2 liter). Let it settle for at least 24 hours.
4. 4
   Heat the oil to 95 F (35 C).
   • Continue heating until the solid fats completely melt.
5. 5
   Add 1/3 cup (79 milliliter) of 99 percent pure methanol to the heated oil.
   • Mix for 5 to 10 minutes. A suspension will form as the mixture becomes mucky due to the change in solvent.
6. 6
   Use an eyedropper or syringe and add 1/5 teaspoon (1 milliliter) of 95 percent sulfuric acid H2SO4.
   • Gently mix at a low speed. Keep the mixture at 95 F (35 C) for 1 hour while stirring. If you use a machine to stir, make sure it does not go faster than 600 revolutions per minute (RPM).
7. 7
   Remove the mixture from the heat but continue to stir for an additional hour. Keep stirring for a total of 2 hours.
8. 8
   Let the bio diesel mixture sit. Do not disturb it for at least 8 hours. If you can leave it overnight, that's even better.
9. 9
   Prepare the sodium methoxide.
   • Measure 1/2 cup (118 milliliter) of methanol.
   • Weigh .012 ounces (0.0031 kilograms) of sodium lye sodium hydroxide, NaOH. Be cautious when weighing the lye: Too much lye will only complicate the washing process.
   • Mix the lye into the methanol and allow it to dissolve completely.
10. 10
    After your bio diesel mixture has set for at least the recommended 8 hours, pour 1/2 the prepared methoxide into the mixture.
    • Mix for a period of 5 minutes to neutralize the sulfuric acid. This will boost the base catalysis.
11. 11
    Heat the mixture to 131 F (55 C). Be sure to maintain this temperature.
12. 12
    Add the rest of your prepared sodium methoxide to the heated mixture.
13. 13
    Continue mixing, making sure you go no faster than 600 RPM.
14. 14
    Take regular samples. Put a small amount in a 1- to 2-inch (25.4 - 50.8 millimeter) diameter glass cup or container to check the color.
    • When you make bio diesel, you want to watch for a yellow color, similar to straw. Glycerine is brownish in color and sticky. It should settle at the bottom of the glass.
    • Turn the heat and mixer off when the bio diesel mixture reaches the right color. This generally takes between 1.5 to 3 hours to obtain the exact color.
15. 15
    Allow the mixture to rest for 1 hour.
16. 16
    Add 10 percent phosphoric acid (H3PO4) to the washing water (2 to 3 milliliter per liter).
    • Use 1/3 the volume of water as the amount of bio diesel.
    • Make certain the water and bio diesel are the same temperature.
    • Pour your bio diesel into a vessel with the water.
    • Toss in an aquarium stone and start the air pump.
    • Let it bubble for a 24-hour period.
    • Turn the pump off and let the mixture settle for 1/2 hour.
    • Drain the water and repeat the procedure at least 2 more times.
    • Remove the bio diesel from the vessel. Do not get any water with it.
17. 17
    Let the bio diesel sit for at least 3 weeks.
18. 18
    Wait for the bio diesel to turn clear. You should only use the mixture when it becomes crystal clear.
19. 19
    Test your bio diesel. You should look for 3 problems: free glycerines; poorly converted oils, fats and lye; and free monoglycerides, diglycerides and triglycerides.
    • Poor conversion creates gum-like deposits around the valves and injector tips. Lye can cause damage to the injector pump.
20. 20
    Get a test kit to determine whether ethylene glycol is present in your motor oil.
    • Analyze the bio diesel like it were motor oil. If a substantial amount of free glycerol is present, the test will turn purple.

    
    

Tips

• Work near a sink with running water.
• Keep a bottle of vinegar on hand in the event you splash any lye or methoxide on your skin. Rinse the area immediately with vinegar to neutralize the chemical and rinse with water.
• If a deposit forms at the bottom of the bio diesel, make sure you avoid getting it in your fuel tank.

Warnings

• Work in a well-ventilated area.
• Do not allow children and pets in the workplace.

Things You'll Need

• Long pants
• Long-sleeve shirt
• Shoes
• Heavy duty apron
• Chemical-resistant gloves
• Protective goggles or eyewear
• 4 1/4 cup (1 liter) vegetable oil
• Large pot
• Thermometer
• Timer
• 8 1/2 cups (2 liter) bottle
• 1/3 cups (79 milliliter) 99 percent pure methanol
• Eyedropper or syringe
• 1/5 teaspoon (1 milliliter) 95 percent sulfuric acid (H2SO4).
• 1/2 cup (118 milliliter) methanol
• .012 ounces (0.0031 kilograms) sodium lye sodium hydroxide (NaOH)
• 1- to 2-inch (25.4 - 50.8 millimeter) diameter glass cup or container
• 10 percent phosphoric acid (H3PO4)
• Wash water
• Aquarium stone
• Air pump
• Test kit

Article provided by wikihow the wikihow manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make Bio Diesel. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.