BIODIESEL HOME-BREWING CLASS

Overview

What is biodiesel? And what is not.

- Biodiesel is...

- Versus SVO (I don't cover SVO topics in any detail, sorry.)

- Why you might choose one over the other.

_Making the switch to Biodiesel

- Materials properties of methyl esters

- Fuel filters & fuel lines: practical experiences

- Storage and handling of biodiesel

Just the basics in 7 steps -->

_The Overall process

Collection & Pre-treatment

Make methoxide

Reaction

Separation of Glycerol

Washing

Drying

Filtration

_Titration

How to do it

Why we do it

What it tells you

The titration solution recipe, and one technique for making it.

The Biodiesel Recipe for Virgin and Waste Veggie Oils

HANDS ON: Titrations & 1L Test Batches

A Brief Introduction to Qualitative Tests

- Wash test

- Reprocess test

- Advanced "wet chemistry" tests for water, glycerol, and soap.

Why I think you need to know some lingo, and some names to symbols (Answer: problem solving and trouble-shooting)

_Lingo / chemistry concepts (cover your eyes/ears if this stuff makes your head hurt, 'cause you don't have to understand it... but it helps problem solving)

* Oil and water don't mix, like dissolves like, polar versus oily (nonpolar)

* Names of materials you're working with and creating =>

- trans-esterification: the conversion of an ester to another ester, by swapping alcohols (in our case, from the alcohol glycerol to the alcohol methanol)

- saponfication: the soap reaction, less mild relative of transesterification, one of the oldest chemical reactions utilized by humans, what happens when you add too much alkali catalyst.

- TriAcylGlycerides, TAGs: fats from living things with 3 fatty chains linked to 1 glycerol

- methyl esters: what we're making, aka biodiesel. also, the product of an acid and an alcohol

- free fatty acids: the free, conjugate acid of a long-chain hydrocarbon soap.

- glycerol/glycerine: the 3-carbon tri-alcohol. it has the telltale polar group the alcohol, so it partitions away from oily methyl esters

_Equipment

- Variations on the Appleseed processor: an insulated 55 gallon drum with 6 braised 3/4" close nipple fittings, plumbed to Appleseed components so only valves and pump used to operate the process.

- Multipurpose Tank, Plastic & Metal Variations (Settling, Separation, Wash, Drying, Storage)

- Water Filter

- Other stuff

_Advanced Topics

Methanol Recovery

Alternative sources of process energy

Acid-catalyzed reaction of free fatty acids

As you see, it's a full syllabus, so one day is hardly enough! However, this will get you started with a solid foundation for biodiesel-homebrewing.

Thanks for attending and supporting do-it-yourself biodiesel!