Difference between revisions of "Biodiesel process guide"

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I have been asked by fellow member of the forum to creat my suggested
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This is a fast reminder of the steps involved in making Biodiesel.
 
 
fast track guide to making biodiesel
 
in advance i appologise for my spelling, this is the brief guid to making Biodiesel start to finish
 
 
 
there are different methods and adaptions of this method you can use along the way
 
but for me this is by far the easiest and most affective
 
 
 
im new to wiki and forum editing so please bare with me,
 
I hope to hyper link each task in the process to the page on here which goes into more detail,
 
on the specific science of that task.
 
 
 
Bio making can be quite time consuming but it helps if you can multi task, IE titrate whilst your oil is warming or transfering.
 
  
 
__TOC__
 
__TOC__
  
 
==Dewatering==
 
==Dewatering==
# Dewater your oil - raise oil temp to at least 60 degrees C and allow to stand for at least one hour, over night is better.
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# Dewater your oil - raise oil temp to at least 60 degrees C and allow to stand for at least one hour, over night is better
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# After standing, drop a few litres from the bottom,taking away any water that has settle
 
# Take a sample for titration (from the top, more than 1ml)
 
# Take a sample for titration (from the top, more than 1ml)
# If necesasry, transfer the oil to your processor
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# If necessary, transfer the oil to your processor
  
 
==Titration==
 
==Titration==
 
# Add 10ml of IPA to a beaker
 
# Add 10ml of IPA to a beaker
# Add a few drops of Phenalphaline
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# Add a few drops of Phenalphaline or Tumeric indicator solution
# With a syringe draw a little of your [[Titration#Reference_solution|titration solution]], and add dropwise to your beaker until your solution turns purple and stays purple for approximatley 30 seconds.  This is known as blanking, so you know you're at neutral pH.
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# With a syringe draw a little of your [[Titration#Reference_solution|titration solution]], and add dropwise to your beaker until your solution turns purple and stays purple for approximatley 30 seconds.  This is known as blanking, to get the IPA to neutral pH.
# Add 1ml of your oil sample you drew from step 2 and swirl - the solution will turn a yellowy white
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# Add 1ml of your oil sample you drew after dewatering and swirl - the solution will turn a yellowy white
# Fill a 1 ml syringe with 1 ml of your [[Titration#Reference_solution|titration solution]] and add drop wise to your beaker swirling constantley, you are trying to find the point as where the solution goes and stays purple for 30 seconds again, it may take several fills of the syringe with your titrant.
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# Fill a 10 ml syringe with your [[Titration#Reference_solution|titration solution]] and add drop wise to your beaker swirling constantly, you are trying to find the point where the solution goes and stays purple for 30 seconds.
# once a purple colour has been reached and stay contant for 30 seconds you need to count the amount of titrant you have used.  For example from blanking 1 ml oil is added and you add 1 whole syringe of titrant and then 0.4 mls of the second fill your titration would be 1.4 this is very important write this down
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# Work out the amount of titrant you have used.  1.4ml of titration solution = titration value of 1.4.  Repeat this step if necessary to get an accurate value.
# now we know your titration we need to add this figure to your base i use 5.5. We add these together 1.4+5.5= 6.9 this figure is the amount of sodium hydroxide you need to add '''per litre of oil you are going to process'''
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# Add this figure to your base. Most [[Sodium hydroxide]] users use a base of 5.0. In this example, 1.4 + 5.0 = 6.4. This figure is the amount of Sodium Hydroxide needed '''per litre of oil you are going to process'''
# Heat your oil ready for process to 55 degrees C and turn off heater (make sure your pump is on and circulating)
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# Mix this with Methanol, 22% by volume of oil to be processed.
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# Heat your oil to 55C and turn off heater (make sure your pump is on and circulating)
  
 
==Process==
 
==Process==
# Mix methoxide (whilst heating oil)
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# Inject methoxide via a venturi or suck in via pump
# Inject methoxide via a venturi
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# Process - allow to mix for one hour
# Process allow to mix for one hour
 
 
# Take a sample for 3/27 or 5/45 and allow to sit for 10 minutes
 
# Take a sample for 3/27 or 5/45 and allow to sit for 10 minutes
 
===5/45 test===  
 
===5/45 test===  
# add 45mls of methanol to a suitable containor
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# Add 45mls of methanol to a suitable container
# add 5mls of biodiesel from the top of your settled sample taken in step 9
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# Add 5mls of biodiesel from the top of your settled sample
# tightly close the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds for an accurate test your methanol should be at 20 degrees C
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# Tightly close the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds (for accurate results your Methanol should be at 20C)
# allow to stand for 5-10 minutes
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# Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes
what you are looking for is the solution to become transparent and to be constant through out and no fall out/seperation of liquids  
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# Pass = solution transparent, fail = fall out/seperation of liquids (more mixing required)
if you have oil in the bottom of the vessel the reaction is not yet complete often more mixing will solve this.
 
  
 
==Drain Glycerol==
 
==Drain Glycerol==
# Settle (turn off all the pumps) transfer to settling tank if applicable.
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# Settle (turn off all the pumps) for at least one hour.
Stand for at least one hour
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# Drain Glycerol slowly into suitable container - Glycerol is black and thick, when the lighter Biodiesel starts to flow out stop draining.
# Drain Glycerine (slowly open your drain valve and drian the glycorine to a suitable vessle glycerine is black and thick when the lighter biodiesel starts to flow out shut off valve).
 
 
# Transfer biodiesel to demeth and settle tank.
 
# Transfer biodiesel to demeth and settle tank.
# Bubble over night (i use a large koi pond air pump with 2 ceramic air stones in a sealed drum with a 32mm pipe throught he wall please make sure this is done in a well ventalated area)
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# Air bubble over night in a well ventilated area.
# Settle out soap, turn off the air pump and allow to settle naturaly for approximatley 1 week#
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# Turn off the air pump and allow the soaps to settle out naturally for approximatley 1 week
  
 
==Soap test==  
 
==Soap test==  

Revision as of 19:37, 3 December 2010

This is a fast reminder of the steps involved in making Biodiesel.

Dewatering

  1. Dewater your oil - raise oil temp to at least 60 degrees C and allow to stand for at least one hour, over night is better
  2. After standing, drop a few litres from the bottom,taking away any water that has settle
  3. Take a sample for titration (from the top, more than 1ml)
  4. If necessary, transfer the oil to your processor

Titration

  1. Add 10ml of IPA to a beaker
  2. Add a few drops of Phenalphaline or Tumeric indicator solution
  3. With a syringe draw a little of your titration solution, and add dropwise to your beaker until your solution turns purple and stays purple for approximatley 30 seconds. This is known as blanking, to get the IPA to neutral pH.
  4. Add 1ml of your oil sample you drew after dewatering and swirl - the solution will turn a yellowy white
  5. Fill a 10 ml syringe with your titration solution and add drop wise to your beaker swirling constantly, you are trying to find the point where the solution goes and stays purple for 30 seconds.
  6. Work out the amount of titrant you have used. 1.4ml of titration solution = titration value of 1.4. Repeat this step if necessary to get an accurate value.
  7. Add this figure to your base. Most Sodium hydroxide users use a base of 5.0. In this example, 1.4 + 5.0 = 6.4. This figure is the amount of Sodium Hydroxide needed per litre of oil you are going to process
  8. Mix this with Methanol, 22% by volume of oil to be processed.
  9. Heat your oil to 55C and turn off heater (make sure your pump is on and circulating)

Process

  1. Inject methoxide via a venturi or suck in via pump
  2. Process - allow to mix for one hour
  3. Take a sample for 3/27 or 5/45 and allow to sit for 10 minutes

5/45 test

  1. Add 45mls of methanol to a suitable container
  2. Add 5mls of biodiesel from the top of your settled sample
  3. Tightly close the lid and shake for 10-15 seconds (for accurate results your Methanol should be at 20C)
  4. Allow to stand for 5-10 minutes
  5. Pass = solution transparent, fail = fall out/seperation of liquids (more mixing required)

Drain Glycerol

  1. Settle (turn off all the pumps) for at least one hour.
  2. Drain Glycerol slowly into suitable container - Glycerol is black and thick, when the lighter Biodiesel starts to flow out stop draining.
  3. Transfer biodiesel to demeth and settle tank.
  4. Air bubble over night in a well ventilated area.
  5. Turn off the air pump and allow the soaps to settle out naturally for approximatley 1 week

Soap test

  1. Fill a jar pickle,jam what ever you choose just under half full with a sample of your biodiesel add about the same off water give three solid shakes, and allow to stand for approximatley 5 minutes. If, when settled, the water on the bottom of your sample is clear your good to go simply pass your fuel through at least a 5 micron filter and fill your car!

remembering that winter time your fuel will need winterising

More work to be done on this page :)