Originally Posted By: WoofWagon
To the original poster, I've been making my own biodiesel for 10 years.
There are three things critical for making biodiesel, quality. quality. quality. There are several really easy methods for producing biodiesel that is both high quality and having excellent cetane rating.
As I often state to those who are interesting in biodiesel or want to learn from me how to do it, "if you can bake a cake from the instructions on the box, you can make biodiesel".
Please be advised that you are going to be dealing with some toxic chemicals here, potassium hydroxide and methanol. If you just follow some simple safety rules, you'll have years of safe 'brewing' of fuel.
I use a modification of what is called the "GL Process" of making biodiesel using a venturi to mix the chemicals with teh oil and an 80 gallon water heater. There is of course more involved but the lack of space for posting will limit my design brief for another time. It is a very solid process that removes the need for anything like water washing of the biodiesel to remove residual soaps.
On the issues of filter plugging, if this is your first use of biodiesel, have a new filter with you. Biodiesel is such a great cleaner, it will get all the accumulated gunk from running dinodiesel and plug said filter. I know I had to deal with this a couple of times.
I've run 100% biodiesel down to 20F, but recommend that you blend with dinodiesel in cold temps.
As for glycerin disposal, if you create the biodiesel using potassium hydroxide and all the methanol has been removed (by distillation) you can just spread the glycerin out on the ground. King County in Washington State told me this directly from their Hazardous Waste Division. I have also been giving glycerin to the local water treatment plant to feed the digester bacteria. I often take 10 gallons of the waste glycerin and turn it into soap to sell or use around the house here. The soap will even take diesel motor oil out of clothes.
woofwagon, you sir are the "man".
I bought my duramax with the sole intent to make bio and run on my own fuel.
I luv how you are using the glycerin to make soap!
op, few other things to consider:
1. zoning - check with city if they allow such venture
2. home owners insurance - same check
3. storage of feed stock, end product, waste
4. methanol - watch breaking bad? this is a sensitive product, make sure you inform your local sheriff/police and expect surprise visit in some areas.
5. kits, they sell full kits that you can assemble and make bio.