Alternative fuel ??

[fredflinstone]

Hey I've got one of those questions that I hope someone somewhere can answer! I'm fairly new to TDR and was talking to my father the other nite when he mentioned that he thought he saw a thread on here regarding the recycling of used cooking oil or some such thing to be used in diesels. My cheap nature immediatelly sparked interest and I am in great hope that some deranged diesel fanatic could point me in the right direction?? Gentelman any help is greatly appreciated!!! Thanks Seth (the newest deranged diesel fanatic)

 

[Trinary]

Biodiesel

Just got done brewing my latest test batch. The latest and greatest recipe involves old fry oil, methanol, sulfuric acid, and lye.



I'm gonna test it out on my old 6. 2L Chevy before I stick any in the Cummins

 

[fredflinstone]

Biodiesel

Hey I'm Overwhelmingly interested in hearing more!!!! Please get with me and give me all the dirty details if you have time sometime in the future!!!!

I would be greatfull for any information and even interested in trying it myself!

Thanks Seth

 

[Trinary]

Well, most of my information is from websites out there. For information, check out the National Biodiesel Board.

For continuing discussion and howto information, join the biofuel group on at Yahoo . Just do a search for "biofuel".

For the recipes, head to this site and click on Biofuels on the left. I'm using the FoolProof recipe at the moment without much luck. I'm making a lot of soap, and some diesel. The diesel I have make is good, clear, ph balanced stuff. I'm just not happy with the yield per liter of stanky veg. oil yet. I have 5 different test batches going right now, and am building a reactor out of an old electric water heater that should be able to pump out 30 gallons every 24 hours.

I should be getting nearly a liter of clean diesel for each liter of veg. oil I brew. There's really only 3 ingredients needed to start bewing, and some basic chemistry gear. Here's a little list you should consider:

Chemistry gear (use metric stuff, easier to follow the recipes):

• Thermometer
  
• graduated cylinders
  
• 2 liter beakers
  
• digial ph meter (or papers, either will work)
  
• 5 gallon buckets
  
• reactor - I use a 16 gallon can that used to contain gear oil
  
• heat source - need to get up to 55C
  
• scale (to the . 01 of a gram)
  

Supplies:

• Methanol - get it from a hotrod shop or go cart place 99% pure
  
• Lye - Red Devil from the store
  
• Sulfuic acid - 95% pure or better
  

Happy reading. I know this stuff works in engines of all sorts. There's a local rock products company that runs a fleet of dump trucks on 100% pure biodiesel. Costs the owner an extra 20 to 60 cents per gallon (he said about 350,000/year) to buy the stuff. He receives no tax breaks at all. He and his wife both have asthma and he didn't want to contribute to the air problems.....

 

[fredflinstone]

biodiesel

Trinary,

Hey thanks for all the great info I appreciate you taking the time!

Please keep me posted on how things turn out in the future I am very interested in the whole process and I will be trying to find everything I need to give it a try myself. Thanks Seth

 

[Trinary]

Just finished bubble washing my latest liter... . we'll see what it looks like in 12 hours. Happy reading... .



Jason

 

[SmokinJoe]

Re: Biodiesel

Originally posted by Trinary

Just got done brewing my latest test batch. The latest and greatest recipe involves old fry oil, methanol, sulfuric acid, and lye.



I'm gonna test it out on my old 6. 2L Chevy before I stick any in the Cummins

Was the cost too much to use new vegtable oil?



Do our Cummins powered RAM's have any plastic in the fuel system? It is said that plastic does not hold up well with biodiesel, in europe they have had biodiesel compatible transportation since 1996...

 

[Trinary]

Platstic and rubber don't hold up well to biodiesel that hasn't been properly washed and ph balanced. The excess methanol in the fuel won't do anything (should be reclaiming it via distillation or vacuum anyway), but the lye certainly will eat everything that isn't up to the task.

I've been using the fuel I've made so far as a solvent - works just like Simple Green.....

The key is to get the ph around 7 and all the glycerin, soap, and lye washed out. It's real easy to do: mix your final product with equal parts of water. Hook up a $9. 00 acquarium pump to a stone (from Walmart) and toss it in the tank. After about 6 hours, let it settle out. Drain the water off the bottom, check ph, and you have fuel.



Jason

 

[SmokinJoe]

Originally posted by Trinary

I've been using the fuel I've made so far as a solvent - works just like Simple Green.....

Have you used it for fuel? How much do you pay for the corn/soy oil?

 

[Trinary]

Originally posted by Smokin Joe





Have you used it for fuel? How much do you pay for the corn/soy oil?

Not yet. I'm going to run in my old 6. 2 diesel for a couple of months. I pay nothing for the oil, it's all used veg. oil and tallow from restaurants.



Jason

 

[LarryB]

Try here. http://www.veggievan.org/ Their book pretty much covers it. There are also a couple of forums out there, try http://biodiesel.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic/a/cfrm



Have fun