How to Make Homemade Biodiesel
Homemade biodiesel has become a popular, low-cost diesel fuel replacement. You can buy equipment and kits that will allow you to manufacture significant amounts of biodiesel in your garage or shed. You can produce small batches of biofuel with objects you probably already have. Producing your own will give you a good understanding of the biodiesel production process.
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Things You'll Need
- Pure lye or sodium hydroxide
- Methanol
- Vegetable oil
- Small and large glass mixing jars or bottles
- Pan
- Hot plate
- Gloves
- Chemical-proof apron
- Respirator
- Safety glasses
- Distilled water
Instructions
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It is best to start with a small batch of biodiesel to see how the process works. Measure out your ingredients in the proper proportion. For 1 L of vegetable oil you need 5 g of lye and 200 mm of methanol. The proportions will stay the same for larger batches, but start with producing a single liter of biodiesel.
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In a small glass jar add the lye to the methanol, put the lid on the jar, and swirl vigorously until the lye is dissolved. The resulting mixture is very dangerous, so handle it carefully. Wear the respirator during this process until the fluid is mixed into the oil.
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3
The vegetable oil should be warmed in a pan to 130 degrees F. Pour the oil into a 2-L glass bottle. Add the methanol and lye mixture, seal the bottle and shake vigorously for at least 10 minutes.
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4
The oil and methanol oxide mixture needs to stand undisturbed for at least 24 hours. Within the first hour you will see a dark substance separate out at the bottom of the bottle. The darker substance is glycerin, and the clearer liquid on top is your biodiesel. After 24 hours, carefully pour off the biodiesel into another jar, leaving the glycerin behind. Glycerin is used in soap making, so next you can add soap to your home manufacturing skills.
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The biodiesel needs to be "washed," removing the soap formed in the process. Add 1 cup of distilled water and agitate gently until soapy water appears. Since the fuel will float on water, turn the bottle upside down and crack the top open to drain out the soapy water. Wash and drain your biodiesel two more times.
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You now have a liter of homemade biodiesel fuel. It should stand open for several days to let any water settle from the fuel. The water will settle to the bottom of the container, and you can carefully pour or siphon off the fuel. You now have biodiesel that will run in any diesel engine and can be mixed with regular diesel fuel in any proportion.
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Tips & Warnings
You can use an old blender with a glass jar to mix the ingredients in order. You cannot use the blender for food preparation again. The wash and dry step is a gentle process. Do not overagitate.
The chemicals used to make biodiesel are flammable and poisonous. Use proper safety equipment and precautions. Use all the safety equipment. Make sure you understand the process before attempting to make your first batch of biodiesel.
