Homemade Fuel
Homemade biodiesel fuel can be made from animal fat or vegetable oil, methanol, and lye. It is longer-lasting, cleaner, and better for the environment than commercial petroleum fuel. And with widely fluctuating commercial gas prices, it can be also be a cheaper alternative. Homemade biodiesel fuel is relatively safe to make, so you don't have to worry about burns, explosions, or other injuries as long as you exercise caution and create the fuel in a place with room temperature and proper ventilation.
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Things You'll Need
- 1 liter canola oil
- 3.5 grams potassium hydroxide lye catalyst
- 200 ml methanol
- pot
- stove
- plastic bag
- blender
- measuring beaker
- high density polyethylene (HDPE) container with cap.
- 2 funnels
- 3 plastic 2-liter bottles with caps.
- scissors
- duct tape
- thermometer
- scales
Instructions
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1
Measure 3.5 grams of lye out on the scales in a plastic bag.
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2
Measure 200ml of methanol out in the measuring beaker. Use the first funnel to pour the methanol into the HDPE container. Pour the methanol quickly, as methanol absorbs water from the atmosphere. Add the lye to the container with the second funnel. Close the container's cap.
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3
Swirl the container for a minute to begin the process of dissolving the lye into the methanol. Set the container down and wait about 30 minutes for the lye to completely dissolve.
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4
Heat the canola oil to 130 degrees Fahrenheit in a pot on the stove. Use the thermometer to test the heat of the canola oil, then pour it into the blender. Pour the lye and methanol mixture in the blender. Turn the blender on low or medium speed and mix the oil, lye, and methanol for 20 to 30 minutes.
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5
Pour the mixture into the 2-liter bottle. Allow the mixture to settle for 12 to 24 hours, though the longer the mixture is allowed to settle the better. Dark-colored glycerine will separate from the rest of the mixture and settle at the bottom of the bottle. Pour the top layer of the mixture into another bottle, making sure the glycerine doesn't get into the new bottle. If it does, pour the mixture back into the first bottle and let it settle again.
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6
Perform a quality test by adding 150 ml of water and a sample of fuel to a bottle. Shake the bottle and then allow the contents to settle. If the water separates quickly from the fuel, then the fuel was properly made and can be used. However, if the water and fuel does not separate, or takes a long time to separate, a new batch of fuel must be made. Either the temperature was wrong or the ingredients weren't precise and there was too much lye or not enough methanol.
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7
Wash the rest of the fuel if it passes the quality test. Put a small hole with a pair of scissors at the bottom of two plastic bottles, then cover the holes with duct tape. Add the fuel and 1/2 a liter of water to the bottles. Put the caps on the bottles. Roll the bottles until the fuel and water mix completely, then allow the bottles to settle for an hour or more. Drain the water out of the bottom of the bottles by removing the duct tape from the holes. Stop the fuel from pouring out of the bottles by blocking it with your finger and transferring to another bottle. Wash twice more.
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8
Wait for the fuel to become a translucent, clear color before using. This may take several days, so store the fuel in a dry, cool location while waiting.
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References
- Photo Credit Saving fuel image by Katja Sucker from Fotolia.com
