Everything you wanted to know about biodiesel

Where do you start?

Lets start with what biodiesel is. Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of long chain alkyl (methyl, propyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. ( reference: wikipedia Biodiesel ).
Biofuel is defined as solid, liquid or gaseous fuel derived from relatively recently dead biological material and is distinguished from fossil fuels, which are derived from long dead biological material. ( reference: wikipedia Biodiesel ).

Ok, Ok, I know, what does that really mean? Biodiesel is a non-toxic and biodegradable fuel that is made from vegetable oils ( such as soy bean oil ), cooking oils, animal fats or tall oil. ( a by-product from pulp and paper processing ).

You probably don't really care about the details, but more or less want to know how to either make your own and/or reduce your current fuel costs. I want to first cover some of the basics about biodiesel so that you can understand the differences and similarities with conventional diesel fuel. Then you can start making biodiesel at home.

The good news is that biodiesel can be used in existing diesel engines without any modifications ( most of the time ). Biodiesel has been tested in real world applications all over north America and is in use in many places too. Blends of biodiesel and conventional diesel are normally seen as a B-5 ( %5 biodiesel mix ) or B-20 ( %20 biodiesel mix ) and can be used in any existing un-modified diesel engine. Higher concentrations then %20 and %100 biodiesel ( refered to as neat biodiesel ) can cause problems with certain natural rubber components of the fuel system. Biodiesel will soften and degrade certain types of elastomers and natural rubber compounds over time. In such cases, the user of biodiesel must contact the manufacturer for specific information regarding the compatibility of biodiesel with the engine components. If the fuel system does contain these materials, replacement with compatible elastomers is highly recommended. Another big plus is that your engine warranty is not voided with the use of biodiesel grade fuels.

Cold weather can also cause further problems. Cold weather flow properties of diesel and biodiesel will cause the fuel to gel faster then #1 grade petrodiesel. You will need to take precausions in cold weather, such as fuel heaters, vehicle and fuel storage locations and/or the use of cold flow improvement additives. B-5 biodiesel mixed fuel was nearly un-affected by cold weather and the flow properties remained similar to regular diesel fuel.

You might also be wondering if biodiesel has been thoroughly tested and is safe to use. The answer is yes, biodiesel is the most tested alternative fuel on the market today. Research has been performed in the U.S by many government agencies, and passed all testing requirements for the Clean Air Act. Currently over 350 major commercial fleets use biodiesel.

Lets take a look now at how to make the stuff on your own. Lets start with a video clip from the TV show "Trucks" Trucks Episode - Making Biodiesel

Next, lets make a simple, easy to follow guide. This is not going to go into a lot of detailed information and explanations of why you should do things one way or another. There are many other websites online that can do that.

What we want to make: Biodiesel that will work in any diesel engine without any conversion or modifications ( provided the OEM specs do not include affected natural rubber compounds in the fuel system components ). This fuel needs processing first and will require some initial cost for the equipment and product.

WARNING: Some of the chemicals used in the biodiesel recipes can be harmful and dangerous to work with. You must take full safety precautions at all times.

Lets start in the comments and provide your recipes. We'll come to a consensus and post a simple to use recipe and process.

We will need a Test Batch setup, a testing process to test the quality of the bio diesel fuel, pictures, full batch setup, etc.

thanks

Chad

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