Biodiesel as a form of alternative fuel, that has gained substantial popularity in the recent times. There are certain factors that have popularized the use of biodiesel. This alternative fuel minimizes the emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide. Biodiesel produced from soybeans reduces the extent of smoke cloud formation and the amount of hydrocarbon present in the atmosphere. When it comes to production of biodiesel, there are some basic processes. Soybeans or cooking oils are the most commonly used source of biodiesel.
How to Make Biodiesel: An Overview
The process of biodiesel production involves some essential steps. The Fuelmeister Biodiesel Processor is the equipment, which is simple enough and comes in handy in the production of biodiesel. This biodiesel maker costs around 2995 US dollars and comes in a package with all necessary fittings used in biodiesel production.
One of the common methods of biodiesel production is to take SVO or straight vegetable oil within a diesel engine and heat to burn the oil directly.
The steps involved in this process are as follows:
» The storage tank filled with straight vegetable oil along with the feed lines needs to be pre-heated.
» Regular biodiesel or diesel should be used to start the engine.
» The system needs to be cleaned properly before shutting off the engine. Normally biodiesel or diesel is burnt to clean the system.
Another popular method is to produce biodiesel from a mixture of used cooking oil, lye, and methanol. This method is known as transesterification. Sodium hydroxide, commonly known as granulated lye and methanol can be collected from hardware store and chemical store respectively. The used cooking oil must be filtered before taking it for transesterification. Fry oil filters are also required for the process. To prevent the oil from getting lumpy or thick, it should be warmed while using for the process. The oil can be heated under direct sunlight or in gas burner or any other heating equipment. The perfect temperature of the oil is 120? F.
While using methanol, one has to be extremely cautious, because it catches fire readily. The burner must be turned off before using methanol. The entire process needs to be carried out in an airy or ventilated space. Ethanol can also be used to make biodiesel in place of methanol. The main advantage of using ethanol is that it is less deadly than methanol.
Once the process is over, the biodiesel fuel must be washed off properly. Sufficient water can be used to remove the residual soaps. The best way is to spray water over the biodiesel. It takes around 12 hours to settle down. Once it is settled, the valve at the bottom of the container is opened to run out the water. The entire process of cleaning can be repeated two to three times till the water that is drained out becomes clear.