Ian's vacuum biodiesel processor

80-litre per batch closed-loop processor

Process based on Aleks Kac's 2-stage acid-base process

From left to right :

Oil drum = Feedstock Holding Tank
(FHT)
20-litre drum = Filter Unit with vacuum
pump below.
Mixing pumps, condenser behind, liquid
trap below
45 kilogram propane bottle = Reactor
Oil drum = biodiesel bubble wash and
dry holding tank, switch gear above
20-litre drum = Methoxide Mixer

"I've used the system once a month since last

June and had no problems. But the drums are
beginning to rust heavily, especially on the
methoxide side of things.

"I had my Land Rover emissions test done last

year, on standard diesel and the 100% biodiesel.

"Very interesting.

"The average reading for standard was 1.22

(whatever scale they use). Biodiesel was 0.62!!!

"The bloke doing the check couldn't believe it. They usually sell an expensive additive for people
with smoky diesels or if they're just over the MOT emission limit."

Ian
April 2002
 Full schematic of the processor

How it works

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

7. 8. 9.
10. 11. 12.

Above: Methoxide Mixer showing air tool for mixing, cap for
adding caustic or manually feeding methanol. Top gate valve
for sucking in methanol from source via transparent sighting
tube.
Right: Bottom of Methoxide Mixer showing valve to control
feed to reactor and sighting tube, which is also used as
methanol pickup pipe.

Detail of bearing and coupler Detail of stirrer

 Left: The pump
assembly

Right: The water trap

I use three of these for bubble washing. They are

pneumatic exhaust silencers. They don't rot, they're
cheap and they work very well

"Top Hat" inspection hatch and Sulphuric Acid funnel

(if using Aleks's Foolproof method)

Inside the FHT showing pickup filter and a bit of

the immersion heater

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Journey to Forever
The Foolproof
The FOOLPROOF way Method has been used
to make many
to make biodiesel thousands of gallons of
high-quality biodiesel
By Aleks Kac from all sorts of
feedstock. Many
individual biofuellers
Free fatty acid to ester have adopted it as their
conversion standard method.

Spanish version -- Versin en In two professional

espaol biodiesel fuel analyses,
En espaol
two years apart, home-
Biocombustibles, biodiesel
brewed biodiesel made
by this method met the
Biofuels German DIN 51606
Biofuel mailing list - biodiesel standards.
subscribe
This means the fuel is
Biofuels Library suitable for warranty
Biofuels supplies and repair by VW for all
suppliers their vehicles made
from 1996 till today.
Biodiesel You can make DIN and
Make your own ASTM-compliant fuel
biodiesel just by carefully
Mike Pelly's recipe following the
Two-stage biodiesel instructions. See
process National standards for
FOOLPROOF biodiesel
biodiesel process
Biodiesel processors
Biodiesel in Hong NOTE: The two-stage biodiesel processes are
Kong advanced methods, not for novices -- learn the basics
Nitrogen Oxide thoroughly first. The single-stage base method is the
emissions place to start. Start here.
Glycerine
Biodiesel resources
on the Web This is a FOOLPROOF way to make biodiesel. No titration
Do diesels have a is required, and no extra equipment or special equipment -- a
future? thermometer's handy, but NO pH meter!
Vegetable oil yields
and characteristics
Washing This is a two-stage procedure, acid first-stage, base second-
Biodiesel and your stage. It is based on the highest free fatty acid (FFA) content
vehicle found in used cooking oil, but it can be used with any waste
Food or fuel? vegetable/animal oil or fat, whether or not it has a high FFA
content. The process increases yields dramatically. Use it as
Straight vegetable oil
your standard method.
as diesel fuel
Heaters, burners,
stoves
-
Ethanol Introduction
Ethanol resources on
the Web To make biodiesel fuel efficiently from used vegetable oils
Is ethanol energy- and animal fats we have to avoid one major problem: soap
efficient? formation. Soap is formed during base-catalyzed
-- transesterification (using lye) when sodium ions combine
Wood gas -- with free fatty acids present in used (and some virgin)
producer gas vegetable oils and animal fats. The soaps diminish the yield
Home because they bond the methyl esters to water. The bonded
What people are saying esters get washed out at the washing stage but make water
about us separation more difficult and increase water consumption.
About Handmade Projects This process takes care of the free fatty acids.
Sitemap (text only)
In one early test I used a mixture of 50% heavily used
Projects cooking oil and 50% pork
Community development lard. The result was a pure
Why we're doing this product with absolutely no
Rural development trace of soap! The biodiesel
Fixing what's broken
looked nice, and smelt nice,
City farms as if made from virgin oil.
Edible cities
Organic gardening
Everyone can grow their own This is a simple procedure.
food The first-stage process is
Composting not transesterification, but
The Wheel of Life pure and simple
Small farms ESTERIFICATION.
The way forward Esterification is followed by
Small farms library transesterification, but under
Classics on organic growing,
acid conditions it's much
soil and health (full text
online) slower than under caustic
Biofuels conditions and it won't do a
Fuel for the future complete oil-to-methyl ester
Solar box cookers conversion as the reaction is
Sun power saves lives and much more equilibrium- Aleks (background) and friend
trees sensitive. Without methanol Matevz making biodiesel in
Matevz's living room.
Trees, soil and water
Healthcare for mountains
Seeds of the world
No seeds, no food
Appropriate technology
What works and fits
Project vehicles
The workhorses
Internet
Why it really matters
Internet interaction
Finding your way
Schools projects
Introduction
Biofuels
Solar box cookers
Backpack stove
PicoTurbine
Low-tech radio
What to do with a
cardboard carton
Sisters of silk
Silkworms in a shoebox
School gardens
School composting
Trees and forests
The Beach House fish
pond
HOMeR
Eco-footprint
School and youth
programs on the Web
Education resources on
the Web
Contact us
To Keith Addison
keith@journeytoforever.org
To Midori Hiraga
midori@journeytoforever.org
Homepage
http://journeytoforever.org/
Handmade Projects
Tamba
recovery, the alcohol overdose required would make the
price of your fuel jump, and even with recovery it would
still be much more expensive. Hence the second base-stage.
For the first stage you'll form a compound out of an acid and
an alcohol. The alcohol is still methanol, but instead of using
lye (sodium hydroxide), the CATALYST in this reaction is
sulphuric acid ("battery acid"). It needs 95% sulphuric acid
(battery acid is around 50%). Sulphuric acid is one of the
commonest chemicals on Earth, just like lye. More
concentrated sulphuric acid -- 98% and above -- costs more,
but 95% works just fine if you follow these directions. Other
acids won't work: it must be sulphuric acid. The second
stage uses lye, as usual -- but it only uses about half as much
as other methods.
The sulfate ion in the sulphuric acid combines with the
sodium ion in the lye during the second-stage reaction to
form sodium sulphate, which is a water-soluble salt and is
removed in the wash. No sulphur remains in the biodiesel
fuel product.
Equipment
You don't need a special processor for the Foolproof method.
Generally, a bottom-drained reactor vessel is best, closed on
top. Tall, narrow containers work better than wide, shallow
ones. Use a circulating pump for mixing rather than a
mechanical stirrer. The pump should take the mixture from
near the bottom of the reactor and return it via the top, to
splash down on the surface. For a 35-litre reactor, a 100-W
washing-machine pump will do, along with a 1.5kW
washing-machine immersion heater to heat the mixture (get
a heater that's coated with stainless steel). You could use a
thermostat to control the temperature, but they're expensive:
just use a thermometer and switch on the heater as required.
Ordinary iron and steel implements and containers will
eventually corrode because of the acid used in this process.
However, you can still use the usual 55-gal (200-litre) drum.
The proportion of acid used in this process is very low --
you should be able to use an uncoated drum for a year or
more before the rust gets out of control. I use a
polypropylene plastic reaction vessel. Any plastic that won't
 CAUTION
Japan deform at 100 deg C (212 deg F) or
a bit more is fine. Stainless steel is Sulphuric acid is a
also fine. Use an immersion heater DANGEROUS
Foolproof with plastic containers. With steel CHEMICAL. Take full
pictures containers you can use propane safety precautions,
Aleks made a couple of mini- heaters to heat the oil, then switch to wear safety goggles,
batches in glass jars for these an immersion heater before adding gloves and apron and
photographs -- one batch of the methanol. eye protection. Have
heavily used cooking oil and running water nearby.
fat, and one of pure fat. Don't inhale fumes!

If you run out of

Test batches sulphuric acid NEVER
try to make up the
Whenever you're trying a new required volume with
method, it's always a good idea to nitric acid. It may form
make small test batches of a litre or small quantities of
1. 30% fats and 70% oil -- less first to familiarize yourself with nitroG (nitroglycerine)
lumps of semi-hard fat remain the process before moving on to -- even the smallest
after water boil-off. bigger batches. Most people use amount can cause
kitchen blenders for this -- but don't horrible accidents. See:
use it for food again afterwards! High Explosives

Methanol can cause

The process blindness and death,
and it is absorbed
1. Filter the used cooking oil first as through the skin.
usual. Sodium hydroxide can
2. Fat-oil mixture after melting.
cause severe burns and
2. For a successful reaction the oil death. Together these
must be free of water. Here are two two chemicals form
methods of removing the water sodium methoxide.
content: This is an extremely
caustic chemical.
(a) Settling the water out: This These are dangerous
method saves energy. Heat the oil to chemicals -- treat them
60 deg C (140 deg F), maintain the as such! Always have
temperature for 15 minutes and then
3. Suspension formation after pour the oil into a settling tank. Let water running nearby
methanol introduction (note it settle for at least 24 hours. Make when working with
murkiness). them. The workspace
sure you never empty the settling must be thoroughly
vessel more than 90%. ventilated. No children
or pets allowed. Wear
(b) Boiling the water off: Less- safety goggles, gloves
preferred method as it uses more and apron and eye
protection. Do not
inhale any vapors. See
Safety for further
information.
 energy and helps to form more FFAs in the oil. Heat the oil
to 100 deg C (212 deg F). As the heat rises water separates
out and falls to the bottom -- drain it off to avoid steam
explosions. Maintain the temperature until no more steam
bubbles rise.

First stage
4. End of acid stage (note
darker colour). 3. Measure the volume of oil/fats to be processed (preferably
in litres).

4. Heat the oil to 35 deg C (95 deg F) -- make sure that all
solid fats are melted.

5. Methanol: use only 99%+ pure methanol. Measure out the

5. 100% semi-solid fats-melted
fats.
methanol -- 0.08 litres of methanol for each litre of oil/fats
(8% by volume). Add the methanol to the heated oil.
6. Mix for five minutes -- the mixture will become murky
because of solvent change (methanol is a polar compound,
oil is strongly non-polar; a suspension will form).

7. For each litre of oil/fats add 1 millilitre of 95% sulphuric

acid (H2SO4). Use a graduated eyedropper, a graduated
syringe or a pipette. TAKE CARE when handling the
concentrated sulphuric acid!
6. Change after adding
methanol: murky fat (normal -- 8. Mix gently at LOW rpm (don't splash!) while keeping the
this is procedure). temperature at 35 deg C. The rotation of your stirrer should
not exceed 500 to 600 rpm -- speed is not crucial and
splashed oil is a mess to clean.

9. Maintain the temperature at 35 deg C for one hour then

stop heating. Continue stirring.

10. Stir the unheated mixture for another hour, a total of two
hours, then stop mixing. Let the mixture sit for at least eight
7. First-stage glycerine. hours, overnight is better.

8. Second stage -- finished
esters.
9. Second-stage glycerine.
Methoxide
11. In the meantime prepare the the easy way
sodium methoxide: measure 0.12
litre of methanol for each litre of Mixing lye with
oil/fat (12% by volume) and weigh methanol creates an
3.1 grams (up to 3.5 grams if purity exothermic reaction,
is in doubt) of sodium lye (sodium generating heat. It's
hydroxide, NaOH) per litre of nasty stuff and it's not
oil/fat. Mix the lye into the methanol easy to mix -- and it
until the lye is completely dissolved. must be thoroughly
mixed before you use
Sodium methoxide is a it, with all the lye
DANGEROUS CHEMICAL. Take dissolved. This is a
full safety precautions when safe and easy way to
working with methanol, lye and do it. The disadvantage
sodium methoxide, wear safety is that you have to do it
goggles, protective gloves and in advance, but that's
clothing, have running water nearby. easily arranged.
NOTE: This process uses only Take FULL SAFETY
about half the usual amount of lye as PRECAUTIONS when
there is less fat left to transesterify. working with
Use 99%+ pure sodium hydroxide methanol, lye and
lye. After opening the container, sodium methoxide!
close it again as quickly as possible
to prevent moisture getting in. Use a tough, thick,
Weigh the lye carefully -- using too container made of
much will complicate the washing HDPE (High-density
process later. Polyethylene -- usually
marked "HDPE" on the
12. After settling for eight hours, or bottom, with the
the next morning, pour half of the international code "2"),
prepared methoxide into the with a tight stopper
unheated mixture and mix for five and a screw-on lid.
minutes. This will neutralize the Measure out the
sulphuric acid and boost the base methanol into the
catalysis. If you've used solid fat, it container. Add the
probably solidified during settling -- required amount of lye
gently melt the mixture first. -- if you're doing large
quantities, add it bit by
Now you can continue with the bit rather than all at
normal procedure with the lye as the once, give the
second stage. container a swirl in
between (replace
stopper and lid first).
Once it's all added,
replace the stopper and
Second stage the lid, and swirl the
mixture about for a
few seconds. Then let
it stand. Do that a few
 Washing
Why bother?
Site Search
Use Advanced Frequently Asked Question: "Do you really need to
search for multiple words and 'wash' biodiesel? I've been running a 50/50 biodiesel/petro
phrases diesel mix for a few months so far and my Dodge Cummins
Please support runs great on it."
Journey to
Forever Answer: "Yes, we do. Detergents in gasoline or petroleum
diesel? Maybe. Sodium or potassium soaps in biodiesel? Not.
A can of HEET (methanol) in the tank every once in awhile to
resolve a water issue? Maybe. A dose of methanol to hoses
En espaol and seals with every inch on the odometer? Not. And certainly
Biocombustibles, biodiesel there isn't any benefit to leaving caramelizing glycerin floating
freely in a fuel and headed for an injector. I think it best be left
Biofuels to the petro-chemical distilleries to leave varnishes, paraffins
Biofuel mailing list - and the like in their fuel and serve it up as champagne to the
subscribe unsuspecting. As for 'no problems 'til now?' You might take
Biofuels Library note that nothing is ever broken until it breaks." -- Todd
Biofuels supplies and Swearingen, Appal Energy, at the Biofuel mailing list.
suppliers
Read what the Fuel Injection Equipment (FIE)
Biodiesel Manufacturers (Delphi, Stanadyne, Denso, Bosch) have to
say about the contaminants left in unwashed biodiesel:
Make your own
Summary -- html
biodiesel
Full document -- Acrobat file, 104kb
Mike Pelly's recipe
Two-stage biodiesel See: Determining the Influence of Contaminants on
process Biodiesel Properties, Jon H. Van Gerpen et al., Iowa State
FOOLPROOF University, July 31, 1996 -- 12,000-word report on
biodiesel process contaminants and their effects. Acrobat file, 2.1Mb
Biodiesel processors
Biodiesel in Hong Quality biodiesel must be washed.
Kong
Nitrogen Oxide Frequently Asked Question: "I don't wash my biodiesel,
emissions but I filter it through an automotive oil filter, then through a 3
Glycerine micron oil filter, this is after allowing the biodiesel to settle in
Biodiesel resources a 55 gal barrel for a couple days. Is this adequate?"
on the Web
Answer: No. Settling and filtering will not remove the soap,
Do diesels have a
catalyst, glycerin or excess methanol contaminants.
future?
Vegetable oil yields
Frequently Asked Question: "Methanol is good fuel, why
and characteristics
wash out the excess methanol, what a waste!"
Washing
Biodiesel and your
vehicle Answer: Methanol is good fuel in specially prepared race car
Food or fuel? engines, which are not diesels. Excess methanol in unwashed
Straight vegetable oil biodiesel is not good fuel and does harm, corroding the fuel
as diesel fuel injection system. Recover the methanol for re-use or wash it
out of the fuel.
Heaters, burners,
stoves
- Which way is best?
Ethanol
Frequently Asked Question: "I was wondering if anyone
Ethanol resources on
could tell me which way might be best for washing large
the Web
batches of biodiesel? I was wondering if bubble washing or
Is ethanol energy- top-mist washing would be better." -- Biofuel mailing list, July
efficient? 2004
--
Wood gas -- Answer: Perhaps neither.
producer gas
Home First you have to know what an emulsion is and why it
What people are saying matters. Briefly (more below), oil and water don't mix, and
about us well-made biodiesel should separate quickly and cleanly from
About Handmade the wash water when it settles. But if the biodiesel isn't made
Projects properly there'll be more soap in it than there should be, along
Sitemap (text only) with half-processed oil molecules, monoglycerides and
diglycerides (MGs and DGs), which are emulsifiers.
Projects Emulsifiers are used to make stable mixtures of oil and water,
Community development such as mayonnaise. Soap also does that. If there's too much
Why we're doing this
of this stuff in your biodiesel, some of the biodiesel or all of it
Rural development won't separate from the wash water, or at least not quickly,
Fixing what's broken
City farms and in some cases maybe not for weeks. You have an emulsion
Edible cities problem.
Organic gardening
Everyone can grow their In fact it's a quality test -- if it doesn't separate, you need to
own food work on improving your processing. Properly made biodiesel
Composting with good completion of the reaction will not emulsify.
The Wheel of Life
Small farms You can "fix" an emulsion, or prevent it forming (see below),
The way forward
and emerge successfully... but with poor-grade fuel. The
Small farms library emulsifiers are fuel contaminants, they can't be washed out,
Classics on organic
growing, soil and health (full and the upper limits for them in the national standards
text online) specifications are low. Above those limits they'll cause injector
Biofuels coking and damage your engine, especially with prolonged
Fuel for the future use.
Solar box cookers
Sun power saves lives and Gentle and super-gentle washing techniques like bubble-
trees
washing and top-mist washing simply mask the problem that
Trees, soil and water
Healthcare for mountains
Seeds of the world
No seeds, no food
Appropriate technology
What works and fits
Project vehicles
The workhorses
Internet
Why it really matters
Internet interaction
Finding your way
Schools projects
Introduction
Biofuels
Solar box cookers
Backpack stove
PicoTurbine
Low-tech radio
What to do with a
cardboard carton
Sisters of silk
Silkworms in a shoebox
School gardens
School composting
Trees and forests
The Beach House fish
pond
HOMeR
Eco-footprint
School and youth
programs on the Web
Education resources
on the Web
Contact us
To Keith Addison
keith@journeytoforever.org
To Midori Hiraga
midori@journeytoforever.org
Homepage
http://journeytoforever.org/
Handmade Projects
Tamba
Japan
the fuel may not have been made properly in the first place.
Todd Swearingen of Appal Energy replied:
"Mist- and bubble-washing have become
'institutionalized' amongst home-brewers primarily due
to the frequency of incomplete reactions that lead to
washing problems. They are both methods of treating
incomplete reactions with little kid's gloves in the
hopes that any resulting emulsion won't be 'too bad' or
'too noticeable.'
"No wash method should be used on any batch unless
it is known for certain that the reaction has completed.
(See Quality testing.) Unfortunately, many people fail
to guarantee this for themselves, opting to just 'go
ahead and wash it gently.'"
Quite so. See below, Stir washing.
There is a lot of confusion about this. Here's a different reply
to the same message, from a champion of super-gentle
washing methods:
"Either mistwash or bubblewash works fine for big
batches, but the same rules apply as for small batches
-- more water is needed for misting and less
emulsification happens, much less water is needed for
bubblewashing but more chance that emulsification
can take place.
"I actually use both now -- mist for a few gallons and
then I bubblewash with good use of water recycling
during bubblewashing. In my 350 gallon wash tank,
my small aquarium air pump gives fine results, but not
all of the air pumps might be able to handle such large
batches. It looks like a tiny amount of bubbles are
rising but it works really well -- less emulsification
than the same air pump agitating up a smaller batch."
-- Maria "Girl Mark" Alovert, July 2004
But what sort of fuel will emulsify at all in a 350-gallon tank
with only a small aquarium air pump to "agitate" it? Well-
made fuel can take rough washing with a paint-stirrer without
The two-stage adaptation of
Mike Pellys biodiesel recipe
By Aleks Kac

Spanish version -- Versin en espaol

Note: Many biofuellers are using this method and report high-quality results. Aleks has
since evolved the process -- see the FOOLPROOF biodiesel method

The two-stage processes are advanced methods, not for novices -- learn the basics
thoroughly first. The single-stage base method is the place to start. Start here.

Introduction
For some time now a growing group of people have been trying
and succeeding to make diesel fuel out of used cooking oil
(waste vegetable oil, WVO) by themselves. There are many
magnificent articles on this subject on the Internet that can teach
you how to get started.

Here is a proposition for an alternative method, which can give

you a slightly purer type of biodiesel. It will come in handy
during winters, as with this adaptation less wax and ignition
problems will arise -- at least I hope so.

I believe that everyone has paid a visit to Mike Pelly's recipe at

some point in their DIY biofuel-production learning stage -- if
you haven't you should do it soon. This article will give you a
good explanation of the ester splitting process,
transesterification and soap formation. Also Mike provides a
very good starting point for the first batches and the engine
goes good enough on the fuel for most climates -- and for most
drivers.
But I wasn't always quite happy with my product. Let me explain why: I am a chemistry
technician and I did some calculation prior to my first biodiesel batches. I was missing a part of
glycerine -- not much, but this was sloppy chemistry for me. I brewed, I weighed, I measured, I
read articles, I reread them, I rebrewed and I bought a diesel car to try the biodiesel out.

Since no one at our Biofuel discussion group complained about this "missed" glycerine, I
thought I must have gone wrong in my calculations and just poured the soup into my "brand
new" used Jeep. I started the engine and went for a ride. Engine and pump didn't choke on the
stuff, I happily noticed "The Smell" and started cooking some more.

But over time I noticed a slight nailing sound from the engine on fresher mornings and started to
research. After a while I stumbled over Camillo Holecek's mail -- you know, the guy with the
continuous process -- and this man gave me some good advice.

Theory
Well, if you remember your chemistry class, in many chemical reactions we know of a thing
called equilibrium (some reactions go in one direction only). Let's look at a reaction like this:

A+B > C+D

A+B < C+D

As you noticed, the reaction direction is reversible, and of this type is also the transesterification
reaction we like and do so much. When reactants and products reach equilibrium, the reaction
stops. We don't like that, because it means that the WVO isn't converting anymore. Now our
biodiesel is a mixture of WVO and FAME (fatty acid methyl ester). You can't tell these two
apart, because FAME is a good solvent and thus the unreacted WVO is dissolved. We all know
that you shouldn't run a regular diesel engine on unheated WVO, so we have to do something.

The adaptation
There are two remedies for that. Let's imagine that C and D represent our products: FAME and
glycerine (A and B stand for WVO and methanol). To push the reaction towards C and D --
meaning, we want to convert all the WVO to FAME -- we can do the following:

1. add more methanol -- this will push the reaction to the right, or
2. retract the undesired product (glycerine) -- right direction again.

Adding methanol doesn't do much, unless you really exaggerate, meaning, you must add more
than twice the amount needed to get a slight result. This will make the price of your homemade
fuel go sky-high. But, retracting glycerine is another story, as it helps to pull out one third more.
This means that more WVO gets transesterificated. Pulling out glycerine during the reaction is
hard because you need a liquid-liquid separator (centrifuge) to do that, and this equipment is very
expensive. I almost abandoned this idea, when Camillo offered a fine and simple solution: do it
in two stages!

The process
Let's sum up Mike's process quickly:

titrate
heat up the WVO
 prepare the methoxide
mix WVO and methoxide
settle and retract glycerine
wash and dry.

The two-stage process differs in only two things: no titration and a second mix of methoxide and
WVO. First things first: why no titration? Well, any analytic chemist will tell you that if you
don't work with fresh chemicals and in at least three parallels, you won't get accurate results. So I
figured out an empiric quantity of lye (NaOH), which for all my batches was more than good:
around 6.25 g of NaOH per litre of waste oil. For the second stage you don't need any new
equipment, just some more time. OK, here is how it's done:

CAUTION:
Wear proper chemical-proof gloves, apron, and eye protection and do not inhale any vapors.
Methanol can cause blindness and death, and you don't even have to drink it, it's absorbed
through the skin. Sodium hydroxide can cause severe burns and death. Together these two
chemicals form sodium methoxide. This is an extremely caustic chemical. These are dangerous
chemicals -- treat them as such! Always have a hose running when working with them. The
workspace must be thoroughly ventilated. No children or pets allowed. See Safety for further
information.

First stage

1. Measure your WVO and pour it into your reaction vessel

2. Prepare your methoxide this way: mix 25% (by volume of WVO) of pure methanol and
(6.25g/litre of WVO) of sodium lye (NaOH)

3. Heat the WVO to 48-52 deg C (118-126 deg F)

4. Add 3/4 of the prepared methoxide (save the rest in a sealed container out of reach of children
and flames, sparks... or prepare a fresh batch for the next stage -- do two calculations: first
determine the amount of needed chemicals, then split it in 3/4 and 1/4).

5. Mix for 50-60 minutes holding the initial temperature.

6. Let the mixture rest for 12 hours.

7. Separate the glycerine from the FAME -- you'll notice that at this point the glycerine is
unusually thin.

Second stage

8. Refill your reaction vessel with the first-stage FAME.

9. Heat the FAME to 48-52 deg C (118-126 deg F).

10. Add the remaining 1/4 methoxide.

11. Mix for 50-60 minutes holding the initial temperature.

12. Let the mixture rest for 12 hours.

13. Separate the glycerine from the FAME -- now the glycerine is a gelatinous mass. On top of
the glycerine layer you'll find a thick layer of settled waxes (cream colored), which you shouldn't
process further. Remember, this is one of the things that might clog your fuel injectors.

14. Wash and dry with your favorite method. I use the Idaho bubble wash method.

The University of Idaho's Bubble wash method

I would like to explain this method in this article, because it is crucial that your product is
washed. Please, do not attempt to drive your vehicle with fuel made on this article's instructions
before it's properly washed (the fuel, not the car). This fuel is highly caustic at the end of the
second stage and it could damage the high-pressure fuel pump.

Here is what you'll need: a large plastic vessel (twice the volume of your reaction vessel), a
cheap aquarium air pump (with enough air flow), a large aquarium air stone and some rubber
hose to connect the pump with the stone. I use a pH meter for my measurements, but you can use
pH paper (scaled 1/2 pH unit) or a digital pH indicator (around US$15). The pH indicator is the
cheapest instrument if you plan to make more than 20 batches.

pH explained

pH has no real unit, as it's formula is "pH= log (conc. (H+)ions)". So this is a number that is
not affected by volume, as chemists needed a way of telling how much H- or H+ ions there are in
an unknown volume of a liquid.

The pH of your second-stage FAME will be well over 7 (surplus lye), which is a sort of zero on
the pH scale. The scale ranges from 0 to 14, acidic is 0 through 7, from 7 up it shows alkalinity, 7
itself is neutral.

So, if you have, say, 10 litres of a liquid with a pH value of 9 (2 units above 7) and mix it with 10
litres of a liquid with a pH value of 5 (2 units under 7), the result will be a liquid with a pH value
of more or less 7, meaning neutral. This trick we'll use to wash our FAME.
The Wash

First measure the pH of your FAME. Be patient, as it takes a

little longer than with water mixtures. Write the value down.
Prepare your washing vessel; fill it 1/2 with water (or with the
same volume as the FAME you want to wash). Make sure that
both the water and FAME have roughly the same (room)
temperature. Now wash and dry the electrode of your indicator,
dip it in the water and add strong vinegar till it reaches as many
units under 7 as the FAMEs pH is above 7. Mix with a wooden
spoon while adding minute amounts of vinegar.

So, if your FAMEs pH is 8.7, the water should have a pH of 5.3. All well so far? Now pour your
second-stage FAME into the vessel, throw in the aquarium stone and fire up the air pump. Soon
youll notice a string of bubbles rising up through the FAME carrying minute amounts of water
right to the surface. When this water falls down again, it washes the soaps and surplus methanol
out of the FAME and the vinegar neutralizes the remaining lye.

Let it bubble for 6 hours minimum. Turn the pump off and let the mixture sit for 12 hours. The
water will fall to the bottom, turning completely white and the fuel you made will look much
lighter in color now. Take the FAME out of the vessel, taking care not to get any water with it.
You can achieve that either with a translucent hose, or you can epoxy a valve to your vessels
wall near the bottom. Now slowly heat the washed FAME to 100 deg C (212 deg F) and hold the
temperature until you see no more steam bubbles rising. The pH of your homemade fuel will be
7 +/- 0.25, which is good enough. Cool it down, filter the fuel, pour it in your cars tank and
drive away.

See Washing

Conclusion
I tested biodiesel made by this method thoroughly in my Jeep Cherokee 2.1 litre turbodiesel. It
behaves better than "classic" biodiesel, and even better than petrodiesel (the engine is grunting
happily). Now that winter is on the doorstep, I will upgrade the fuel filter with a small heater, and
that should eliminate other nasty little surprises.

As Im finishing this article it got cold and its drizzling outside. I poured myself a finger of fine
Scotch whiskey and Im sipping it slowly. My cat is purring on my lap and I think very much of
next spring, looking forward to some traveling. Hopefully we can all meet someday, possibly
near a field of blooming sunflowers.

I wish you all good success with your biofuel production.

Aleks Kac
Ljubljana
Slovenija

Special thanks to:

Mike Pelly
Camillo Holecek
Steve Spence
Keith Addison
and Joshua Tickell

All of whom are true gentlemen.

Feedback

I received a number of complaints on the process, namely it seems to be generating a lot of

"jelly". GET RID OF THE WATER! A more caustic methoxide in the process will absolutely
generate soap in the presence of anything more 1 zillionth % of water. Here is the thing: the lye
quantity is not obligatory 6.25 g/litre WVO. With this figure you'll get in trouble if the oil
contains any water. For an easier start try 6.00 g/litre of WVO and gradually go up or preheat and
dry your oil. More lye means easier ester splitting, less time.

Aleks Kac 2000

COMMENT
In one of Aleks Kac's first messages to the Biofuel mailing list he said he was making micro-
batches of biodiesel, and the stuff he made from virgin oil was fine, "but with used fryer oil the
ester smells like kitten vomit ... it has a real nasty smell, like when you open a compost heap.
Any advice?" (It worked okay though.) It didn't take Aleks long to move from novice status to
become one of the leading lights in the biofuels movement: it was only five months after this
first message that he uploaded his two-stage biodiesel processing method to the Web. Good
going Aleks -- keep up the great work!
-- Keith Addison

Mike Pelly
Steve Spence
http://www.green-trust.org/

Joshua Tickell:
VeggieVan
http://www.veggievan.org/

Camillo Holecek of ENERGEA -- Email: camillo.holecek@donauwind.at

http://www.energea.at/en_info.html