Heres one!
The New B100-WH Biodiesel Reactor
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/b100wh.jpeg
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Welcome to the B100-WH biodiesel reactor page ( For the older version click here (http://69.27.100.163/oldb100wh.html) ). That is the designation given to this version of the water heater reactor / processor for the homebrew of biodiesel from a waste vegetable/used cooking oil ( WVO/UCO ) feedstock. All links to this page are welcomed and a partial text paragraph may be used freely only in the event that it preceeds or incoporates a link to this page.
What is Biodiesel ?
Biodiesel is an alternative to diesel fuel that is made from vegetable oils, waste cooking oil, animal fats or tall oil (a waste product from pulp and paper processing). Compared with conventional diesel, biodiesel combusts better and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.
All (diesel) vehicles can use blended biodiesel, which is a mixture of petroleum diesel and biodiesel, and many new vehicles can use pure biodiesel. However, some additives are needed in high concentrations of biodiesel, particularly to address cold flow properties during winter months. Research and testing is underway to reduce production costs and address cold weather problems.
Before these oils can be used as fuel, they must be processed to make them less viscous, or sticky. Through a process called transesterification, the oil is blended with an alcohol – usually methanol, although ethanol can also be used – and a catalyst such as sodium hydroxide. The resulting chemical reaction produces glycerine and an ester called biodiesel.
Biodiesel can be blended with diesel in any concentration. The blend level depends on economics, availability, the desired emissions level, material compatibility and combustion characteristics.
The above "What is Biodiesel ?" is taken from the Natural Resources Canada (http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation/fuels/biodiesel/biodiesel.cfm?attr=8) website.
Getting started :
The first thing that needs to be done,after being assured that the oil does not contain water, is to find out what the levels of FFA's (Free Fatty Acids) are in the oil. This is done by the process of titration. A reliable method of titration is a priority for the most commonly used method of homebrewing Biodiesel. The school of thought on methods varies slightly from author to author, however it must show the accurate titration level in order for the proper amount of catalyst, be it Sodium Hydroxide/NaOH (http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/SO/sodium_hydroxide.html), or Potassium Hydroxide/KOH (http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/PO/potassium_hydroxide.html)that is to be disolved into the Methanol/Methyl Hydrate (http://ptcl.chem.ox.ac.uk/MSDS/ME/methyl_alcohol.html) forming a layman's methoxide.
These substances are classified as a Dangerous Goods (HazMat) and so appropriate safety measures must be applied when handling and using them.
And the result of using a proper amount of this mixture will achieve a complete reaction and result in Faty Acid Methyl Esters (Biodiesel).
Here are a couple of methods describing titration;
*Biodiesel Community Titration (http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/titratingoil/)
* The method we use consists of 40 ml of isopropyl alcohol and 4 ml WVO/UCO blended together in a jar sitting in a warm water bath until disolution is achieved. Then we slowly add drops of 1% sodium hydroxide solution (1gr NaOH in 1 liter distilled water) until a PH of 8.5 is reached on the electronic PH meter. The number of ml's of 1% NaOH solution used, divided by 4, will be added to the base amount of NaOH (between 4 and 5gr) to give a total grams per liter of WVO/UCO catalyst amount to be disolved in the methanol creating the needed methoxide solution for the reaction. We use 20% methanol per liter WVO/UCO, so for an 80 liter batch of oil we will use 16 liters methanol to which is added the base catalyst amount plus the titration results to form the needed amount of methoxide.
The Isopropyl alcohol we use is 99% pure and was acquired at a pharmacy on special order. Some claim that the commonly-available 70% rubbing alcohol is good enough, although we do not have experience with this and cannot vouch for it. Store it in a cool dark dry place, and only pour enough for short term use into a seperate bottle using the larger one as a fill up bottle.
It cannot be stressed enough how important the titration is in the brewing of good homemade fuel. Use the best possible equipment you can find / afford. This is not the area to skimp on quality. Here we use an electronic scale and electronic PH meters that are calibrated (http://www.mostreamteam.org/pH.asp)before each use. The scale is an Ohaus Scout (http://www.ohaus.com/products/glo/scripts/view/viewproduct.asp?LanguageCode=EN&RecNo=SP401). And there are two electronic PH meters that we use; the first is an American Marine Pinpoint Ph Meter (http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/electronics_pinpoint.htm)and the second is a Hanna Instruments Checker Pocket PH meter (http://www.caprockdev.com/pHmeters.htm)-pH-1 WP. The places that sell these meters (supply houses or aquarium shops) can also provide buffer solutions needed to calibrate them. There are other methods of recording the PH level, however this one is the one we use.
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/grolschbeer.jpeg (http://www.grolsch.com/) Most experienced homebrewers of Biodiesel ( Faty Acid Methyl Esters (http://www.biodieselgear.com/documentation/MSDS_BD.pdf)) will recommend that test batches be done prior to engaging a larger one. This is a scaled down volume of a larger batch that is anticipated later. Here we do 500ml oil with 100ml methanol (20%) and NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) according to titration results. The method we use heats the oil to 55C (130F) with the pre-measured and disolved methoxide waiting in the wings in a flip top Grolsch beer bottle which works very well for this purpose and is completely fumeless (no fumes escape into the air). It's good beer too :-) We use a kitchen blender set on slow speed for 20 minutes for mixing the test batches and then settle them in a Masson type canning jar. Others have different methods to accomplish the same thing. A properly made batch will have the esters separate from the glycerine content by a clear line distinguishing the two.
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Test batch w / clear
glycerine separation
Preparing to Process :
What you need to get things going is a supply of waste vegetable /used cooking oil. The titration was done using a sample of prospective oil to see if it was suitable, not containing water or too high an FFA level, for the process to be done without substantial extra effort and/or chemicals. Many places are happy to give you their oil free and will even help you in your quest to a more environmentally friendly fuel by pre-filtering and putting the used oil in cubies or containers that you supply. And that brings us to:
Collecting and filtering the WVO:
There are several ways to collect your WVO, all depending on just how intricate you want to be about it. Some use vaccum pumps, electric pumps, hand pumps and then there are those who simply go in there with a 1 gal jug cut out to act as a scoop and bring some 22 liter pails along. One item that can save time and effort is a filtering screen at the collection point. We use one of these in the 200 micron rating : Ez-Strainer (http://www.thecarycompany.com/containers/ez-strainers.html).
Water can present a problem in getting used oil from a unknown source, so a test is necessary to determine if there is water present or not BEFORE you titrate it. This can be done by heating a sample of the oil to 100C (212F) to boil off the water but be careful to stir regularly if the crackling shows that there is water present or it can cause a steam bubble and you end up with hot oil all over the place when it vulcanoes. You should know before then if there is water by the crackling noises the oil will make. One way to avoid getting water is to only take from the top 60% of the drum or container unless you are certain of quality of the WVO/UCO. Another method is to get the restaurant owner / chef put the oil back into the original containers it came in or supply them with your own and then you let it settle at home for a week or two and then only use the top 90% to homebrew with. If all else isn't convenient then heat the oil to about 40-45C for about 15 minutes and then let cool. The water should settle to the bottom and then you can syphon off the top 90% for biodiesel use.
You do not have to filter the WVO/UCO prior to processing to a meticulous extent, just the main food particles is plenty. The rest will come out in the glycerine layer during the processing.
Getting the Methoxide Ready :
OK, so now we have sampled, titrated and collected the oil. Now we have to prepare the methoxide (it is not a true methoxide but that is the common designation for homebrewers, so that is what we use). Methoxide is the mixing of the NaOH / KOH with methanol / methyl alcohol. We use a 20% benchmark of methanol in which we disolve the amount of catalyst the titration gave us. The NaOH will disolve slower than the KOH will. The best method is to keep it completely fumeless as these are two dangerous chemicals and need to be handled with care. Pour the needed amount of methanol first into an HDPE 2 rated (little triangle on the bottom with a "2" in it ) natural colour 20 liter (5gal) carboy / jug (http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/mixingmethoxide/) equipped with a vent cap and 70mm cap center-threaded to accept 3/4" plumbing, and then slowly add the lye (NaOH / KOH) and close it up, then slosh it around to get the dissolultion started. You can either leave it overnight and it will eventually dislove on it's own or just rock the carboy back and forth occasionally until it has completely disolved. It is important that it is completely disolved so that is why you use a natural coloured carboy so you can see through it and determine if the catalyst has disolved or needs more time or gentle agitation.
We have equiped our 20 liter carboy with a Delrin Sleeve stiffener in the vent cap. This is a small tubular brass piece that is flared slightly at one end and snugly holds a conventional air hose without the need for clamps. The idea is to first tighten down the vent cap and then mark the cap and carboy body with a line and then drill through both simultaneously, but the hole should be just barely big enough to let the stiffener sleeve go through but not the flared end. Then open the vent cap and from it's inside push the stiffener sleeve through so that the flared end comes up against the inside top of the vent cap and then tighten it all down remembering to line up the marks you made on the cap and carboy body. This ensures that the holes are lined up.
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/delrin1.jpeg (http://www.epinions.com/Chicago_Specialty_Delrin_Sleeve_With_Brass_Stiffen ers_Shop_Tools/display_~latest_prices#) http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/delrin2.jpeg
This will be air assisted by an aquarium air pump via the vent cap's Delrin Sleeve opening in case the check valve refuses to open completely to allow proper methoxide flow. The air adds pressure inside the carboy and forces the methoxide to flow easier, also avoiding the potential for vaccum buildup inside the carboy as you are replacing the volume of methoxide inside the carboy with air from the air pump. Flow is controled by the air and also by the ball valve at the bottom of the delivery tube. This also contributes to the "fumeless" operation of the process, by keeping the vent hole closed to the outside air.
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Now your methoxide is ready and set up.
Loading the Reactor:
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/preheat.jpeg The B100-WH uses a pre-heat tank to warm up the WVO/UCO to near it's operating temperature of 55C (130F). The immersion heater is a 115V screw in type water heater element that is used for the conversion of square shaped heaters to the round screw in type. The square flange is welded into the side of the tank and then the round element is screwed into it. We brew 80 liter batches at a time, even though the B100-WH is capable of 100 liter batches, as that is the volume that is simplest to process, using only one 20 liter carboy of methoxide instead of needing a second with less methoxide just to process an extra 20 liters. The pre-heat tank holds 40 liters so it must be filled twice and emptied into the main reactor using a 1" Clear Water Pump (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=7738&R=7738)plumbed down to 3/4" NPT to match the overall 3/4" NPT threads throughout the reactor's plumbing.
The 1" Clear Water Pump is NOT self priming. To overcome this we have set the preheat tank above the level of the feed tube's inlet (valve no.2) to the pump and that way the liquid follows the path of least resistance and primes the pump as it attempts to go up the sight tube to reach the level of the preheat tank's outlet. Otherwise it must be manually primed before use. The reactor is a Giant (http://www.giantinc.com/english/products/residential/electric.htm) water heater of the "fatboy" type with dimensions essentially the same as the 200 liter drum used for washing.The total capacity is 135 liters (30 Imp gal), however that is not the volume of fuel that will be made. Space must be allowed for the oil, the methoxide and some head space for circulation. This is why we have settled ( ! ) on 80 liter batches with the B100-WH reactor.
Operating the B100-WH :
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Once the WVO/UCO has been heated to reaction temperatures (55c / 130F) it must be transfered to the reactor. This is accomplished by firstly opening an air vent on top of the reactor, usually the pressure relief valve, and closing the tank's main drain valve (BP-1). Open the feed valve (BP- 4) as well as the valve on the preheat tank and wait for the oil to show up in the sight tube after having primed the pump. The heat from the preheat tank should now be off . Flip on the reactor's pump on and empty the preheat tank. Repeat this a second time to fill it to 80 liters capacity and then close BP- 4. Open the tank's main drain outlet (BP-1) and the second isolation valve (BP-3) , be sure BP- 2 is closed so the hot oil doesn't go out the glycerine drain, and circulate the oil checking that the temperature registering on the thermometer is right. If it is not at processing temperature (55C / 130F) then shut off the pump and flip on the reactor's heating element. After a few minutes turn off the heat and recirculate checking the thermometer again, or heat while circulating if wattage allows. The thermometer is mounted at the top of the sight tube as it T's into the reactor. Repeat this until the right temperature is reached (55C / 130F) and keep the oil circulating with the air vent on top still open. Now it is time to introduce the methoxide.
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While the hot oil is circulating with the reactor's heat off and the air vent open slowly start introducing the methoxide by opening the ball valve at the carboy's outlet and opening the methoxide delivery valve (BP- 5). If there is not a noticable change in colour of the circulating oil in the sight tube then the check valve isn't opening properly and it is time to flip on the air pump leading to the delrin sleeve in the carboy's vent cap. This charges the carboy with air pressure and forces the check valve open. It should take several minutes to fully empty the methoxide into the oil flow (4-6 minutes). Once the methoxide has been completely introduced into the oil fow it is time to shut the methoxide delivery valve (BP- 5) as well as the one on the carboy and the air vent at the top of the reactor (the pressure relief valve) as well as the air pump and circulate the mixture for about two to two and one half hours. The mixing process is now complete.
The reacted product must now be allowed to settle for at least 8 hours so that the glycerine by-product will completely drop out of the oil and the biodiesel will sit atop it. As a side benefit to this design, once the processing is done we still have the sight tube, pump and lines full of reacted biodiesel still containing the glycerine that has not yet seperated. Should this be allowed to stay in the pump,lines ect. there is a possibility that it harden there causing future problems. To eliminate this we have used the tank isolation valve (BP-1) that we close as soon as the process is done and then an air vent opened at the top of the reactor (pressure relief valve) and the glycerine drain opened (BP- 2). Have something ready to recieve the sample.
With the BP-1 valve closed and air coming in from the top,and the glycerine drain open the sight tube, lines, pump ect. flush out all the residual reacted biodiesel via the glycerine drain. This "sample" (about 300 ml or so) can be used to test the nature of the quality of the fuel that has been made once it has had time to settle out the glycerine at home.
Take an equal amount of warm water (room temperature) and unwashed biodiesel (say 200ml of each),minus any glycerine, in a jar and shake it up and down for several seconds, set it aside and then see if there is clear seperation with no middle layer between the water and biodiesel (the water on the bottom will be milky white). This should take less than 30 minutes.
The only other valve we have not discussed is BP- 3 . This is an isolation valve to stop any glycerine from reaching back to the pump should the option be used to keep the settling inside the reactor and not send it to a seperate tank. When BP- 3 is closed and BP- 1 opened the draining has nowhere to go, so we open BP- 2 (glycerine valve) and drain out the glycerine first. Before opening anything though there must be an air vent opened on top of the reactor (pressure relief valve) otherwise it causes gulping air via the open lower valve to make up for volume leaving the tank and that will mix the glycerine with the biodiesel which will cause washing problems. The only time all valves are all completely closed is during the actual circulation/mixing time, otherwise there is always at least one open.
Water heaters as a reactor :
The water heater has become a very popular way of setting up a biodiesel reactor. The reason for this is simple. They are completely closed to the air (fumeless), and easily obtainable either new or used from plumbing enterprises who replace old or worn ones. They come in a variety of sizes that adapt easily to differing peoples' needs. They have outlets in all the right places. Preparing a water heater is fairly simple also; remove all existing drains and tubes, including the anode rod and dip tube and replace them with 3/4" NPT black iron plumbing. Black iron because galvanised iron and copper react negatively with biodiesel. For simplicity's sake in N.America most people chose to convert them from their 240V to 115V configuration, although this is not mandatory, but using 240V elements in a 115V source will greatly reduce it's output. Those outside N.America who use 220V as standard voltage need not change the heating element. Most have a top and bottom element; in all cases the top one must be disabled so that only the bottom one is usable. For the water heaters having a square flange type element it is necessary to get a conversion flange and screw in type element to replace it with. These can usually be had where the water heaters are sold.
There exists a major flaw in the design use of a water heater as a biodiesel reactor however. After the processing of the oil / methoxide mixture the mix must be settled. This gives a layer of glycerine by-product on the bottom and a layer of biodiesel on top. The problem with water heaters is that they may not drain cleanly, especially when uisng NaOH (Sodium Hydroxide) as a catalyst. In other words, they leave some residual glycerine by-product on the bottom and when the glycerine by-product is drained (BP_ 2) out after it's settling time it may not all come out, even if a few liters of biodiesel are allowed to drain along with it. This is because the water heater may not drain completly clean as say a coned-bottom tank would and the result is a biodiesel emulsion that must be broken, when possible (see Breaking an Emulsion (http://www.riverstonesbiodiesel.com/bd/rnd/emulsion.php) ).
There are a couple of ways to work around this glycerine by-product getting into the wash cycle. One is to have the reactor tilted to the drain side by putting a 1" flat board on the drain side and then raising it up on the back side so that the slope of the draining liquid is accentuated. Should the NaOH-based glycerine by-product harden, as it is prone to do at times, especially when it gets colder and not in a heated space, then only part of it will drain at the opening of the glycerine drain (BP-2) so it will require that the mix be reheated using the reactor's heating element, but just enough to liquify everything again, not to the 55C processing temps. Then a circulation of the mix must again take place completely remixing the biodiesel and glycerine followed by a subsequent settling time,only shorter this time (1-2 hours) and a repeat of the glycerine draining procedure done. This is very time consuming, but failure to do it could result in glycerine mixing with the biodiesel in the wash tank and the result would be excessive soap formation making washing difficult.
The other method to work around the problem, and the simplest in our opinion, is to have the entire mixture be moved to a seperate, alternate settling tank before settling time has begun. This is what we do. This requires another tank that is insulated to make sure it retains heat and is fumeless (closed to the air) due to hot methanol being present and allows the reaction to complete. The design of the second settling tank should be like that of the wash tank, the StandPipe (http://www.veggieavenger.com/avengerboard/viewtopic.php?t=333) design. This allows the finished biodiesel to sit atop of the glycerine by-product and then be drained off first via the StandPipe and afterwards the glycerine is drained via the floor dain. This further eliminates the possibility of the glycerine by-product getting mixed with the biodiesel and entering the wash cycle.
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/standpipe.jpeg (http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/standpipewashtank/)
Once the reacted biodiesel has had time to settle out the glycerine, the process isn't quite done yet. There is still residual lye and methanol suspended in the biodiesel that needs to be removed so that it will not damage the vehicle's engine or components. The greater lubricating properties of B100 (pure) biodiesel has been reported to lengthen engine life and is much more environmentally friendly than is petroleum diesel fuel, so we want it free of contaminants.
So we must remove the residual impurities that could harm our engine, and we do this by washing it, literally, with water. Once again using Sean Park's StandPipe design for the wash tank we are now ready to transfer the settled biodiesel into the wash tank to be cleaned up.
This is an area that has brought about much controversy and heated debate as to which method of washing is best. Of course the best method is the one that works. The University of Idaho initiated the bubble wash method which is where an aquarium air pump and air ring or other delivery sytem for tiny bubbles are used to gently wash the biodiesel by blowing air into the water at the bottom of the wash tank causing the air / water bubble to rise and burst once at the top and releasing the water droplet to fall back down through the biodiesel effectively washing it on the way down. Sometimes this method is combined with misting, where a gentle mist is first used that falls like a gentle rain over the biodiesel and slowly passes through it washing it as it goes. In subsequent washes the bubbling method is used as a compliment to misting.
We do neither. The method we have adopted is quicker and yet does the job, but requires more force, but has less room for error in processing. A small industrial pump by ShurFlo (http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=9414&R=9414) is hooked up to draw water from a heated water source (21C / 70F) and then pumped up to a lawn sprinkler held upside down over the biodiesel and allowed to spray for about 2 minutes for the first wash. The strength of the sprinkler is controlled by a Y fitting with two small self-contained ball valves that opens to the sprinkler at one end and an open tube at the other. By opening the sprinkler's full and the open tube's partially it effectively controls the strength with which the water is hitting the surface of the biodiesel. Then the whole thing settles a few hours and another wash with the sprinkler is initiated only this time for about 5 minutes washing time. Then settled again another few hours and the third and usually final wash takes about 10 minutes or so of rigorous washing with the pump drawing water from the bottom of the wash tank and sending it back up to the top to be driven through the biodiesel by the sprinkler. This causes complete saturation of the biodiesel. The sprinkler covers the entire surface of the biodiesel ensuring complete saturation of the biodiesel and a complete wash as a result. This method has not yet become popular amongst homebrewers of biodiesel as it is considered too violent by some, however the method works for us. Where there are no soaps (glycerine contamination) or unreacted oil there can be no emulsions, IOO ( In Our Opinion)
Once the biodiesel has been completely washed of residual impurities it can then be "dried" to be certain that no water remains in it. There are many ingenius methods of accomplishing this from time storage / settling to open air exposure, to pumping it through the air and letting it fall back into itself ect. We now dry by circulation with a fan blowing air over it and then run it through two truck filters, the first a 10 micron Fleetguard FS1000 spin on filter and the second a Perma Cool 81074, 2 micron spin on filter. The faty acid methyl esters come out bright and polished and ready for use direct in the fuel tank or into storage.
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The Benz and it's diet of B100 homebrewed biodiesel are a very happy combination.
In our opinion, the installation of a second, heated fuel tank in the vehicle solves all geling problems associated with cold weather use of biodiesel. Problem that varies with the type of oil used as feedstock as some are more tolerant of the cold than others. This system is widely used with those using SVO (Straight Vegetable Oil) as an alternative to diesel fuel.
Biodiesel is much more tolerant of heat exposure ( flash point over 149C / 300F) than it's counterpart, petroleum diesel, so running it in a hot tank is not going to harm it or your engine. Installing ball valves at the T's to the engine coolant by-pass gives you the flexibility to turn the heat on or off to the "hot" tank at will. Summer temperatures do not require heat for biodiesel. It is our opinion that those using SVO in their vehicles consider a tank full of B100 (100% biodiesel) every 4th or 5th tank fills profiting from biodiesel's solvent properties to keep fuel lines, pumps ect clean and clear.
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Rudolph Diesel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Diesel)
The history ( 1 (http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/reportsdatabase/reports/gen/20011101_gen-346.pdf) and 2 (http://www.switchbiofuels.com/category/history/) ) of Diesel's engine is a must read to anyone interested in this type of fuel production.
Email: fuelit at B100wh dot com
http://69.27.100.163/biodiesel/doitb100.gif
Links :
01) Collaborative Tutorial (http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/)
02) Wiki on Biodiesel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel)
03) Biofuels Canada (http://www.biofuels.ca/index.html)
04) InfoPop BD/SVO Forum (http://tinyurl.com/bjxmw)
05) Biodiesel Basics (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biodieselbasics)
06) WVO Fuel (http://www.wvofuels.com/)
07) VegOil Diesel UK (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/vegoil-diesel/)
08) Biodiesel Now (http://forums.biodieselnow.com/)
09) BD Homebrew Guide (http://www.localb100.com/book.html)
10) Frybrid Forum (http://www.frybrid.com/forum/)
11) Iowa State Biodiesel (http://www.me.iastate.edu/biodiesel)
12) BeBioenergy Aust. (http://www.bebioenergy.com/)