Biodiesel:Return to sustainability menu

I have been burning biodiesel for heating but am in the process of changing to burning sunflower oil for heating. Burning sunlfower oil is not quite as easy. I have tried burning biodiesel in a kerosene heater but the biodiesel does not work in the kerosene heater or I have not figured out how to make it work.

I also use the biodiesel the diesel car but hope to have that also changed to using straight sunflower oil. I use of biodiesel and diesel in the winter and straight sunflower oil in the summer for my diesel generators. The making of biodiesel should be mainly a summertime operation due to the heating and water requirements.

The byproduct of glycerine, once the methanol is removed is a great degreaser! I have used it extensively even on my hands. It combines readily with water and is biodegradable. It also is supposed to accelerate composting.

I am now at a point of having added the evacuated tube system, solar cells and produce the biodiesel purely from the sun and wind!

I hope to make less biodiesel and rely more on straight sunflower oil for my car, heating and generators.

Dec 7, 2009

See instructions on making biodiesel.

Sept 12, 2009. This has been a rather poor summer for making Biodiesel as the sun has not been as consistent as it was in 2008, but with the new heat exchanger and evacuated tubes I have processed about 400 liters so far without having to have supplimental electricity from a generator. This quantity of biodiesel for the biodiesel heater should see me through the winter.

With the limited amount of sunlight from late October to February I am unable to get enough heat for processing the biodiesel.

	May 24, 2009 I have just started a new era in biodiesel making. The picture shows a newly added heat exchanger that now heats the oil from the evacuated tube system usually used for hot water. This solves the problem of using biodiesel to heat the water and oil..
	The bypass on the hot water tank. Producing hot water with sunshine is a lot easier and in the end more sustainable.

	Washing biodiesel with the biodiesel water heater. I need to rebuild this to make it more efficient and make it easier to clean. Regulating the air intake on the biodiesel water heater would be good too.
	I installed a transfer switch so I can choose my electrical source for any function.
	Quite a mess of wires and pipes! but it works well!
	The new water pump intallation -from junk parts
	The new larger pulley which solves a few problems
	The reactor and drying/washing tank now have a good placement. I have gradually reaarranged things so that I feel comfortable. I am constantly upgrading and experimenting on ways to make things easier. Does it save me money? Not likely at this stage. This is all an experiment and it takes all of my waking hours.
	The barrels contain my water supply from the last rain. If I hadn't tried cutting corners one of the barrels would not have a leak!!!
	The new door to the biodiesel room.
	The water heaters... the one in the rear is the electrric one which I am using in the very cold weather. I salvaged the electric water heater thrown away on the street.
	Jan 15, 2008 The tank installed and the reactor connected to it
	Jan 8, 2008. The ceiling is on.
	December 20, 2007-The new biodiesel room being started.
	Dec 12, 2007 -The wash tank ( also the drying tank). When the water washing through the bioidiesel it collects at the bottom of the tank. I then open the valve and take off the waste water.
	This is thew modified biodiesel water heater (previously a gas water heater) in action. It was raining that day so I covered the tank and carbuerator from the rain. Also notice the water pump under a red/brown piece of plywood. The large Blue barrel has the water which goes to the pump which then goes to the water tank...which then goes to the wash tank in the back ground.
	Dec 5, 2007-Made a few changes to the biodiesel reactor by placing the methanol condenser closer to the heating tank... worked much better. Note the blank plastic pipe (methanol condenser) attached to the white bioidiesel reactor (electric water tank).
	The drying tank with a return line through a filter then to the reactor again.
	Inside the tank for the drying operation... the sprayers are directed to the sides of the tank.. the water evaporates and one has dry biodiesel.
	The whole picture of the washing operation.
	This is the wash tank than washes the biodiesel using the hot water from the biodiesel hot water tank. This tank is also used for drying the biodiesel
	Nov 2007 The biodiesel hot water heater being used to wash biodiesel
	The biodiesel Hot water heater made from an old natural gas water heater. Not the recycled presuure pump using the rain water to wash the biodiesel.
	August 2007 This rather complicated setup was started by Richard Tillman and myself. It is an evolving process as I experiment and research better and more efficient ways of making biodiesel.