Make Biofuel
Template:AttentionLearning how to make biofuel can help you reduce your greenhouse gas emissions as well as reduce your dependence on imported oil. Because our current fuel sources are steadily running out, considering biofuel as a fuel alternative is a logical choice. With the proper tools and know-how, you can do this in the privacy of your own home or property.
Contents
Steps
- Try your first batch of biodiesel with unused vegetable oil.
- Start with safety. Put your goggles on, work close to a sink and/or have a bucket of water ready for any body part that might come into contact with the chemicals.
- Work in a well-ventilated room that is at least 70 degrees F (21 degrees C), and put down paper or plastic to plan ahead for spills.
- Begin adding your components.
- Measure out 6.8 fl. oz. (200 milliliters) of methanol. You can find methanol in gas tank antifreeze, available at hardware stores or auto part stores. Pour it in a blender.
- Use a scale that will accurately measure out grams to weigh out 3.5 grams of lye. You can use Red Devil Lye Drain Cleaner (sodium hydroxide), but take the proper precautions because lye is poisonous. Drain cleaners that are chlorine-based (calcium hypochlorite) will not work.
- With the lid off, turn your blender on its slowest setting, and begin slowly adding the lye to the methanol inside. This will create sodium methoxide, but take precaution that the mixture doesn't splatter all over.
- It should take about two minutes for the lye to dissolve, so once it has, add 1.1 quart (1 liter) of vegetable oil.
- Blend your mixture for approximately 20 to 30 minutes on the slow setting.
- Pour your mixture, once your blending is done, in a wide-mouth jar
- Label it "poison."
- Check out the separation. Approximately 30 to 60 minutes after you pour it into your container, you will see layers appearing in your mixture. The bottom layer is glycerin, and the lighter layer above it is bio-diesel.
- Split your mix. Once the mixture has completely settled, you can pour off the biodiesel for use and discard the glycerin. You can alternately use the glycerin for making soap.
Tips
- Consider purchasing a biofuel complete ready-to-run biofuel processing kit. These ready-made kits will allow you to concentrate on mixing the right amount of chemicals instead of worrying if your homemade equipment is going to fall apart and cause damage or harm while you are mid-process.
Warnings
- The chemicals that you will be working with are extremely flammable as well as highly explosive. You will be consuming energy as you make the biofuel, and depending on the volume you create, you may be subject to taxes on it, so weigh your choice to make your own biofuel carefully before deciding to invest the time and materials, and put yourself in the way of physical harm, to make it.
