Biodiesel:Return to sustainability menu

I like the idea of burning biodiesel as a backup but it is still in the initial stages. I also thought that I could burn the biodiesel in the oil heater until I was convinced that it was good enough for the diesel car. I have already made use of biodiesel in my generators. The making of biodiesel shoudl 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 suppoosed to accelerate composting.

The more I work with biodiesel the more I see it as a decoy to get one away from the real aim of sustainable living. Now that I am no longer connected to the grid I must use a generator to produce the electricity needed to run the motors and heaters. This really lets me know that the ratio of energy in to energy out is rather low. I can upgrade my processes which is ongoing. I am now at a point of wondering if I should install more solar cells and produce the biodiese purely from the sun and wind. The noise and pollution from the generators is bothersome too.

I have made progress in making the process more efficient...but now very reliant on the solar cells for electricity. I am considering getting another bank of solar cells and /or using evacuated tubes for heating the oil.

	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.