From: mark@ehle.homelinux.org
Date: Mon Oct 03 2005 - 07:10:53 PDT
My last statement was a little ambiguous.
The fatty acids in the oil are broken free (cracked) from the glycerin and are
bonded with the methanol in the presence of the catalyst, sodium hydroxide
(lye). The lye and whatever excess methanol fall to the bottom of the reaction
vessel with the glycerin. The lye can be neutralized with acid, and the
methanol can be recovered in a still. The resulting glycerin can be composted
or used for degreaser. Some folks make it into soap.
Quoting mark@ehle.homelinux.org:
> Yes - In a complete reaction, that is exactly what it does.
>
> Quoting "Hutterer, John (MPAU)" <john.hutterer@smiths-medical.com>:
>
> >
> >
> > Mark,
> >
> > Just a point of curiosity. If the methoxide is so toxic and dangerous,
> > what do you do with it once you have made your fuel? Does it break down
> > somehow in the reaction, or is it a toxic by-product that has to be
> > disposed of?
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> > John Hutterer
> > Sr. Eng. Lab Tech.
> > Smiths-Medical (Deltec)
> > 651-628-7107
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Military Vehicles Mailing List [mailto:mil-veh@mil-veh.org] On
> > Behalf Of mark@ehle.homelinux.org
> > Sent: Monday, October 03, 2005 5:52 AM
> > To: Military Vehicles Mailing List
> > Subject: Re: [MV] Diesel & cooking oil
> >
> > Also, when lye is mixed with methanol, the resulting chemical,
> > methoxide, is exeedingly caustic and can eat your skin without you
> > knowing it, because it quickly kills nerve endings. Nasty stuff. It'
> > already eched the glass in my blender after just two test batches.
> >
> > A good many biodiesel sites recommend that you build your processor in
> > such a way that you never come into contact with methoxide, including
> > the vapor.
> >
> > I am currently building a 50-gallon biodiesel processor out of an
> > ancient electric water heater to make fuel for my home oil furnace, and
> > maybe for my M35. As I understand it, biodiesel does not have to be as
> > clean for use in a furnace as it does in an engine. My plan is just to
> > make it and store it in my current heating oil tank, along with what the
> > oil company pumps in there. They are supposed to be compatable in any
> > ratio.
> >
> > My only worry is that after I get good at it, the government (spurred on
> > by the petroleum industry) will decide to make used cooking oil a
> > hazardous chemical, and require that all restuarants hire only licensed
> > waste haulers to dispose of it.
> >
> > Mark
> >
> > --------------
> > Quoting Ryan Gill <rmgill@mindspring.com>:
> >
> > > At 5:43 PM -0500 10/2/05, MV wrote:
> > > >Unless I'm mistaken, the only way you can blind=20 or kill yourself
> > > >with methanol is to drink it.
> > >
> > > Or breathe the vapors or absorb it through your=20 skin. We're talking
> >
> > > pure, methanol here, not a=20 solution of methanol and water.
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > --
> > > Ryan Gill rmgill@SPAMmindspring.com
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > > | | | -=3D=3D----
> > > | O--=3D- | | /_8[*]=B0_\
> > > |_/|o|_\_| | _________ | /_[=3D=3D=3D]_\
> > > / 00DA61 \ |/---------\| __/ \---
> > > _w/|=3D_[__]_=3D \w_ // [_] o[]\\ _oO_\ /_O|_
> > > |: O(4) =3D=3D O :| _Oo\=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D/_O_ |____\
> > /____|
> > > |---\________/---| [__O_______W__] |x||_\ /_||x|
> > > |s|\ /|s| |s|/BSV 575\|s| |x|-\| |/-|x|
> > > |s|=3D\______/=3D|s| |s|=3D|_____|=3D|s| |x|--|_____|--|x|
> > > |s| |s| |s| |s| |x| |x|
> > > '60 Daimler Ferret '42 Daimler Dingo '42 Humber MkIV (1/3)
> > > ----------------------------------------------------------
> > >
> > > ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list=== To unsubscribe, send
> > > e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org> To switch to the DIGEST mode,
> > > send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org> To reach a human, contact
> > > <ack@mil-veh.org>
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list=== To unsubscribe, send
> > e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org> To switch to the DIGEST mode, send
> > e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org> To reach a human, contact
> > <ack@mil-veh.org>
> >
> > ______________________________________________________________________
> > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
> > For more information please visit http://www.messagelabs.com/email
> > ______________________________________________________________________
> >
> > ******************************************
> > The information contained in, or attached to, this e-mail, may contain
> > confidential information and is intended solely for the use of the
> individual
> > or entity to whom they are addressed and may be subject to legal privilege.
> > If you have received this e-mail in error you should notify the sender
> > immediately by reply e-mail, delete the message from your system and notify
> > your system manager. Please do not copy it for any purpose, or disclose
> its
> > contents to any other person. The views or opinions presented in this
> e-mail
> > are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of
> the
> > company. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for
> the
> > presence of viruses. The company accepts no liability for any damage
> caused,
> > directly or indirectly, by any virus transmitted in this email.
> > ******************************************
> >
> > Smiths Medical is a Division of Smiths Group plc. Incorporated in England
> No:
> > 362847 Registered Office: 765 Finchley Road London NW11 8DS, UK
> >
>
>
>
>
> ===Mil-Veh is a member-supported mailing list===
> To unsubscribe, send e-mail to: <mil-veh-off@mil-veh.org>
> To switch to the DIGEST mode, send e-mail to <mil-veh-digest@mil-veh.org>
> To reach a human, contact <ack@mil-veh.org>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Tue Jul 18 2006 - 21:30:29 PDT