From: Bjorn Brandstedt (super_deuce@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed May 03 2006 - 05:51:05 PDT
Good summary, Lee!
A couple of points, if you are not marketing the biodiesel and need to
produce it to ASTM 6751 spec, there is not compelling need to "wash" the
fuel. Washing is a process of misting the biodiesel with water so left over
methanol and lye will be picked up as the water settles through the fuel.
Don't like the idea of adding large quantities of water to a diesel fuel
anyway...
The unwashed biodiesel contains a small percentage of methanol (2-3%), which
adds to the energy content of the fuel, handles any water in the fuel from
condensation or whatever in the tank and any left over methoxide makes the
fuel slightly caustic, which may have an advantage by not permitting fungus
to grow in stored fuel (still checking on that one).
My heated dual tank system is intended to make biodiesel useful down to sub
zero temps without mixing with petro diesel (as stated in an earlier post),
but not for 100% veggie oil, which would require more heating. I have added
as much as 50% straight VO to the biodiesel and feel comfortable about
leaving it in the tank since I can heat it if need be.
You don't have to invest in costly "processing" equipment to make biodiesel
for your own use. I produce about 30 gallons/week with my plastic tub method
outlined in the MVM article.
If you collect the waste cooking oil from a grease dumpster, filtering and
water separation is more complicated and time consuming than actually making
the biodiesel.
Since I am able to work with the restaurant and pick up the oil when they
change, it has no water, bacon grease or cleaning agents in it and I don't
even have to heat it for processing.
I now have thousands of miles on my deuce fueled by unwashed biodiesel and
it it loves it!
Cost per gallon: about $0.60
No changes in performance, possibly lower EGT, but that's it.
The way things are going, you can buy straight restaurant quality
fryer/cooking oil for less than regular diesel any time now. Just dump it
into the fuel tank and drive. Up 20% without any problems at all.
Methanol still costs $2.50/gallon here, a racecar fuel.
Bjorn
MVPA19212
Meadows of Dan, Virginia
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