Darn brain of mine, It just won't stop! I've been thinking about the glycerol disposal problem. I've been wanting to try pelletizing straw and glycerol but have not been able to finance the project. What I think I'm going to try is using the glycerol mixed with waste hay, fermented to make "beer" then use a "reflux-still" to make 180 proof ethanol that could be used in gas powered rigs. I found a very good web site that has plans to build a reflux-still for under $100. Since I have over 1,000 gal of glycerol with the Methanol removed and lots of "old" hay that I won't sell I think it would be a good project to try. What do you guys think? Should I try it?

FABMANDELUX.

 

Well if it works, that could be done on the commercial scale to further advance use of renewable fuels which I see as a good thing.

 

Just read a Gov report from 1980 on ethanol production on the farm. It says I can produce aprox 45 gallons of 95 percent ethanol from 1 ton of waste hay. If I add 100lbs[ about 7.2 gallons] of glycerol [a sugar] the return goes up to approx 135 gallons. Not bad considering BOTH parts are FREE! I will be building a still next month..................more at 11:00 FABMANDELUX.

 

fab?? one ton waste hay = 2 five foot round bales???

if so that's alot of hay

but i guess if it's waste then it's not expensive but that will be one huge still won't it??

Let us know the results but i'm not drinking any homemade beer your making from methanol and glycerine

once the methanol is evaporated can't you just feed it to the cows???its sugar. shouldn't the microbes in the stomach love that

i'd try it but my dad would **** if i killed his cows :P

HIggins

 

Your new ideas better get you a trip to Hawaii some day. I think your gonna overload. Whew Im just starting to get a headach just thinking how much you have to think about thinking how something works and then thinking how your gonna build it and get a bumper sticker that says there isnt enouph hours in a day but only in Fabs mind there is.

 

I've got a link to a USDA study that shows you can use up to 10 percent by weight in your cattle feed and it will increase the rate of gain. I'll try and find it tonight and post the link here.

FABMANDELUX.

 

fab if you can find it, could you post the protien, and energy values, it might be interesting to put it into my old feed program and see what it comes up with for benifit. Just for reference I used to feed 40% corn gluten when corn was close to $5/bushel, to cut down on costs but had to add something for the energy levels (gluten is 18% protien, but only has 50% of the energy of shell corn) at that time we were adding hot fat to the feed which helped with keeping dust down too.

 

Here is the link to the study: http://www.regional.org.au/au/gcirc/1/241.htm

I talked to a Prof at OSU today, and he said he had several more studys that he will send me the links for. I will post them as soon as he sends them to me.

FABMANDELUX.

 

Fab
have you explored the possibility of making methanol with glycerine and old hay??

could you post some of the links where you got the info??

Thanks
Higgins

 

You can't make Methanol, but you can make Ethanol. I am building a reflux still now, and will try making Ethanol from glycerol and old hay.

If I can make Ethanol with the new still, I will build a molecular seive to bring the Ethanol up to 99.5 %, then try using it to replace the Methanol in my biodiesel process.

There are no "links" It is just an idea I had. If I can make 99.5 % Ethanol I can cut out the expence of buying Methanol.

The link to the reflux-still I'm building is here : http://www.moonshine-still.com/


FABMANDELUX.

 

Fab
thanks for the link . Forgive me though i thought ethanol and typed methanol in the above post.

you don't have any info where someone has made ethanol from glycerine before? you'll be the first??

what would be the concentration of the ethanol straight out of the still? what would be the other component? reason i'm asking is my wife drives a gasser and if i could make ethanol from glycerine by-product......well you get the point

how big of a still are you making. one to hold a round bale must be huge what kind of tank are you using

Thanks
Higgins

 

I am not fabman by a long shot when it comes to this but I believe I can answer your question. his reflux still will be I believe 98% ethonal, the other component is water which kills the reaction for making biodiesel, but 98% is as pure as they make to run in gassers (actually I am not 100% sure they even get it that good)

 

You beat me to it Rob! Of course I had to bale hay today.................But you are right. A reflux-still will make 190 proof [ 98 % ] in one pass, I will mix with 15 % gasoline to make E-85 to stay within the law, and my permit.

After we get used to making Ethanol, I'll build a "molecular-sieve" [ which is nothing but a column with "zeolite" beads in it] and perculate the Ethanol thru it which will bring the percentage up to 99.5 and is useable in the biodiesel process. A small percentage will be used for the few gas rigs that we do use.


I talked with a friend in OZ last night that uses E-85 in his pickup, but didn't change his carb jets. He has a manuel choke, and pulls it out half-way when he uses E-85, and pushes it in when he uses gasoline, so I think I'll try that first.


FABMANDELUX.

 

I have found no reference anywhere that anyone has tried this before, so I guess I'll be the first!

There are 2 processes to make Ethanol. #1, you make "beer". This is where the large tank comes in, I'll use a 3,000 gallon tank I got for free. the tank will hold 1,000 lbs of chopped up hay, mixed with glycerol, and allowed to "ferment" for about 72 hrs. #2, Once fermentation is complete, I'll take just the liqued only and run it through the still which will distill it to 190 proof.

The still I'm building is a copy of the one in the link I posted.

FABMANDELUX.

 

wow man you blow my mind with the stuff you write about. smart man hopefully you make millions soon and can retire!!!!