I was just curious, since I can't make bio at home (thanks to wife) I am now working on a WVO set up. I was wondering though, I still get wvo that isn't really ideal for wvo, and I figured it could be used to make bio. But I've never heard of making bio without heating it. Any input?

 

You can, but temp has to at leat be where the feedstock is liquid. I'm not sure how good the purity would be, but it takes a lot longer. Days

If you search at the infopop there are a few that brew cold, or in solar tanks (Tilly maybe?). IIRC about a week is what they say for a batch.

 

I want to say something mean about your wife but there are so many things I could say, I can't pick one.

But I would never let my wife control me to that degree.. Biodiesel is good for the environment, good for your vehicle, good for your finances.. and the wife is against it?

That's sad.. bordering on pathologically stupid.

 

Well, one time I was hot filtering a batch of wvo, and the "fumes" got her and her dad feeling ill. I dunno- it didn't bother me. Granted, it wasn't the freshest of oil, but it didn't smell like rancid vinegar either. It's funny, because her dad has worked for Truckin' magazine, Street Trucks magazine, and just recently X trucks magazine. You'd think a guy in his expertise would vouch for bio, but like most folks, didn't have much good to say about it while instead bitched about the reaction chemicals needed (of which I never even had!) and poor quality of bio. Long story short (even with my hazmat/waste county certs) he just didn't trust me. So wife went with daddy. Whatever....

 

Hello Sir,
A friend of mine is making Bio in So cal- just on the other side of pendleton from where you are. It is hard to find around here. My '96 F350 really likes it. Send me an email if you want more info. In Defense of your wife- She has the right not to have to smell anything nasty from the garage. (My wife made me put that in);-)

 

Yep, keeping the family happy is pretty tough when you get a batch of oil that smells like a cat explosion. I used an old bathroom fan above my heat/settling barrel in the garage and that helped a lot. When I set up my processor tho I put it outside to be safe. It's in a hot tub type gazebo with 2 layers of trellis arranged on the sides for privacy but it still allows plenty of ventilation. Others have used sheds or small enclosed trailers for their setup.

 

The correct answer to your question:

(but first let me say I am sorry I forgot to answer the question in the first place)

The answer is NO you can not make biodiesel without heat.. (but that's just the technical answer)

You will have heat.. whatever the fluid is at is your temperature.. So, unless you live on the planet Pluto where its 300 below zero, you always have heat..
Folks in Florida are going to have more of it than those in beautiful Canada..

The question should be, how much heat and time is needed.

The answer is,
Optimal biodiesel reaction is achieved at 128 degrees. (Optimal meaning the fastest rate of conversion for the shortest practical processing time)

For every 10 degrees below that, your supposed to double the reaction time.. Or square it? I'm not sure.. but i know that if you drop your temperature by 20 degrees, it takes forever to process a batch.. not really worth doing.

It lowers the quality of the reaction.. You also have to make sure you have no methanol loses.

 

Thanks Murph, and everyone else. I guess I'm outta makin bio for now....