I am about to go live with my biodiesel production. I'm just not sure how I should proceed. I have a few hundred gals of WVO and a steady supply. I have several 55 gal drums, two electric pumps, and I'm thinking of buying two 85 gal and one 30 gal cone bottom mix and fill tanks from US Plastics. The 85 gallon tanks have flat spots on the top to mount a mixer.

My intentions are to have cones made for 2 of the 55 gal drums and use them to heat the water out, one before processing and one after wash. I’m in the process of obtaining a diesel powered generator for the electricity. I would use the 30 gal cone to mix my methoxide and introduce it into an amount of filtered and dewatered WVO in one of the 85 gal cones at about 120 degrees F. After reaction and separation I’ll move the biodiesel to the second 85 gal cone to wash. During wash I could be working on my second batch. After wash I would be heating the finish biodiesel in the other cone bottom 55gal drum to remove any remaining water.

I’m interested in any constructive opinions, especially from those with experience with this type of processing.

jimbo

 

First, heat to 140 deg F, I've found that when you add the room temp methaoxide at a temp lower than 140 F it cools down the reaction temp and I had to mix for a longer period of time. Second, mechanical mixing is far superior than pump mixing. As to washing, I don't! So I'm not much help there.

Third, AND MOST IMPORTANT, use KOH not NaOH, KOH mixes MUCH easier! forms a lot less soap, and the glycerol is a liqued not a solid, at room temp.

FABMANDELUX.

 

An most most important...Don't mess it up. I've put too much work into getting that truck up and running for you to go dumping soapy watered down fuel into the tank.

 

he he he, sounds like your dad is talking to you.
Hey Fab I have been brainstorming on my own cyclone and wanted to know what you think if I can describe it correctly. Take a 55 gal barrel standing up with a pipe down the middle not touching. Filler up, let her spin and pull the fluid out of the middle. Can you see it? I was thinking this would be the best and cheap way to throw the heavy molecules of the glycerin and large particles to the outside and pull clean out of the middle. Email me directly, we spoke a while back but I was on the road and lost the signal. Thanks

 

Sorry I missed you on Sat! You wouldn't have found me anyway, I was at a Co-Op meeting out of town! I've tried to email you directly but you have that disabled so the emails bounce back! PM me with your email address.

You wouldn't have seen much but a huge pile of oil cubes tho.........Everything is apart while we build the new plant.....should of been done a month ago! I've been so busy talking to other people about Bio I'm behind now. I've got another 2 day trip the middle of May in Baker City to demo my old plant which will put me even further behind! I sure never expected this.............I've been getting calls every day from people wanting to buy Bio, Wish I had 200,000 gallons!!

I'd like to see the cyclone your talking about. How are you going to spin the drum to 7,000 rpm? My Hydro-cyclone is 8" in dia and 5' tall with no moving parts! I'll post some pics of the first one I built tonight in my gallery so you can see what I'm talking about. Have'nt finished the new one yet for the new plant, but as soon as I get it done I'll post plans for everybody here.

The last run I made removed about 95 percent of the glycerol within 15 min, and when it is installed with the rest of the new equipment it should let me make 100 gal/ hour on a continious basis.

How are you doing on your set-up?

FABMANDELUX.

 

Fab have you considered running your product back thru the hydro-cyclone to see if it will remove more glycerol

I believe that glycerol is considerable lighter than BD: 3 carbon chain vs avg 14 carbons for BD

 

glycerol weighs 14 lb/gal, Bio weighs 6.4 lbs/gal. Thats why it will settle out.


FABMAN.

 

Nah....Jimbo is actually a couple of years older than I am. I was just pulling his chain a lil bit.

 

Ureaka, I found me a comercial grade Cyclone. And the price is? Free on extended loan no strings attached. My Uncle is the oil engeneer that Ive been posting about on the 6.0 forum to help the carbon buildup yadda yadda
Anyway he bought out a chemical plant and what does he have in his barn. A real live cyclone. Ill be up to get it in Ohio just as soon as he digs it out. Now, I was wondering if Mr Fab can give me a generic mixture that I can use for reletively clean used oil. I mean changed daily cooks precooked food no meat fat, conola oil mixed with crystal ice water. I already filtered the water out so the oil has no big chunks nor any fat on top. I couldnt remember the amount of lye. Yes lye until I find the other stuff.

 

DUDE! Nice score! I just hope it is small enough..............some of the oil-field units I've seen are HUGE. Post pics when you can.


As for a generic mix: try 25 gal WVO, 5 gal Methanol, and eather 1.75 lbs NaOH or 3lbs KOH heat to 150deg F mix well, and presto! Biodiesel!

Sure makes me wonder what else he has stashed in that barn................................

FABMANDELUX.

 

So I don't have to mix the Methanol and lye first then introduce this to the WVO? I can just through it all together and mix well?

jimbo

 

No, you must mix the metholoxide combo 1st.

 

Oh yeah, the cyclone is a small version that will fit into the bed of my truck. Thanks for the help again. Ill try and get pics next week. Ill be leaving Arizona to Indiana, then possibly to Oregon next week. Possible to hook up Fab? Oh thats right your system is down for remodel. Anyone else have bio between Arizona and Indiana or I-80 to Oregon? Be worth a try to network for some extra dough to the member and savings as well as goodness to my truck. Have a good day all who read.