Hello, I started makeing my first biodiesel processor. I live in the Temple/Oley area which is cloce to Reading, PA. I wanted to know where would be the best place to buy methanol and KOH? I heard that I can buy the methonal at Maple Grove Raceway. But is there a better place? What about the KOH?

What should I do with the glycerin? Can it be dumped in the woods or can something be made out of it instead of soap?

Is the whole process even legal? I don't want to end up on the bad side of the law at all.

 

Thanks,

    Robert

I'll answer what I can, Robert.

MuddyDiesel:

Hello, I started makeing my first biodiesel processor.

Congrats. The CBT is a very useful resource for your undertaking.

What should I do with the glycerin? Can it be dumped in the woods or can something be made out of it instead of soap?

The byproduct glycerin will also contain soaps and more importantly, methanol. Because of the constituent Methanol, in Wisconsin, the byproduct is classified as hazardous; regulations vary by state, but I think the EPA has similar regulations.  Two main options come to mind:

1) Distilling off the Methanol fraction (from the byproduct) is a common solution, as you recover Methanol for future use and the byproduct becomes safer to deal with. I can be composted, as it will contain potash salts (if you use KOH).

2) Burning the byproduct on site is also done, but this can be hazardous, as the incomplete combustion of Glycerol (aka, Glycerin) produces Acrolein, which is toxic.

Is the whole process even legal? I don't want to end up on the bad side of the law at all.

Yes, production can be done legally, but regulations vary from state-to-state. Be proactive - talk to the appropriate people (fire inspectors, any neighbors that may smell your brewing, etc) beforehand.

Good luck.

Almost doen with the processor no finding used oil is hard. Does anyone know of a place where I could ge around 50 gallons a week? I've been calling resturents all day and I only got a couple that told me to call back later. Other then that nouthing.

Muddy,

Try your "Regional" forum, searching through it as well. That's the best I can suggest; oil can be difficult to acquire,depending on where you are.
 

So what doese everyone here do with the Glycerin. I really don't think I will be makeing soap with it for now.

MuddyDiesel:

So what doese everyone here do with the Glycerin.

Burn it, take it to a digester, recover the methanol and compost the rest - many options. I've heard there are more and more people buying raw glycerin these days too. I'm trying to find a good waste oil burner/boiler/heater system that will burn glycerin; this seems to be our best route, as we can then extract heat, on-site, from our Biodiesel byproduct.

If I burn it, what should I do with the stuf that is left over from the burning?

Burning glycerin isn't "simple," as incomplete combustion can form carcinogenic acrolein. Regarding leftover "stuff," could you clarify? If properly combusted, the product should be ash - similar to that of other burnt compounds - and salts from the residual catalyst.

No I havent burned it yet, I was just wondering what to do with is when I do. Should I just pour it into an empty barrel and light it on fire, or isent it that easy. There should be some methanol left over so that will burn super easy.

You mentioned something about takeing the leftover methanol and useing it again. could you explain this or give a link to a place where I could read up on this some more?

 

Robert

MuddyDiesel:

I havent burned it yet, I was just wondering what to do with is when I do.

Smart enough to ask first

Should I just pour it into an empty barrel and light it on fire, or isent it that easy. There should be some methanol left over so that will burn super easy.

The net energy gain from the combustion of glycerin is much lower than that of Biodiesel or other, more common combustibles. If I did the math correctly, Methanol has a relatively low energy density as well. Since I'm not a combustion expert and I'm interested in this same topic (we're shopping for a purpose-built glycerin burner ), I've been asking around. I'll have more information next week and will post again.

You mentioned something about takeing the leftover methanol and useing it again. could you explain this or give a link to a place where I could read up on this some more?

There are few good threads on "methanol recovery" on the Infopop forum. Try searching there - GrahamLaming has a number of good posts there and info on his site as well. Here's GL's condensor design.

Good luck!