[Biofuel] Outdoor Wood-Fired (was: Company is buying WVO)
On May 18, 2008, at 11:05 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Is it just a problem in developed areas (towns) or is the smoke somehow different from the smoke from my woodstove? I don't know all the details, but since your woodstove is indoors, it must meet higher emission standards. There's a lot of talk about strengthening the standards for the outdoor boilers, too. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Titration
On May 6, 2008, at 8:45 AM, Brian Schneider wrote: Jan, You say that my concentration is very weak compared to the standard solutions. Do you mean the standard solution to titrate waste oil with, or are you just meaning weak in general? If it is weak compared to what should be used for waste oil, what is the standard strength? 0.1% NaOH solution is what many people use for titration, including me. As Jan points out, you should be titrating just one ml of your oil in enough isopropyl alcohol to dissolve any free fatty acids (10 ml of isopropanol is fine, but not critical). If this is your procedure, your 12-15 titration result is valid. Quite high (worse than anything I've ever used), but lots of folks get oil like that regularly. The normal single-stage base-catalyzed process would make lots of soap, likely reducing your yield drastically. A combination acid-base process could work, but I wouldn't recommend it for a novice. You could try to get some cleaner oil titrating at, say, 1 or 2 ml, and mix in some of the rancid stuff to use it up gradually. Virgin oil, except palm and olive, would typically titrate somewhere between 0 and 1 ml. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Water in my Methanol
On May 2, 2008, at 10:32 AM, Roger wrote: Any suggestions? It looks like water got in my new 55-gal drum of Methanol. I keep it outside for obvious reasons but it looks like water got in somehow. The only thought I had was to set up a distiller to heat up the mixture to 160°F and then cool the vapor into another vessel much like the methanol-recovery system. What leads you to believe your methanol is wet? Do you have access to a brewer's hydrometer? Methanol has almost exactly the same specific gravity as ethanol, so a beermaker's hydrometer could tell you exactly how much water was in there. If your methanol is pure (dry) to the extent of, say, 95%, it will probably work fine provided your oil is very dry and not too rancid (not too high in free fatty acids). If it's down around 90%, you might need to distill, but a simple pot still as you describe might not do it. You really need to find a hydrometer to assess the problem.or just try a small batch and see. The symptom of excessive water would be a lot of soap. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Test Batches with Peanut Oil
Roger: Peanut oil is about 75-80% oleic and linoleic, with the remainder almost entirely saturated (palmitic, stearic, and longer). I would expect biodiesel made from it to show precipitates at temperatures lower than maybe 65 F. I'm not clear from your wash test whether you are actually washing your biodiesel before the test -- this might help :-). pH really only makes sense when referring to a water-based solution. Sticking pH paper or pH meter into biodiesel gives spurious results in most cases. I often measure the pH of my wash water as a check of how much lye and soaps may be left in the biodiesel, but never the biodiesel (or oil) itself. It's ALWAYS a good idea to titrate, even virgin oil. Many oils, including palm and olive (don't know about peanut) have high FFA levels as typically sold. On Mar 31, 2008, at 9:41 AM, Roger wrote: Sorry for the excitement and frustration. I've made 4 or 5 1L batches with virgin peanut oil with no luck. 1L Clean, Virgin, Peanut Oil 200ml Methanol 5.4g, 5.5g, 5.6g, 6.0g of 90% KOH (All with very similar results) 55°C Temp via Hotplate Agitation: Fast Stirring for 30 minutes via Hotplate The original separation looks great - waited at least 12 hours but separates in about 2 hours. Obvious layers with a slightly hazy, pale yellow biodiesel layer and clear, darker by-product layer. Separated by pouring the biodiesel off the top. Looks to be about 1.1L of biodiesel for each batch. It's slightly colder in my garage, but not outside temperate. I'd say roughly 55°F or so. Each wash test was with 20ml of product and 20ml of water in a 50ml plastic tube. The final wash test I performed inside with warmer water. With each wash test I got cloudy water with a very thin white line between. The biodiesel looks cloudy white. The last batch of 6.0g separated the quickest, less than a minute - the others longer up to 15 minutes or so. However, it doesn't look quite like what J2F described as good fuel. And, with the rest of the batch in a jar in the garage, each one has turned to mush. Looks like the inside of a melon or something. My first thought was that peanut oil was different enough from vegetable oil that I would need to titrate it and change the KOH amount. However, I wasn't having much luck with the pH meter. One time it would be add 0.4gm of KOH and the next time 0.01g would be too much. I thought I didn't know how to use the meter. The processor I made (assuming I would be using it by now) has 2) 75 gallon tanks with individual heaters, controls, pumps, and stirrers. It can be used as a 150gal unit or a 2-stage 75gal unit. (I've attached a picture.) I can't wait to try it but haven't used it yet for fear of making a lot of soap. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thomas Kelly wrote: Roger, Back up a bit. Has anyone tried this? It's all I had laying around to start with but I keep getting a questionable result. By tried this do you mean peanut oil? If so, I have run batches with peanut oil mixed in. Since it was new, I tried the same recipe for virgin vegetable oil and it didn't really pass the wash test and as soon as it got cold, it turned into sludge. Got cold???The wash test is done at room temp 70-ish F (20-ish C) I made a 2x75Gal machine that I am dying to use and the used oil is piling up. (What's a 2x75Gal machine? a 75 Gal processor? 150 Gal processor?) Hold on now cowboy . let's not sign up for a marathon run before we up and walking. You don't want to turn gallons of good oil into gallons of goop. You might start by telling us step-by-step what you are doing. Ex 1L fresh, unused vegetable oil 200ml methanol 5.45 g of 90% KOH Method of agitation? Temp? 30 minutes reaction time Do you get a clear split? How long do you let it settle? How do you separate the settled glycerine mix from the biodiesel (separatory funnel?) Describe the results of the wash test, done at room temp, as to time for separation + appearance of layers. While it is important to be able to measure accurately, especially for 1L test batches, I have gotten along fine w/o a pH meter. Best Wishes, Tom - Original Message - From: Roger [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org Sent: Monday, March 31, 2008 10:13 AM Subject: [Biofuel] Test Batches with Peanut Oil Has anyone tried this? It's all I had laying around to start with but I keep getting a questionable result. Since it was new, I tried the same recipe for virgin vegetable oil and it didn't really pass the wash test and as soon as it got cold, it turned into sludge. I wish there was more pictures - not
Re: [Biofuel] Treating WVO w. Glycerine Cocktail
On Mar 20, 2008, at 6:17 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: I'm most interested in dealing with the glyc byproduct. When I compost my glycerin mix, I would like for it to be water soluble. I would also like for it to be as close to neutral pH as possible. It is my impression that FFAs and/or water-insoluble soaps in the mix form globs that clog my sprayer, and may be more difficult to break down than split glycerine. Maybe in your situation you might want to intentionally split the soaps to FFA's. This is done by acidifying the glycerine phase, perhaps after diluting it in some warm water. Phosphoric, sulfuric, even hydrochloric acid will do nicely -- I kind of like phosphoric. You add enough acid to get a layer of FFA on top, skim that off, then bring back the underlying aqueous phase to pH 7 with, say, ammonia. The resulting de-FFA'd glycerine might not gum up the works so much, probably composts better, has some N and P to help your compost (not organic anymore, of course :-(), and you can use the separated FFA to make real soap (not the soap people make from the glycerine phase, which is a little soap plus too much glycerine). -Ken Provost ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Treating WVO w. Glycerine Cocktail
On Mar 19, 2008, at 3:56 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Some time back Chris Tan presented an interesting idea: Use the glycerin mix from BD processing to lower FFAs and decrease water in WVO. I've begun testing the idea. Results are preliminary at best, but I have a few observations that I'd appreciate comment on. Process: I titrated and then loaded 90 L WVO along with 9 L glycerin mix into the processor. Questions: (Take your pick) FFAs are very weak acids. Is this why the WVO titration did not drop to zero? 90L oil and 9L glycerine phase is not a lot of glycerine. There's been a lot of work on this very issue on the infopop site, and good results are had with maybe equal parts oil and glyc phase. Remember, all you're doing here is a traditional caustic refining of the oil, using the leftover alkali in the glyc phase to neutralize FFAs, with the added benefit of the glycerine to raise the specific gravity of the aqueous phase (thereby discouraging emulsion), and the presence of the methanol which helps dissolve a little of the FFA and theoretically could produce a little biodiesel at the same time. A while back it was suggested that I add a small amount of phosphoric acid to my first wash to help remove water insoluble soaps. Does decreasing pH increase the solubility of otherwise water insoluble soaps? The problem with any acid in there is that it encourages soaps to break down into FFA's -- exactly what you don't want. I avoid acid washes for that reason. The odor of the glycerine was distinctly less offensive after treatment. I suspect there was less methanol present. The temp of the mix never even reached 80F (27C). I can't imagine that it was used to form methyl esters. Is the presumed missing methanol now dissolved in the WVO (90 L WVO vs 9 L of glycerine). Unlike ethanol, methanol has very little odor -- I don't think that's what you're noticing. When I've done this procedure (which brought 7.5 titr oil down to 6, hardy worth it), I did get A LOT of methanol in the oil, which had to be washed out to have known parameters for the subsequent base reaction. All in all, I didn't find this technique very helpful, but I was using a low glyc- to-oil ratio, so that may be why. Check out infopop -- lots on this subject there -Ken Provost ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Chris Skrebowski on Oil
from htttp://business.iafrica.com/ Doomsday scenario for oil Michael Hamlyn Tue, 18 Mar 2008 A gloomy forecast about the future of the oil industry — looking forward to a possible Doomsday within a very few years — was given to the Sub-Saharan oil, gas and petrochemical conference in Cape Town on Tuesday. Chris Skrebowski, a researcher for the Energy Institute in Britain, told delegates that the oil supply will peak in 2011 or 2012 at around 93 million barrels a day, that oil supply in international trade will peak earlier than the oil production peak, and he forecast: There will be supply shortfalls in winter before peak. Skrebowski said that latest BP statistics showed that peak is already happening in some regions. OECD production peaked in 1997 and has now declined by 2.2 million barrels a day (10.4 percent), he said. Non-Opec, non-former Soviet Union production peaked in 2002, and has now declined by 771 000 barrels a day (2.15 percent). North America/ Mexico peaked in 1997. North Sea — UK/Norway/Denmark peaked in 2000 and has now declined by 1.6 million barrels a day (25.4 percent). Producers are in decline The figures show, he said, that around 28 significant producers are in decline, and that about 35 percent of global production comes from the decliners. Once that figure reaches 51 percent we reach global peak oil, he said. Peak oil will be earlier than most expect, Skrebowski told delegates. And he explained that global production falls when loss of output from countries in decline exceeds gains in output from those that are expanding. And he cited eight key pieces of evidence that we are close to peak: a falling discovery rate; few large discoveries; ever more countries in sustained depletion; companies struggling to hold production; non- geologic threats to future oil supply; the current lack of incremental flows; few countries with real growth potential; the age of the largest fields; and sustained high oil prices The oil companies are already struggling to hold production, he said. In the third quarter of 2007, only Total recorded oil production gains. For the last 12 quarters oil production has drifted down for the five super-majors; has flat-lined for the 10 largest quoted companies and has flat-lined for the 24 largest quoted companies. Quoted companies' share of production is now declining, notably for the super-majors. Non-geologic threats to oil supply The non-geologic threats to future oil supply flows include resource nationalism in Russia, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador, with perhaps more to follow; civil insurrection in Nigeria and Sudan; and cost inflation, ageing infrastructure, lack of skilled people, refinery constraints. How likely is improvement in any of these? he asked. And he wondered: Who will cap or ration production first? The world's biggest oilfields are old, tired and fading, he said. Of the 120 largest fields, 50 are in decline, 44 not in decline, 12 unclear and seven are undeveloped. The average age of the giants is 42 years, but the 120 largest fields give 50 percent of total production and contain two-thirds of reserves. -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20080318/f17ce543/attachment.html ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] David Suzuki on Disaster
Blind date with disaster We are constantly warned by scientists that our planet is in big trouble, so why can't we change direction? David Suzuki, one of the world's leading ecologists, on how humans have lost the vital skill of foresight David Suzuki The Guardian, Wednesday March 12 2008 Article history About this article Close This article appeared in the Guardian on Wednesday March 12 2008 on p9 of the Society news features section. It was last updated at 09:46 on March 12 2008.  Birthplace of humanity: flamingos still crowd the lakes of the Rift Valley but the naked apes have taken a different path. Photo: Alamy As I approach my 72nd birthday, I have reluctantly achieved the position of elder, and it is mindboggling to reflect on the changes that have occurred in my lifetime. The population of the world has tripled, while technology has exploded from early radio, telephones and propeller planes to the telecommunication revolution, computers, space travel, genetic engineering and oral contraceptives. And stuff! My biggest challenge is to staunch the flow of stuff into my life. But these great successes - economic growth, technology, consumer goods - have come at enormous cost: the degradation of our very life support systems - air, water, soil, energy and biodiversity. We are now the most numerous species of mammal on Earth and each of the 6.6 billion of us must breathe, drink, eat, be clothed and find shelter. So the mere act of living means our species has a heavy collective ecological footprint. When that is amplified by technology (computers, TV, cars, etc) used on our behalf, our hyperconsumption and the global economy, we have been transformed into a force that is now altering the biological, chemical and physical features of the planet on a geological scale. Experts estimate that more than 50,000 species now become extinct annually. More than half the planet's forests are gone, and if we continue to destroy them as we are doing there will be no large intact forests left within two decades. We cannot escape the toxic debris of our industrial activity. Recently, three members of parliament in Ottawa were tested for more than 80 toxic chemicals and were shocked to learn that all three carried dozens. The oceans are being depleted. A global study led by biologist Boris Worm, of Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, predicts that if habitat destruction and overfishing continue, every exploited marine species will be commercially extinct by 2048. And for 20 years, climatologists have warned us that human activity is altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere, with consequent climate change occurring at unprecedented speed. I could go on listing the depressing litany of problems, but the need to take serious action on all of these issues is converging, and we must make major decisions to change course. How did we arrive at this moment? As a biologist, I tend to view things from an evolutionary perspective. DNA studies reveal that we emerged as a species in Africa some 150,000 years ago - a mere blink in geological time. The world was a very different place back then. There were still woolly mammoths roaming the Earth, sabre-toothed tigers, giant sloths in North America and 3-metre tall moa birds. Spectacular trajectory Let's suppose scientists have discovered time travel, so we take a time machine and hover above the Rift Valley in east Africa 150,000 years ago. The plains are a spectacular sight, covered with immense herds of mammals; vast flocks of birds fill the air; rivers and lakes teem with fish and reptiles. The clusters of furless, upright apes who are our ancestors are not that impressive. Those early humans are not numerous, large, strong or fast, or endowed with special sensory abilities. There is little to indicate the spectacular trajectory this naked ape is about to follow. But if we watch them for a while, we can recognise their special secret: their behaviour reveals that they are intelligent. The human brain endowed us with a massive memory, insatiable curiosity, inventiveness, and an ability to think in abstracts. These qualities more than compensated for our lack of physical and sensory abilities. That brain created a notion of a future, even though the only reality is the present and our memories of the past. And because that brain invented a future, we recognised that we could affect that future by what we do in the present. If we look ahead, we can see where opportunities and dangers lie, and by following a deliberate path we can avoid the hazards, while exploiting the opportunities. Foresight, I believe, was one of the most important abilities that enabled us to survive and flourish, and continues to underlie our explosive success as a species. Today, we have all the amplified foresight conferred by scientists, computers,
Re: [Biofuel] Confessions of an 'ex' Peak Oil believer
On Mar 17, 2008, at 2:12 PM, David Penfold wrote: Keith, I'm confused as to the relevance of abiotic over biotic sources of oil. Given that Hubbert predicted the decline of US fields, I think his approach may be relevant for any given field, whether abiotic or biotic. Even if the source were to be abiotic, I think the problem is resource depletion. Given our timescales, I would say that arguing over the where oil comes from is a moot point as fields tend to show similar output curves. Reserve growth or replenishment doesn't appear to have any solid foundation in history. At the risk of sounding like a devil's advocate for a position I believe is nonsense, perhaps the abiotic folks are noticing that regions which seem to have peaked are no longer seriously pursued (ie, other regions are more profitable), and so may be replenishing themselves in the background. In other words, as soon as KSA is on the downslope, we can go back to Oklahoma, North Sea, or wherever, and there will magically be more oil there again! -Ken Provost ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] New use for glycerine by-product
On Mar 3, 2008, at 11:24 AM, Keith Addison wrote: Any comments, ideas for further uses? David S. Soriano Ph.D. Associate Professor of Chemistry University of Pittsburgh- Bradford Bradford, PA. school website: http://www.upb.pitt.edu ph: 814-362-7544 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This would be a low-temperature lubricant, hence the mention of ground glass joints in labware. I wonder if it would harden over time, tho there doesn't seem to be anything volatile (not even water). Maybe OK for room temperature mechanisms, doorknobs, etc. Definitely nothing constantly rotating :-) Interesting! ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] veg oil crop info
On Jan 17, 2008, at 3:43 PM, Tony Marzolino wrote: Can you please expand on the pumpkins as a bio-fuel source? Are other vegetables of like kind in the same category as possible candidates (i.e. squash, etc.)? I've never HEARD of squash oil, like I have pumpkinseed oil, but I suppose it's possible. Do a Google search on oilseed crops and see Certain varieties of pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) have been developed specifically for high oil content in the seeds, and it's very healthy oil -- shame, actually, to waste it on an engine :-) ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Zeolite on eBay
On Jan 3, 2008, at 10:09 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Your 150C is about 300F. That might well be OK. I believe it was Ken P. who commented that he regenerating zeolite in an oven (broiler?) (400+F? ~200+C). The post also said that the zeolite became less effective over time. At those high temperatures, it appeared that a layer of zeolite got sloughed off each cycle -- some dust dropped out, which of course was lost each cycle. Not sure the 3 angstrom dimension changes, just the diameter of the pellet :-) Vacuum at lower temps is definitely the way to go. ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Rapeseed Biofuel Produces More Greenhouse Gas Than Oil Or Petrol
On Sep 28, 2007, at 6:15 AM, Joe Street wrote: And what if good organic and biodynamic tecniques are used and the health of the soil and microorganisms is considered so that nitrogen is fixed through natural processes? Is this not a nitrogen sink rather than a source? I think nitrogen fixing typically takes molecular nitrogen (N2) out of the air -- not sure if nitrogen oxides can be fixed in the same way. If NOx is really a bad GHG, and if it can't be utilized by nitrogen- fixing bacteria, then methods must be employed to reduce its emissions from biodiesel burning -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Who owns you World
On Sep 6, 2007, at 11:19 AM, Gustl Steiner-Zehender wrote: Grüaßdi Fritzl, Jawoi, Bua! Leida heitztaag denga in d oid Hoamatl vuizvui Leit wia d Saupreiß. Göid und no Göid. Jamei Bua, so a Schmarrn! Pfüatdi Whoa! That ain't the German I learnt in college! -K -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: /pipermail/attachments/20070906/a9470bdd/attachment.html ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainablelorgbiofuel Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (70,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Fwd: Re: Growing canola for conversion to biodiesel - how is it done?
Canola is just a low-erucic acid variety of rape, which is itself closely related to mustard and the other Brassicas. It's pretty fussy compared to, say. brown mustard (B. juncea) or black mustard (B. nigra), and its only advantage is that animals can eat the oil and seedcake, which in the case of mustard can have some ill effects due to erucic acid. (Tell that to the Indians who use mustard oil all the time). Mustard and rape are fine candidates for biodiesel production. The seeds are small, which requires some seedpress modification, and the plants, like all Brassica, are hard on the soil and prone to mildew and fungus. In their favor, they are often available by the acre as weeds along the road. Canola, OTOH, is always monocropped and is basically an invented plant which is not, IMO, compatible with the appropriate technology angle of small scale biodiesel. Check it out: http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/Brassica_juncea.html -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Titration question from a Newbie
On May 2, 2007, at 5:59 PM, shawn patrick wrote: I have a question about the purity of Isopropyl alcohol. Will 90% yield good results or does it have to be 99%?? The other responses are technically correct -- however, the isopropanol is only being used as a solvent for the FFAs in the oil you're testing, so it's not very critical. I had some gas-dry isopropanol that started to get slightly acidic after several months in the bottle. I started titrating the isopropanol first (without the oil), then adding the oil and titrating again. Worked fine, and added 20 sec. to the process. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] removing water from ethanol / methanol
2007/5/3, doug swanson [EMAIL PROTECTED]: I've been wondering about a reverse osmosis filtering system, whether or not it would be able to remove water from ethanol or methanol. Maybe it would take a different membrane from the one commonly used to filter impurities from water, if it would work at all. Seems like there might be less energy used in that process than refractory distillation, or using a molecular sieve. It's called pervaporation: http://www.cheresources.com/pervaporation.shtml___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 21, 2007, at 12:19 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Why buy enzymes, when sprouting some grain produces the enzymes needed to digest starch in unsprouted grains, sweet potatoes, or Jerusalem artichokes. Have I got it right? Yup, at least that's how i see it. Traditionally the sprouted grain is roasted slightly (ie, dried) to prevent further decomposition (lightly enough as not to destroy the enzymes). The result is what's known as malt. If you have a homebrew shop nearby, you can buy malt already made and ground. I suppose if you used freshly sprouted grain quickly, you could even dispense with the drying step. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 21, 2007, at 5:35 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: How much sprouted grain : total starch? Probably better to err on the side of too much rather than too little. My notes on mashing corn are all packed away now, but you should be able to learn the details from appropriate Google searches (eg, making corn mash whiskey -- 94000 hits). The enzymes in the malt are not consumed in the reaction, of course, so much less malt is needed than starch. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 21, 2007, at 5:35 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: I suspect I'm not done asking for help though. After a bit of poking around, I see the best place to start is (surprise!) Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_manual/ manual6-7.html JtoF really is an amazing resource :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 20, 2007, at 7:19 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Can I bypass sprouting by using enzymes (bacterial amylase) on cracked grain to break the starch in grain into simple (fermentable) sugars? Somewhere down the line, if all goes well, I will probably move towards other feedstocks that are rich in starch, and releasing the stored sugars by sprouting will not be an option You can use commercially extracted enzymes instead of malt, but why? Mashing of grains doesn't require malting the primary grain -- good example is corn mash whiskey, in which the starch of maize is saccharified using the malt of barley. Only small amounts of barley malt (or wheat malt) are needed to mash large amounts of starch (which can come from any source). -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 19, 2007, at 11:06 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: My questions go to point that you were able to achieve 95+% completion, and the fact that, in practice, we would like to maximize ethanol output as well as achieving complete sugar utilization. Google Gert Strand -- they make a turboyeast that achieves 16-18% alcohol in a single fermentation. That's what I used. The expense is high when starting from refined sucrose, of course. Mashing a grain is much cheaper, and cheaper yet if you sprout your own malt. Strawbale house is beautiful, thanks. Sometimes I get grumpy, but it is coming along :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Biodiesel New Process)
On Apr 18, 2007, at 10:42 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Is it actually possible for a person to produce 99+% pure ethanol using readily available materials, and at reasonable cost, or must it be produced on an industrial scale? Are any of you making it in your backyard? I have actually made it (in the garage, not the backyard:-)) from white sugar and a bag of TurboYeast from Gert Strand (sp?), then distilled it and dried it with zeolite, and then used it for biodiesel. It's a PITA, but possible. The EROI could be favorable if you started with the right crop, kept your enzymes and yeast going like a sourdough starter or made your own malt from scratch, and did your distillation in a solar still. I'll try all that if I ever finish this $%[EMAIL PROTECTED] strawbale house. 'Till then I'm back to petrodiesel or methyl esters :-( -K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Has anyone used sharkbite?
On Apr 14, 2007, at 1:04 PM, Kirk McLoren wrote: http://www.cashacme.com/sharkbite_full.swf And did you like it? I sometimes end up with a solder connection where I dont want to put a flame. This looks like a nice system if it is good. Kirk I used it for supply line to a toilet in my RV -- sure is easy, but fittings are expensive! Don't know the lifetime, nobody around here has used it except in trailers, so no data yet. For the strawbale house, I sprung for the pro-PEX system, which has 25 yr history in Europe. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Some archive searching
On Feb 2, 2007, at 9:33 AM, DHAJOGLO wrote: Finally, can anyone point me to a primary source (not a vague reference in a news article) of this agreement that initiated oil trade/ prices into us dollars? This has been interesting to me lately as well. I'm afraid I can't inform you much, but a lot of it started with the Bretton Woods agreement (700,000 Google hits). Not specifically about oil, but rather international trade in general, and it basically forced everything into dollars de facto. The best thing for the world (tho not US, of course), IMHO, would be a precipitous fall of the dollar, so I'm all in favor of any Euro- based exchanges. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Washing
On Jan 5, 2007, at 11:31 PM, Joe Neo wrote: If i use, say, 100ml of BD and add 50 ml of hot water for washing (stir for 15 mins), will i get back 100ml of washed BD or less? There should be very little if any volume loss. The actual volumes of soap and methanol that will be washed out are small. OTOH, if you create any emulsion during the wash, you can lose a LOT. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Soap formation
On Dec 28, 2006, at 7:31 PM, Logan Vilas wrote: If you have a complete reaction to biodiesel will soap form from the biodiesel? I mean if you put lye and water into it would it form soap or would it be incapable of forming soap? Hmmm...no firsthand experience of that happening, but I think lye should be able to break off the methanol from the biodiesel just as it can break off the glycerol from a triglyceride in normal soap production. -K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Anyone done an EV conversion?
On Dec 23, 2006, at 11:14 AM, Luke Hansen wrote: Granted, the van is one heavy piece of detroit steel, but what exactly is the hang-up? Voltage? Total weight? I'm guessing that most of the batterys' charge is used in overcoming inertia, right? There's an optimal ratio of battery weight to total weight-- can't remember the number now, but Darryl probably knows. I know the Honda Civic I converted (and drove for a few years) had around 900 lbs of lead-acid batteries (Optima Yellow Tops). I think the problem with a van is just that you'd need so many batteries even to successfully keep up with traffic, the total weight would be too high to handle well. If I ever did another electric vehicle, it would be a tricycle with spoked wheels and a tubular aluminum or carbon- fiber frame. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Weird Weather
On Nov 27, 2006, at 8:05 PM, Bob Molloy wrote: Icebergs larger than ocean liners were sighted off the port of Dunedin, New Zealand, last week, well north of the Roaring Forties, barely five weeks before mid-summer. Watch out when the Antarctic ice starts melting/calving. That stuff, along with Greenland (but not the rest of the Arctic), can really start raising sea level. -K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Making Methanol)
On Nov 27, 2006, at 5:16 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Can ethanol be denatured and still be used to make ethyl esters? Yes. I've used standard paint store denatured ethanol (hardware stores rarely have anhydrous) with methanol and methyl isobutyl ketone as denaturants with no problems. As you say, the methanol just helps out the reaction, and the MIBK is at such low levels as to not interfere. Be aware that the ethanol in such mixtures was probly produced from petroleum. Which of the following will have the least/no effect on the process of making ethyl esters? (c) Authorized material. Until issuance of the initial list of materials authorized for rendering spirits unfit for beverage use, proprietors are authorized to add to each 100 gallons of spirits any of the following materials in the quantities specified. (1) 2 gallons or more of-- (i) Gasoline or automotive gasoline That one is my personal favorite -- few denaturants are acceptable at only 2%. Gasoline is so nasty flavor-wise that it can be used at that concentration. In addition, most ethanol denatured that way happens to be produced from corn (not great, I know) rather than from ethylene, so you're more sure of carbon-neutrality. -K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethyl Esters (was Making Methanol)
On Nov 26, 2006, at 7:47 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: The idea on denaturing the ethanol is to make it unsuitable for drinking. Would ~ 2% BD make it unsuitable for drinking? If not, couldn't it be denatured with methanol? There are several levels of denaturing -- fully denatured needs to be foul-tasting, not just poisonous. Biodiesel wouldn't qualify as either :-) Ethanol denatured only with methanol is considered only partially denatured, and is still subject to restrictions and reporting. -K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Phosphoric acid
On Oct 28, 2006, at 7:48 PM, Bobby Clark wrote: Anyone, can you answer my question? Try a wholesaler of nursery chemicals -- fertilizers, agricultural lime, etc. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Biodiesel Hybrids
On Oct 26, 2006, at 11:07 AM, Ryan King wrote:Does anyone know of a hybrid that runs on diesel? Is this a totally impractical consideration?Not at all -- it's a great idea! Probably wouldn't get much supportfor sale in the US (environmentalists here tend not to like diesel,and dealers would view it as two hard sells instead of just one),but anywhere else in the world could do it.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Isuzu Pickup
On Oct 21, 2006, at 4:53 PM, Alan Petrillo wrote: Also, keep an eye on the injection pump. I've recently had to replace the one in my 1985 S-10 Diesel, which used the same drive train as the P'up. First the pressure regulator started to leak.Last year the seals on the pump itself started to leak, and I had to break down and have it replaced. ($800!) . Interesting -- I just had to have my injector pump replaced on a '99 TDI VW Beetle due to leaking seals. Been running B100 (beautiful stuff, homebrew :-) since '01. $1100 USD plus labor!! I'm loath to blame my own fuel, especially given that all VW's after '96 were supposedly B100-proof. Could be coincidence. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Will the EEStor Revolutionize the Electric Car?
On Oct 16, 2006, at 10:04 AM, D. Mindock wrote:EEStor has patented a new ceramic electrical storage device that can powera car for 500 miles on a $9 charge of electricity. Even more exciting is theirclaim that fully charging the system will take all of five minutes. Assuming an efficient electric drive train (even if atypical storage) gets around 5 milesper kWh, that's 100 kWh for $9, which is cheaper than I pay, but not by much. Somelucky souls in the world may still get it that cheap. However,If the voltage is 300V (high for DC drive but about right for AC), that's 333Ah in thestorage system. Charging in 5 minutes implies a 4000 amp charger This is truefor either batteries or capacitors.Something's fishy here, unless it's another one of those systems that you charge byfilling it with a prepared electrolyte -- but they say "no chemicals". I'm suspicious.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Testability (was: amazing himalayan salt)
On Sep 24, 2006, at 2:59 PM, Michael Friebel wrote: If a thing (whatever it may be) is testable, then it will, in time, be discovered acknowledged in our process of science. If a phenomenon is not testable, then of what relevancy can it be to us? All that matters is that it is testable. By whatever way we may perceive something, if it is testable, then it is relevant comprehensible. H... Clearly stated, but rather narrow, don't you think? Seems like a great deal of what normal people consider relevant would simply have to be ignored, which of course is what so-called science does much of the time. The best scientists, though, have pushed the boundaries. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Science (was: amazing himalayan salt)
On Sep 19, 2006, at 2:04 PM, bob allen wrote: it is not science which has become the prostitute, it is individuals which have prostituted themselves and commit fraud- science is just a process, not a thing. After a long life in the sciences and engineering, I've come to believe that the scientific method has some basic flaws, two of which are as follows (there are others as well): 1. It can only be applied to questions which lend themselves to experimentation. Thus, many questions of existence (eg, does ball lighting occur in nature, do aliens visit earth, is there life after death, does cold fusion ever occur, etc etc) are almost entirely unreachable by its method. BTW, many of these questions are the most interesting, which I believe leads to the common perception that scientists often don't pursue the truly intriguing problems. 2. It depends upon the familiar sequence of hypothesis, experimentation, prediction, testing of predictions, new hypothesis, etc. Every step in the process has rigorous criteria and a whole slew of best practices that have grown up over the centuries, except one -- the hypothesis step. This is the step that depends the most on intuition, guessing, and a large dose of the A-HA! factor. It is also the step that is most likely to be shut down by propaganda, dominant paradigms, profit motive, et.al. In every age, the ability to conceive of novel hypotheses is compromised in certain ways, and science is narrowed as a result. And here's a third: because so many scientists believe that the scientific method is the ONLY path to valid knowledge, they will rarely admit its weaknesses or that important information about the universe can come in any other way. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
On Sep 10, 2006, at 9:31 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: Hello everyone! I have a FOREST of sunflowers in my garden this year. I don't knowwhat to do with them, and my saintly mother-in-law is getting upset atme for letting them "rot" on the ground. Any ideas for what I could do about this?Get yourself a seed press and make sunflower oil -- great on salads,and makes good biodiesel!Better yet, ship them all to ME and I'LL make sunflower oil :-)-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Sunflower Woes
On Sep 10, 2006, at 10:41 AM, robert and benita rabello wrote: I like my salads naked, and I don't own a diesel. But, where can I find a seed press? Journey to Forever has a good selection (all too expensive!) under supplies and suppliers Of course, you could come and visit, enjoy our hospitality, then take as many as you want with you when you leave . . . Sounds like fun! Next time I'm in Canada.. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] soap or mono- and diglycerides
On Sep 9, 2006, at 11:12 AM, Rafal Szczesniak wrote: Hi all, Could you tell me how can I tell the difference between emulsion caused by unfinished process (glycerides left in the product) and caused by soap formation (too much lye) ? I suppose you could use gentle acidification followed by assaying the resulting FFA (soap will produce FFA, mono- and diglycerides won't). Sounds complicated. In general, soap formation is a result of too much water in the reaction, not too much lye. The concentra- tions of NaOH you're working with (even when somewhat excess- ive) are not high enough to saponify the oil itself -- in the absence of water, only the FFA originally present will form soap. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] Garrison Keillor Nails it Again
From Common Dreams:"After the disasters of the 20th century, Europe put nationalism aside and adopted civilization,but [US has] oceans on either side, so if the president turns out to be a shallow, jingoistic foolwith a small, rigid agenda and little knowledge of the world, we expect to survive it somehow."___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Testing H2O in Methanol
On Sep 4, 2006, at 7:19 PM, JJJN wrote: Would you have some baseline readings? and can you tell 85% from 95% with one of these? They typically read off in percentage by volume of alcohol, as well as proof and Baumé (whatever that is :-)). You can easily tell 98% from 99%. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Testing H2O in Methanol
On Sep 3, 2006, at 9:48 PM, JJJN wrote: Does any one know of a good test to determine the amount of water in methanol? The hydrometers you can get at a homebrew shop (or on the web) work fine for methanol -- the densities of methanol and ethanol are practically the same. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] That Tom Paine!
What Might Tom Paine Have Said About George Bush?By Sherwood Ross t r u t h o u t | PerspectiveSaturday 26 August 2006 As for Bush's boasting about "freedom," let us recall these words by Paine: "When it shall be said in any country in the world, 'My poor are happy; neither ignorance nor distress is to be found among them; my jails are empty of prisoners,my streets of beggars; the aged are not in want, the taxes are not oppressive' - when these things can be said then may that country boast of its constitution and its government."___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethanol use
On Aug 21, 2006, at 1:57 PM, Charles List wrote: I would like to know, however, if I can increase the temperature of the reaction mixture to cut down the time taken for the reaction as ethanol boils at 78C rather than 65C. You probably could, but the separation of glycerol takes such a long time with ethanol (hours maybe), and the reactants are all in solution that whole time (completely clear, single phase), that you probably don't need more than the usual heating to get the reaction to go as far as it will. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] the tax man cometh
On Aug 7, 2006, at 2:13 PM, bob allen wrote: I recently received a letter from the Arkansas Department of finance. I am to herewith submit 22.5 cents per gallon of biodiesel produced. I guess that this happened because of an article that appeared in a statewide newspaper, concerning my manufacture of biodiesel as a student project. Hard call -- do you keep your head down in the trench, or tell the world? Or tell a few -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] lye-contaminated batch
On Jul 25, 2006, at 2:23 PM, Rafal Szczesniak wrote: I have a small batch that appars to contain too much lye as wash test shows quite a bit of soap under murky biodiesel (which after all doesn't wash and remain a chicken soup). Is there a good way to reprocess it ? The soap layer is a total loss (others may disagree). I would throw out any layer that was still white after one week of settling. The yellow top layer (biodiesel heavily contaminated with soap and unconverted oil) ) can be saved by very gentle washing of that layer (no included soap layer) in HOT water, by hand, with gentle stirring. If after washing and water removal you can get it clear and it doesn't seem excessively viscous, mix it with good biodiesel and use it. If it seems too thick, closer to the consistency of the original oil, reprocess it. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 17, 2006, at 4:17 PM, Appal Energy wrote:.. you need to size your consumption and determine whereyou can shave peak and continual use to determine your finalcosts.There may be no "inconvenience" to tolerate. I actually did all that last year, but I believe I was not sufficientlydaring. After some more research and considering all the greatinputs from the group, I believe an offgrid PV system of around2000 watts nominal, with some batteries and a 5kW genset, canbe had for nearly the same $ as PGE wants. With some carefulplanning, my needs should be covered in the summer without running the genset much if at all.I'm kind of curious though. If you don't have electricity to themanger yet, and you're technically already off the grid by virtue ofnot having any substitute as of yet, just what have you been doingfor power up to this point?10 awg extension cord 300 feet to a 20A outlet in the neighbor'sgarage :-)Or are you still applying the earth plaster and getting ready to wire the building?Garage is done, house is up to floor joists -- garage bales arelime plastered, and the wiring is done, from the (as yet unconnected)breaker box...Personally? You'll be a much happier camper if you stay off the grid.Mainstream isn't where it's at. For people who seem to have yourpenchant, me thinks you'd always kick yourself in the butt for nothaving a go at it right out of the chute.I think you're spot on there -- after all the financial analysis andthe amps and watts, it comes down to lifestyle and spiritual issues,like so much else. Thanks again for your (and everyone's) inputs on this. I'll let youknow how it plays out...-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 15, 2006, at 10:00 PM, Kirk McLoren wrote: you can cogen for 5 cents a kwhr assuming you use the heat. Hardware is about 5 thousand dollars unless you want an electric stove. No electric stove. Could you elaborate a bit on the details, please? What hardware are we talking about? Solar panels, diesel genset? I can definitely see using the waste heat from a genset in my radiant underfloor heating system in the winter. A little harder to use the waste heat in the summer, but maybe the hottub, showers, etc. can use some of it. BTW, thanks to all for your replies. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 16, 2006, at 7:48 AM, Appal Energy wrote: Well, since you invited the infusion of other's thought patterns I did indeed, Todd, and your thoughts as usual are cogent. It's true that the comforts of cheap electricity that I've enjoyed all my life has raised the bar of my imagined needs much higher than they probably are. Still, it would be very silly to spend $10,000 to stay off-grid, only to find that I was not satisfied and end up spending the $17,000 to get PGE also. That's part of the problem -- I don't really know what level of inconvenience I'm willing to tolerate, so I'd prefer to err on the side of having excess capacity (which of course I don't have to use). All your ideas are excellent, and many of them are already designed in. I expect to run house and shop on maybe 15 kWh per day average, which is much less than any home I've had before. But one could always do better. Just how much does a man or woman need to live, be happy and be of service to others? Good question -- 15 kWh per day, give or take? :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 16, 2006, at 1:25 PM, Kirk McLoren wrote: If I had the bucks I suppose all these hi tech appliances would be nice. Unfortunately I dont so I have to use what most people use. I agree -- THOUSANDS of dollars for a refrigeratorsheesh! I think if you pump your own water 30 kWhrs a day is more realistic. That's already on its own PV array :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
Just got the quote from PGE for the hookup to a power line 700 ft away -- $17000 USD ! Granted, a good standalone system would be at least twice that, given my love of power tools and radiant floor heat :-) Still it's offensive to just cave in to them, and it's almost like they priced the connection at the maximum that would still be (barely) advantageous to accept. I'm tempted to stay offgrid just for 700 feet -- any thoughts would be welcome. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 15, 2006, at 5:33 PM, Jason Katie wrote: is it to a workshed or is it to your house? if it is a house, i personally would start with a 25Kw generator for main power under $1 so far, and that's 200 amps of 120 VAC! Maybe even overkill (it's a single-family dwelling, 1400 sq ft, strawbale, plus detached strawbale shop). Around here propane would be most practical -- not great I know, but I wouldn't be able to make enough biodiesel/methane/whatever. and then next begin replacing big energy sinks like heating and cooling with geothermal, woodfire, heating oil(and all its variants), biogas, or solar/solar-thermal systems (preferably a mix for reliability). This is sunny logging country (Sierra foothills) so a wood/propane multifuel boiler for radiant heat, with solar hot water backup, would be very doable. 3600W PV system with batteries could supplant the generator more than half the year. It will take a while, but after all is said and done, you can call out the PGE surveyor and rub it in his face. Oh boy :-)I hadn't really considered relying heavily on a motor- generator (noisy, smelly, polluting, especially in an area where grid power comes largely from hydro), but I admit the economics are compelling. Something to think about -- thanks! -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] To Grid or Not to Grid?
On Jul 15, 2006, at 6:27 PM, Mike Weaver wrote: You need to talk to Zeke. For those prices, you could fly him out, have him build you a system and fly back and it would be STILL half as much! Yo, Zeke !! Is that true? I'm a big believer in consultants, having been one myself in the past. One warning, tho -- the bldg. dept. around here is REALLY up your armpit !! -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] satellite dish collectors
On Jun 25, 2006, at 10:51 PM, Jason Katie wrote: does anyone know if a regular 2'x1.5' satellite dish (primestar i think) will work for a solar collector? Pretty small -- 300 watts of insolation at best. Figure a typical small stove burner puts out 1000 watts at least. Now one of those early satellite dishes five feet in diameter would catch a LOT of rays -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Worldwide oil consumption seen soaring
On Jun 24, 2006, at 5:46 AM, chem.dd wrote: Fission reactors will have to do until we develop a functional fusion reactor which is by its physics inherently safe. Please let me know your thoughts on this. Gladly -- it's absurd and uninformed! Both fission and fusion are boondoggles by Big Energy to centralize power production and receive massive government subsidies. Fusion will likely never work and wouldn't be safe inherently or otherwise (take some time and read up about fatigue and disposal problems with the metal structures around the fusion reaction). Fission would only work for a few decades at best, at huge financial and environmental cost. You might as well advocate coal with sequestration -- equally absurd, for similar reasons. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] an apology
On Jun 5, 2006, at 1:18 PM, Mike Redler wrote: Looking back, it is clear that frustrations in my personal life were vented toward the biofuels group. I made inappropriate remarks Apology accepted (even tho it was never MYSELF who might've been offended :-)), with thanks.. Over the past several months I've been lying low on the list, just because I'm so bummed out about a lot of things that my responses would usually be too toxic for general consumption. It's comforting (in a perverse way) to know that others are similarly afflicted. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] 3A molecular Sieve and Methanol recovery
On May 23, 2006, at 5:37 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: My plan is to have 4 containers, each with 5 lbs (~ 2.24 Kg) of 3A molecular sieve. Allow 2 gallons of distillate to flow into eachcontainer. Occasionally swirl the contents of the containers overthe next 24 hrs.. As I understand it, 3A molecular Sieve will absorb about 25% of its weight in water. What you're suggesting will work, but maybe not as well asyou hope. 25% would be very successful -- 10% might be morerealistic. It works better the first few times, then settles downinto a more disappointing performance :-)Note that sieve works better when it extracts water from aVAPOR phase. I never did that because I found the equipmenttoo complex, but it's much more efficient that way. You haven't mentioned your plans for regenerating the sieveafter each use. That can be a very energy-intensive process.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] 3A molecular Sieve and Methanol recovery
On May 23, 2006, at 5:51 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: When you say "it settles down into a more disappointingperformance." do you mean it doesn't regenerate fully?It may be that, or it may be that the zeolite becomespoisoned to some extent with something else that won'tleave the pores -- not sure.As far as regenerating the sieve, I am under the impressionthat 350F for a few hours (days?) would do it . wrong???It might -- I was using the "broil" setting of my electric oven,for maybe half an hour. I believe that's 400-450. Pulling somevacuum helps immensely, if you can do it... I am looking at plans for a solar oven that suposedlyheats to 350 - 400F.Solar would definitely be the energy-efficient way to go.Let us know your results :-)-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Separating Glycerine
On May 15, 2006, at 8:35 PM, JJJN wrote: Ken is this because it has a high total alkalinity? Say like we get in a swimming pool as the total alkalinity goes up it is harder to change the Ph? Wikipedia has a nice article onbuffer solutions that explains the principles. Note that buffering only effects the LINEARITY of pH response to acid (or base) additions. The total amount of acid required to exactly neutralize a given amount of base will not be affected by the presence of buffers. As to why excess acid appears to be required, I suspect it's not really required, but merely hastens the separation. And as to how Todd knows the right amount of excess acid to use, well, maybe he'll tell you :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Separating Glycerine
On May 15, 2006, at 1:42 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote: Do we simply have to neutralize the mix or do we have to achieve a particular pH? I suspect that many people do not split the mix because it's a bit confusing or sounds difficult. The FFA-soap system is a buffer, which means that the combination of ingredients tends to resist a change in its pH. As you add acid, the pH doesn't change much -- you add more, it's still pH 10. You add more, now it's pH 9.5. A little more, suddenly it's pH 4 and the FFA is floating to the top. Typically, you'll tend to overshoot with the acid before you get a good FFA split. Once you remove the FFA from off the top, the aqueous phase below loses its buffering properties, and you can bring it back to neutrality in a straightforward (linear) fashion with ammonia or some such base. Confusing? Naah :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Solar Concentrator PV Modules
On May 12, 2006, at 1:59 PM, Zeke Yewdall wrote:.. the biggest reason I see for failed systems islack of maintenance (mostly batteries, but alsoanything that moves).I've got my well pump on three 50W modules, fixed.It's totally maintenance-free. I don't think I'll usetrackers for the main house power either. If you havepoles, there's usually azimuth and elevation bracketsthat can be adjusted at any time. You set them foryour latitude first -- if you want to adjust themseasonally or daily, it's easy. If not, it works fine inthe original position. Good for us lazy types :-)-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Fw: Car runs on water
On May 8, 2006, at 4:06 PM, D. Mindock wrote: 1 liter of water will run the car for an hour. Very efficient electrolysis is used to get the hydrogen from the water while the car's in operation. No time to read the details just now -- I'm guessing the electricity comes from a wind turbine on top of the car, which is turned by the wind from the car's motion down the road! :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] distilling fuel/reactant ethanol
On May 4, 2006, at 8:21 PM, Jason Katie wrote: if one were to apply vacuum to a castor based alcohol refinery, the heat required would be considerably less, therefore the front-end energy requirements would be less. does it make sense to use this to speed the vaporization process? Absolutely, if you can produce the required vacuum for less energy than the heat you'll save. AND all the permit applications and tax references i have looked up, at least in the US, require fuel grade alcohol to be denatured at a minimum of at least 5% to qualify for the alcohol tax exemption(not sales or road taxes ). can castor oil be used as a denaturant? I don't believe so, but you can study the various types of denatured ethanol at the Pharmco-Aaper site here: http://www.pharmco-prod.com/pages/ethanoldenatured.html There is one formula for a CDA (completely denatured alcohol) that only requires 2% denaturant -- namely, gasoline. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] clarifying
On Apr 23, 2006, at 6:26 PM, Andrew Leven wrote:after letting my latest 30L batch sit for 4days after washing it stillwas cloudy so I put it back in the processor and reheated it andthen filtered it. Still cloudy. So I washed it again and it has nowbeen sitting for 4 more days and still is cloudy. Any advice?I'm assuming when you say "still cloudy" after heating, you meanwhen it cools down again. This is important -- does the biodieselget clear when warm? If so, it may be either water or waxy esterssuspended in the biodiesel. Try heating a small amount in a micro-wave QUITE hot (say 160F in an open saucer for ten minutes withgentle stirring) to drive off any suspended water. Let cool -- still cloudy?-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Separating Glycerine
On Apr 11, 2006, at 3:43 PM, Derick Giorchino wrote: My experience has been like this . I started in late summer to try to separate the cocktail. As with the wvo I used small test batches. The separation took much longer than I would have thought. But I did get separation. I think we're talking here about separating FFA from the soapy glycerine phase. If not, ignore the rest I find it's much easier to see what's going on if you dilute the glycerine phase in warm water before trying to separate the FFA, just for the first time so you know what you're trying to accomplish. Maybe like one part glycerine to four parts warm water, so the dark drops of FFA floating to the top are REALLY obvious. And after diluting it, throw out any oil or biodiesel that floats up, just so as not to confuse what comes next. Add just a few ml of acid (muriatic, sulfuric, phosphoric, and acetic all work in my experience) and stir gently for several minutes. Let sit a half hour or so, then repeat if necessary. At some point the FFA (odd-smelling reddish liquid) starts floating to the top in a thin layer (there's not usually very much, proportionally speaking). Great for bar soap, or herbicide. Not sure what else :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Separating Glycerine
On Apr 10, 2006, at 4:42 PM, Thomas Kelly wrote:The oil I use titrates between 1.0 and 1.5g/L. That's pretty clean oil -- should only have maybe11g of FFA per liter, which will need about 5g (3ml)of 85% H3PO4 (per liter oil) to separate. Sounds likeyou're using about 300X too much phosphoric acid.I use the single stage base method. I get a yield greaterthan 80%. I have assumed that it is because I use oil thatis low in FFA. Does this also explain why I get only about half as muchFFA as Glycerine when I separate the glycerine mix?Per liter of oil, you might expect to get 100ml of glycerineand the above 11g (12ml) of FFA. If you're getting fivetimes that much "FFA", it's probly not FFA. I have my oil burner running on BD100. I would like to addthe FFA from the split ... probably 5 - 10%. Any problemsanticipated w. this? Will it stay dissolved in the BD or separateout?FFA should be soluble in biodiesel to at least that extent.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Just a note to the list
On Apr 6, 2006, at 7:13 AM, Chip Mefford wrote: This mailing list, since I joined no so very long ago, and its attendant archives, has been the best source of information that I find important that I have ever come across. The overall quality of the posts and the levelheaded- ness of the commentary has been a huge breath of fresh air, in this internet of 'info-glut' and flame wars. Hear, hear! Due to my living full time in a construction site, I'm actually making very little biofuel these days -- still, this list is one of the first places I check when I get a chance to sit down. Thanks to Keith and all of you for providing a much-needed window on the wacky world out there :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Washing
On Mar 30, 2006, at 1:10 AM, Charles List wrote:I've been doing a bit of research as I begin to up-scale my processing and I see that the University of Idaho published areport on biodiesel production where they wash the combinedglycerol/ methyl ester mixture before separation, saying that thisimproves the effectiveness of further washing. They are talkingabout the ethanol transesterification method, but I was wonderingwhether anyone had tried this with the methanol method andcould tell me how effective it is.Very effective -- I use it almost every batch, methanol or ethanol.The so-called "glycerine wash" step, which must be done gently,allows a lot of the soaps and alkali to be taken into the aqueous(glycerine) phase prior to separating the biodiesel off the top.The reason to do this is that the presence of glycerine duringthe first wash greatly inhibits the formation of emulsions, allowingyour subsequent water-only washes to proceed much morequickly. I use hot water, approx. 1.5l for every 10l of oil -- i.e.,a 10l batch of oil which would normally give a 1l glycerine layernow gives 2.5l of mixed glycerine-water.The only disadvantage is for people who want to recover excessalcohol from the glycerine layer, since you need to use a fraction-ating column to separate out the water you added. I believe mosthomebrewers are still not recovering excess alcohol, so I reallydon't know why more people don't use this step. I preach its virtuesconstantly :-)-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Seeking experience to produce biodiesel from Castor
On Mar 29, 2006, at 8:55 PM, Chandan Haldar wrote: Anyone care to share any experiences with castor oil based biodiesel brewing using small-scale plants? I am told that castor oil dissolves in alcohols and external heating is eliminated from the process. That's one oil I've never tried, but if it's true that it's soluble in the alcohol, the ester is probably also, which would make it difficult to get separation of a glycerine phase. Try it and let us know! -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Small oil press
On Mar 25, 2006, at 2:45 PM, Jason Katie wrote: Its a piece of gas main with a helix press in it (like whats in a meat grinder). the hardest part to find would be the press itself, but everything else is just off the shelf nickel and dime stuff. In my ApproTec ram press, the piston runs in a cage made of parallel steel bars with precisely shimmed gaps between them to allow oil to escape but not seed cake, and THIS is the only tricky piece. From what I can see of this Piteba unit, it also has a cage in which the screw turns -- if you didn't have a cage or some other method of surrounding the cake with multiple openings, the oil would have to percolate through the cake to get out, which would be very slow. If it's really easy to build a cheap screw press, I wish someone would post detailed plans -- this having to go to Germany (Komet), Tanzania (ApproTec), Netherlands (Piteba), etc. is for the birds :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Small oil press
On Mar 26, 2006, at 6:18 AM, Keith Addison wrote: Could you put some plans together Jason? Made of common bits. As you say the helix press is the problem. I've never seen a discarded meat grinder in a junk pile or recycling centre, here nor elsewhere. I think the screws for oil presses are different and unique -- the pressure is supposed to increase to very high levels by the end of the path, much higher than meat needs. Also, how could it be continuous? You'd have to stop every now and then to take the cake out, it doesn't look like it comes out the end all by itself like a meat grinder. Would a grinder still crush out the oil if it came out the end like that? I believe their design is continuous, much like my ram press. The screw cap at the end allows you to adjust the pressure at the exit so that just the right amount of cake leaks out to allow continuous operation, but it comes out almost dry so you're not leaving any oil in it. Amen to online plans! -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Microbes in BD
On Mar 18, 2006, at 6:44 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: I started using WVO that includes some tallow. what's the wispy stuff?It's esters of stearic, palmitic, and other saturated fatty acidsprecipitating out of solution. Try warming the spheres slightlyand see if they melt. Biodiesel made from tallow does thisunless kept reasonably warm (summertime temperatures).-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Microbes in BD
On Mar 18, 2006, at 8:35 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote: I normally heat the settled BD to about 125F to dry it. When I do this towispy batch the wispy stuff seems to clump and then rise to the surfacein small globs.H..maybe somebody else here has seen this before -- it's anew one to me. Somehow I doubt microbes -- I think that would takemonths or years.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Bio diesel newbie q reply by webmaster
On Mar 15, 2006, at 7:49 AM, greg Kelly wrote:.my question has to do with keeping the mixture up to tempwhile the reaction is going on. I am wondering if I could usea hot water bath that is electrically heated? Shouldn't be necessary -- even my little 7 gallon batches onlydrop from 35C to maybe 30C over the course of an hour. Ofcourse, if it's freezing in your work area, or you want to keep thebatch warm for several hours, you might need something likeyou suggest.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] What the
On Mar 5, 2006, at 2:12 PM, doug wrote: I guess buying gas, or propane, or table salt, ... really... ...all access to chemicals ? will they make the agriculture industry stop supplying chemicals to the public? Reminds me of present-day chem classes for kids: now children, take out your boxes of sodium bicarbonate, and be sure to wear your lab aprons and eye protectors when handling these dangerous materials. :-) Long before the terrists, we were headed this way thanks to the lawyers. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Party Hacks - The fix is in for 2008
On Mar 4, 2006, at 7:57 AM, robert luis rabello wrote: How can we take our own country back if the electoral system is rigged against our wishes? I used to complain that the German people of the 1930's essentially did nothing to check the rise of the National Socialists to power, but now that I see the same kind of thing happening in my own country, I have a broader appreciation for how difficult it is to swim against the tide. It's a real problem, alright. The only good news is that they can only get away with stealing elections when the real vote would have been close anyway.I assume. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] BTU's to produce synthetic magnesium sillicate -vs- mined talc
On Feb 18, 2006, at 11:12 AM, David Thornton wrote:BTU's required to produce magnesol (synthetic magnesium sillicate) vs the BTU's required to minenatural talc. Magnesium silicate is probably produced by reactingsilica with magnesium oxide. The process would re-quire heat, possibly quite high. The MgO itself is typ-ically produced from the carbonate by calcining at highheat, which releases large amounts of CO2, probablynot recovered. The MgCO3 is probably mined, whichwould require similar energy expenditure as the min-ing of talc.In general, I think mining a material in its desired formwould usually use less energy than any synthetic path-way. Environmental impact on the land is of course an-other issue.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Biodiesel from Fresh-Pressed Oil
Joey: Gums will typically come out as a gunky brown layer floating on top of the gycerine but below the biodiesel. Degumming first will avoid having to deal with that layer, but is not necessary. Either way, they won't make it into the finished product. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] KOH carbonated
On Feb 11, 2006, at 9:07 PM, JJJN wrote: I just got 50 #s of KOH for next to nothing. It is in flake form but it is carbonated to some extent (unkown). I have some lab grade KOH that is near absolute also. Can anyone give me a complete procedure to make a comparison (Strength %) of one to the other? Make equal strength solutions of both (eg, 1g in 1 liter of water), and titrate one ml of oil (the same oil, of course) using each solution. Any difference in the amount of solution needed will tell you the proportional difference in KOH content. This is approximate, since the carbonate is also slightly basic. BTW, assuming you make your methoxide with the same KOH you use to titrate, it really doesn't matter, within reason, how carbonated it is. You'll just need more to achieve neutr- ality in your titration, and then you'll use that same amount when you make your methoxide. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Ethanol vs Biodiesel
On Feb 3, 2006, at 12:58 PM, anna b wrote: I am curious as to why ethanol has dominated the recent discussion in main stream media of alternative fuels. The way I see it biodiesel is already available as are diesel cars to use it. Think of the historical difference in cost between bread and olive oil. Ethanol can be made from bread, biodiesel requires vegoil. The quality of the feedstock is much higher for biodiesel, and so will be the cost -- especially in those places where waste oils (ie, fried foods) aren't so readily available as in suburban US. Also, biodiesel requires constructing production facilities that don't exist presently. Ethanol is a common product worldwide already. Also, of course, Bush's friends would rather make ethanol :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] ethanol method in remote place
On Jan 26, 2006, at 2:29 AM, pan ruti wrote: I am sure that big company like BASF are trying to make ethoxide IN GLOBAL Market in big scale to sell to rural people (high price too) so that Biod can be easily made with ethoxide( ethanol and NaOH). If you started with pure sodium ethoxide as a catalyst rather than trying to make your own with ethanol and lye, you could have an easier time of it. Might be hard to find in a rural area, but it has the added advantage of not contributing water to the mix. You could also use sodium metal rather than lye (!!!) to produce your own ethoxide. Can any here in our list ..what is pro and against the ethoxide methods. The biggest disadvantage of ethanol over methanol is that the base-catalyzed biodiesel reactions do not occur as readily, since ethanol is less acidic than methanol. More catalyst is needed, and more ethanol to drive the equilibrium. Acid-catalyzed ESTERification (of soapstock or FFA) would occur just as easily with ethanol as methanol. Another major problem with ethanol is that distillation alone will not produce anhydrous ethanol, which is essential for the base-catalyzed method. The biggest advantage of ethanol is the obvious one -- it is readily produced and distilled (but not easily dried) all over the world from renewable sources. The best solution for biodiesel would be a cheap easy way to make methanol from biomass. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] water, ethanol and gasoline
- On Jan 25, 2006, at 9:54 AM, Mark Kennedy wrote: When 160 proof ethanol and gasoline are mixed, what happens? does the gasoline mix with the ethanol and the water separate out from the ethanol and fall to the bottom? It's complicated. do a Google search on ternary phase diagram ethanol water gasoline. With enough ethanol in the mix (70% by weight), any combination of gasoline and water will combine with the ethanol into a single phase. As the ethanol drops below the 70% level, an aqueous phase separates from the gasoline if the water fraction exceeds a small value. The exact amount of ethanol needed to keep a small amount of water dissolved in the gasoline depends sensitively on the amount of water. Once phase separation occurs, the proportion of ethanol that stays in the gasoline versus separating out with the water depends on the amounts of the three constituents. The phase diagram will make this clear. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] ethanol method
On Jan 25, 2006, at 11:00 AM, Blas Antonio Guanes wrote: the problem is that, methanol costs 4 $ and pure ethanol for car costs 0.52 $, NaOH is gotten in any part.. KOH is sold in bags of 25 kilos for soap industry.. Here in Paragua it is difficult to get chemical products. for that reason I want know how I can make with oil, ethanol and NaOH Have you tried dissolving NaOH in pure anhydrous ethanol? It is difficult. If you can dissolve the required amount (perhaps by boiling the ethanol/NaOH mixture under reflux), you could possibly make biodiesel out of very clean dry oil. If you only use 3.5g NaOH per liter of oil, or if your ethanol or oil contain any water, you will probably never achieve separation of a glycerine phase. All your ingredients go into a clear solution, and just stay that way forever. Until glycerine separates, you don't have biodiesel. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] was: Bin Laden, blah, blah....
On Jan 19, 2006, at 12:24 PM, Paul Webber wrote: the US will always have just two main parties because it cannot support more than that the way the government is set up.. while it is possible that the republican party and/or democratic party could disappear, after a year or two, two other parties would take the lead and the US would again be a two-party democracy. I am not smart enough to come of with a good plan for doing it differently... It's amazing how many Americans actually believe the so-called two-party system is written into our Constitution. I'm sure the two main wings of the Business Party are both happy for us to believe that. Truth is, it's left up to the states how their Representatives in Congress are chosen, and elections or caucuses based on proportional representation would be perfectly legal at a Federal level. Getting the states to switch would be very difficult, though I suspect Vermont might be willing. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Acid - Base questions
On Jan 8, 2006, at 2:15 AM, Jan Warnqvist wrote: I was referring to acid esterification of FFA:s / oil without passing through the soap step. These reactions are often incomplete, and moreover, quite slow. Not only that, but difficult to isolate your biodiesel from the react- ants. My experience with straight esterification is that you always have two phases, but you can't ever tell what's in each phase. It starts out, of course, with alcohol in one and FFA in the other. After the reaction has gone as far it's going to (many hours of agit- ation at high temps), there's a combination of biodiesel, FFA, acid, and a little methanol in the oily phase, and the huge excess of meth- anol plus water and most of the acid in the aqueous phase. Hard to ever get pure biodiesel, or even know how far the reaction has gone, and you can't easily purify or wash the biodiesel without reversing the reaction to some extent. I'm sure it's doable, once you work out all the variables and have a process down with good testing of your product. For me, the base- catalyzed reaction is much more practical. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Better titration Question
On Jan 2, 2006, at 8:20 PM, Logan Vilas wrote: When using the better titration method I'm using 4ml oil and 40ml Isopropyl. Ah,ha! Well, I guess I should have read what the better titration method involved! Not sure why it's better, but clearly it will work. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Better titration Question
On Jan 2, 2006, at 3:33 PM, Logan Vilas wrote: In the better Titration Method I find it's easier to mix my stock solution with 20grams in 500milliters distilled water. OK -- we now have 4% NaOH soln. That gives .4% w/v lye solution when 5ml is added to 45ml distilled water. Yes, if you add 5ml of your 4% soln. to 45ml of water, you get a 0.4% solution. This is still 4 times the concentration that everyone else uses. By doing this I do not have to divide the titration results. I don't understand what you mean by this. When using a 0.1% soln., the number of milliliters of soln. needed to neutralize 1ml of oil is equal to the number of grams NaOH which must be added to the usual 3.5g per liter of oil. With your 4X solution, you will achieve neutrality at only 1/4 as many milliliters of solution, and thus will need to multiply by four to calculate the proper excess of NaOH. I haven't had any problems yet, but I was wondering if anyone would know of a reason I shouldn't do it? As long as you make the proper multiplication by four, your solution will work fine. Or if there is anyone using this method? I can't see why anyone would. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
[Biofuel] The Edge
Fascinating site, check it out. And Happy New Year :-) http://www.edge.org/ -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] acid/base method for conversion of wvo to FAMEs
On Dec 31, 2005, at 1:38 AM, Keith Addison wrote: What I'd really like to do is add FFA by increments to the same low-FFA WVO. Could I use FFA separated from the glyc cocktail for that? Does all the phosphoric acid and all the KOH end up in the bottom layer after separation or will there still be some left in the FFA to confuse the issue? If it's still there in the FFA, could it be neutralised? Any ideas? That's very much what I did for my experiments -- I was isolating pure FFA, then adding it back in controlled amounts (along with using it in soap recipes and as an herbicide :-)). Like Todd said, a simple hot water wash on the extracted crude FFA leaves a very clean layer -- dark reddish-brown, odd-smelling -- which of course floats on the wash water. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Transesterification Separation after using ethanol
On Dec 30, 2005, at 6:31 AM, francisco j burgos wrote: 1.-Could you please indicate me if Free Fatty Acids are soluble in: a) Glycerine b) Biodiesel (tallow ethyl ester). Nearly insoluble in glycerol, fully soluble in biodiesel. 2.- Using Ethanol 99.9%, KOH, beef talow, I obtained BD (liquid at 25ºC, 77ºF) but glycerine separation not detectable. Any suggestion?. Read The JtF webpages about ethyl esters. If you don't get glycerine separation, it's not really biodiesel. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] acid/base method for conversion of wvo to FAMEs
On Dec 30, 2005, at 11:34 AM, bob allen wrote: acid/base method for conversion of wvo to FAMEs The following is my modification of that procedure which works for us, and takes less time, but requires more catalyst. Dissolve 1 ml sulfuric acid in 150 ml methanol and add to 1 liter liter dry wvo, heat to about 60 Celsius for one hour. Then dissolve 4.9gm NaOH in 50 ml methanol and add to the reaction mixture. Continue heating for an additional hour, stir for one more hour and then let set for 8 or more hours. Workup as usual. Sounds right -- now as to the basic theory: Have you been able to verify that the acid catalysis stage actually accomplishes anything? In other words, starting from some high FFA feedstock, do two experiments: 1) Single stage with excess alkali as required to neut- ralize the FFAs. This would be expected to produce much soap and reduced biodiesel yield. 2) Your method as described above, which should theoretically reduce the soap formation dramatically with proportionally higher biodiesel yield. I did my best to verify this a few years back, and found the acid actually didn't help much. Just curious -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] acid/base method for conversion of wvo to FAMEs
On Dec 30, 2005, at 3:42 PM, bob allen wrote: it didn't work for me either, using the short reaction time and low temperature in the foolproof method, but I did a control experiment with my conditions. using similar conditions of concentration, and temperature, (my method) oleic acid, methanol and sulfuric acid did convert the oleic acid to ester. Great -- I'll try it sometimeI think the FFA content of my feedstock may be taking a turn for the worse soon :-) -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] America Right or Wrong
On Dec 29, 2005, at 2:38 AM, Keith Addison wrote:from America Right or Wrong: AsiaSource Interview with Anatol LievenDecember 21, 2004..tremendously strong power of American national myths. ...Vietnam knocked these myths off their pedestal, but many Americans spent a whole generation resuscitating them.Reagan was elected very much to do just that, to restoreAmerica's image of itself. It would seem that these myths areso important to America's national identity and image of itselfthat the American political and intellectual establishment issimply incapable in the end of seriously examining them andasking what flaws they may embody.Wow -- you're on a roll, Keith! First Chomsky, and now this :-)I've never heard of him before, thx for the long posting. Thebit I excerpted above reminds me of Diamond's Collapse, withthe Norse unable to examine their own sacred myths in lightof their new conditions in Greenland. Guess what? They diedout!-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Noam Chomsky interview
On Dec 28, 2005, at 7:56 AM, Keith Addison wrote: http://www.zmag.org/ On the Iraq Election - Noam Chomsky interviewed by Andy Clark for Radio Netherlands Thanks for the posting -- Chomsky is such a good teacher, a walking encyclopedia of history and always amazingly insightful. I hadn't run across the idea of the biblical prophets as dissident intellectuals -- great stuff. Anyway, it alway does my jaded mind worlds of good to hear Truth explained so clearly. May he live forever. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Redemption from Plastics Wasteland
On Dec 15, 2005, at 7:52 AM, Keith Addison wrote: The Institute of Science in Society Science Society Sustainability http://www.i-sis.org.uk This article can be found on the I-SIS website at http://www.i-sis.org.uk/RFTPW.phphttp://www.i- sis.org.uk/RFTPW.php Most interesting -- thx for the post... I wonder how this might apply to the plastic or paper debate at the supermarket. For years now I've always asked for plastic, the logic being that I know, at least in my neck'o'the woods, the polyethylene will be recycled for awhile and ultimately landfilled, never to sur- face again :-) Seems like a surefire way to sequester some petrocarbon that would otherwise go up in smoke. However, if producing the polyethylene releases massive amounts of CO2 anyway, and pollutes a lot of rivers into the bargain, the logic would clearly be flawed. The question is confused further by lumping all plastics together -- we KNOW that PVC is bad, but maybe polyethylene production is less so. We know that Pepsi rings around seabirds' necks are bad, but maybe buried plastic bags are a GOOD way to put the oil back in the ground, at least for a few centuries. Or maybe not? -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Lay low in the high grass
On Dec 3, 2005, at 8:52 AM, Thomas Kelly wrote:My father-in-law..is a wonderful man. We differ in opinion on one particular point re: biodiesel. He says, "Lay low inthe high grass." I say, "Spread the word, change the world." My car's license plate is BD 100. I talk to friends, acquaintences,or any one who expresses an interest in bd. Several recent posts seem to be suggesting that we "lay low" andexpand as a underground force. I just am interested in the views of other list members.An interesting issue -- I have notoriously advocated the "lay low"approach, with the exception that I'm happy to discuss the IDEAof homemade biofuels with anyone. Only people that I trust (andanyone spying on my email :-() know that I've ever made it myself.As far as people expressing an interest, that would have to includethe local fire marshall, who came to one of my sister's parties yearsago and was very concerned that her little brother was makingbiodiesel, til he learned that it was in another county. Now that Ilive is HIS county, you can be sure he knows nothing about it!I admire anyone who is willing to put their neck out there vis-a-vislicense plates etc. I always figure they're either very trusting, verynaive, or else they are truly prepared to make some life sacrificesfor their beliefs. If the latter, more power to 'em..-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Methanol
On Nov 29, 2005, at 11:51 PM, Keith Addison wrote: We're veering between incaution and overcaution. There've been some other messages pooh-poohing safety in general. I'd agree too much safety is dangerous, but so is too little. What's required is *due* caution, which needs good information. Thanks again, Keith, for bringing a balanced viewpoint, much as I do like to veer :-). Though hardly a chemophobe, even I would be horrified to take pure methanol internally even in the minutest of quantities. I'm cautious but not paranoid about the occasional whiff of vapor, and less cautious still about absorption through the skin. I wouldn't immerse my hands in it, but a spill or splash vapor- izes almost instantly and has no time to be significantly absorbed. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] neoprene gloves good enough protection?
On Nov 29, 2005, at 1:04 PM, Kenji James Fuse wrote: What do others use for hand protection from methanol and methoxide? Do neoprene gloves provide adequate enough protection from methanol and methoxide? I realize this is sacrilege, but I don't use ANY PROTECTION! I find the methanol evaporates very quickly from my hands, leaving no ill effects (yet :-)) except a certain chappiness that can be remedied with various OTC preparations (hand lotion). Methoxide solution spilled on the hands has a tendency to produce a slight burning sensation after a couple of minutes that can be neutral- ized instantly with running water. Really. -K ___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
Re: [Biofuel] Absolute ethanol
On Nov 21, 2005, at 2:18 PM, francisco j burgos wrote:ETHANOL 95%ABSOLUT ETHYL ALCOHOLIsopropyl alcohol 0.003Methanol 0.01H2O 0.2%Interesting -- It's possible you have absolute ethanoldenatured with gasoline -- what's called "fuel grade"ethanol in US. If true, the odor of gasoline at 5%would be unmistakable. In any case, it should befine for biodiesel.-K___ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
