Keith, > What's the accident rate per gallon for DIY/backyard operations? Or > should we rather point at atrocities like Bhopal and Anniston and all > the rest ad infinitum and conclude that their record is infinitely > worse than ours and making chemicals is obviously not a job that can > safely be left to chemical corporations? Nor are the oil corps much > better.
Nothing like being dead center on the mark. Can't say that we've gassed thousand in their sleep. Nor is it possible that we ever could. Shoot, we haven't even melted a platform down to sea level (Steelhead, Cook Inlet), much less run our reactor aground on a reef in Prince William Sound. Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Friday, October 24, 2003 2:01 PM Subject: Re: [biofuel] Fwd: Weekend fire destroys backyard biodiesel operation > Ai-yah!! > > Never any good news from Tom Leue! > > Associated Press report: > http://www.projo.com/ap/ma/1066663231.htm > > I'm very sorry Tom was hurt, and very sorry about the accident > whatever, but there's a few things to say. > > > > "Something went wrong and the oil was too hot when I > > > put in the alcohol," > > > Leue said Monday. "The alcohol started boiling very > > > vigorously and filled the > > > area with fumes that caught fire." > > An open processor? Not the best idea. > > But if it was an open processor, how could he let the oil get that > hot without noticing it before putting in the alcohol (methoxide)? > How did the fumes catch fire? Not spontaneously, its ignition temp is > 470¡C (878F), so what sparked it? The fumes shouldn't have been free, > and there shouldn't have been anything to spark a blaze. > > > > "It's still real good technology for the world, but > > > not something I would > > > attempt again," he said. "It's not an operation for > > > down on the farm. I have > > > probably done more than I should have." > > Or less. It most emphatically IS an operation for down on the farm. > Maybe it's just not an operation for Tom Leue. This is what we've all > been trying so hard to avoid, or prevent: the "just one accident that > could set the biofuels movement back years", or that at least could > be used against the biofuels movement to set it back years. Making > biodiesel is dangerous, it's a job for professionals; leave it to the > oil companies; there should be laws against it to protect people. > Yeah, right. Great. > > What's the accident rate per gallon for DIY/backyard operations? Or > should we rather point at atrocities like Bhopal and Anniston and all > the rest ad infinitum and conclude that their record is infinitely > worse than ours and making chemicals is obviously not a job that can > safely be left to chemical corporations? Nor are the oil corps much > better. > > There are quite a few people who like to say making biodiesel is > dangerous, even here, some of them. It's NOT dangerous if you do it > properly, and there's no excuse for not doing it properly. I don't > see how what Tom describes can be squared with safe procedure. All > very regrettable. > > Whatever, let's hope Tom's not badly burned. I'd guess not, it'd've > said so if it were serious or he was in hospital. > > Best > > Keith > > > > >--- [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > Date: Thu, 23 Oct 2003 13:48:49 EDT > > > Subject: Weekend fire destroys backyard biodiesel > > > operation > > > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED], > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Weekend fire destroys backyard biodiesel operation > > > > > > 10/20/2003 > > > ASHFIELD, Mass. -- Tom Leue says he is calling it > > > quits after a weekend fire > > > destroyed his tiny backyard biodiesel brewing > > > operation. > > > Leue, who suffered burns to his head and hands in > > > the Saturday night fire, > > > had been making small amounts of the alternative > > > fuel out of old restaurant > > > grease for the past two years and selling it in > > > local stores. > > > "Something went wrong and the oil was too hot when I > > > put in the alcohol," > > > Leue said Monday. "The alcohol started boiling very > > > vigorously and filled the > > > area with fumes that caught fire." > > > The blaze destroyed the converted sugar shack he had > > > used as a brewery and > > > all his equipment, Leue said. > > > With the addition of wood alcohol and lye, the > > > restaurant sludge is converted > > > into an environment-friendly fuel that powers diesel > > > engines and heats homes. > > > While its use doesn't cut down on smog-causing > > > nitrogen oxide, biodiesel > > > produces none of the carbon monoxide or small > > > particles created by burning > > > traditional petroleum-based diesel fuel. > > > "It's still real good technology for the world, but > > > not something I would > > > attempt again," he said. "It's not an operation for > > > down on the farm. I have > > > probably done more than I should have." > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Biofuels list archives: > http://archive.nnytech.net/ > > Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. 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