Source for bad biodiesel?
I have a question for the guys getting bad biodiesel. What’s the source?
There are many variations in the chemical processes to convert vegetable oils (and some animal fats) to FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Esters or Biodiesel). A lot of home brew designs use NaOH or KOH and methanol or ethanol. Most larger commercial producers use an acid esterification process first and then alkali as a final production. This results in a better more consistent FAME. It is more complex and requires more consumables and thus is utilized in less home brew designs.
As biodiesel is being used in more high pressure rail systems and newer diesels it needs to be the highest quality. A quick look at the posts here clearly confirms this.
I wonder if some of the folks having problems have gotten fuel with incomplete esterification. Around here there is only homebrew (not very well done, OK for the tractor) or good B20 about an hour away.
I started designing and building my system but I don't have a good consistent source of WVO. A friend wanted to plant a crop for oil extraction and conversion but that seems to long way to go for the small consumer/farmer.
There are guys making systems for better biodiesels, search for the "foolproof method of making biodiesel"
good links and info thanks
Looks like a lot of folks are having trouble getting the acid esterification part to work right.
I'm still wondering if soem of the problems folks are having with Biodiesel is related to the qulaity of the WVO to start with.
Thats whats delayed me (plus I just don't have all the time to get this project completed). Thw WVO I can easily get my hands on is very low quality.