Safe and Responsible Biodiesel Production

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Safe and Responsible Biodiesel Production

• Wilson College / Dickinson College
• Biodiesel Projects
• South Central PA

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Our project

• Research the Best Practices for small scale
  biodiesel production
• Teach farmers to make fuel via a series of
  hands-on workshops
• Support 10 selected farmers with start-up funds
  and intensive follow-up training

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Biodiesel Convert the fuel

• Reactants
• Vegetable Oil
• Methanol
• Lye catalyst
• Potassium or sodium
• Other inputs
• Energy (heat, mechanical)
• Labor

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Biodiesel Convert the fuel

• Fatty acid methyl esters, AKA Biodiesel
• Crude glycerol byproduct
• Other products
• Wash water, bad veg oil

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Straight Vegetable Oil optionConvert the vehicle

• Filtered vegetable oil is warmed using engine
  heat
• No added chemicals or money after initial
  investment
• One vehicle at a time

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Biodiesel Process Steps
Heat oil to 130 degrees F
Determine recipe via chemical analysis
Collect used cooking oil and filter
React methanol and lye with hot oil
Allow gylcerol to settle, drain to storage
Recover methanol from fuel
Recover methanol from glycerol. Dispose of
glycerol appropriately
Wash and dry fuel
Filter fuel and use
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SARE Project Teaching Farmers
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Spoutwood Farm
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New Morning Farm
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One Straw Farm Appleseed Reactor
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Dickinson College Biodiesel shop
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Greensgrow Farm Project
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Charlie Kolb 400 gallon reactor
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Sankanac Farm CSA
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Dry Tank Wilmer Newswanger
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NMF Recommend SVO conversion
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• Appleseed water heater based processor
• Closed system
• Affordable, effective
• 80 Gallon water heater
• 54 Gallon batches
• Plumbers delight methanol recovery condensor

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Methanol recovery

• Regulatory compliance
• Simplify safe byproduct handling
• Save money energy

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Secondary Containment
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Talk to your fire chief

• Let them know what you are doing
• Ask for suggestions
• Work together to prevent accidents
• Tell your neighbors what you are up to

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Glycerol If you recover methanol

• Compost
• Make soap
• Degreaser and floor cleaner
• Animal feed additive? (sweet, carbohydrate
  source)- watch pH
• Dust suppressant for roads and trails?
• Contact your local DEP office!

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Glycerol composting research
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Cover to reduce runoff
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Glycerol, with methanol

• Contact your local DEP office
• Anaerobic (biogas) digester
• Industrial boilers/ kilns
• Landfill (ask permission from operator)
• We dont recommend burning at home. May create
  acrolein gas which is TOXIC

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Wash water, on-farm

• Consult local DEP office
• Consider waterless alternatives
• Soap settling post-methanol recovery (GL1)
• Purolite bead filtration
• Constructed wetland for biofiltration
• Compost or dilute land application
• Far from any surface water or storm drain
• Watch for salt buildup
• Use a grease trap

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Your Waste Water Treatment Plant will appreciate
a grease trap!
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Gloves, goggles, dust mask
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Signs and Labels!
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Best Practices Manual

• www.wilson.edu/biodiesel
• steimanm_at_dickinson.edu
• How to information
• www.biodieselcommunity.org
• www.biodieselSMARTER.com
• www.b100supply.com
• www.utahbiodieselsupply.com