Make Biodiesel In Your Kitchen
Readers have asked (via email) for an off-grid-friendly fuel making how-to article.
A process that looks simple is found at kitchen-biodiesel.com. The “Automatic Alternative” shown below the animation is one of their sponsor’s systems.
Don’t take the abbreviated animated GIF thumbnail I made from images there as the whole process. Make sure to actually visit their site to get a full description of each step including temperature, the amounts of reactants to use, times to heat, cool and settle, and which ingredients are toxic or corrosive. For example, here are the warnings for methanol and lye:
Sphere: Related ContentMethanol
POISON! Causes eye and skin irritation. May be absorbed through intact skin. This substance has caused adverse reproductive and fetal effects in animals. Danger! Flammable liquid and vapor. Harmful if inhaled. May be FATAL or cause BLINDNESS if swallowed. May cause central nervous system depression. May cause digestive tract irritation with nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.Sodium Hydroxide
POISON! DANGER! CORROSIVE. MAY BE FATAL IF SWALLOWED. HARMFUL IF INHALED. CAUSES BURNS TO ANY AREA OF CONTACT. REACTS WITH WATER, ACIDS AND OTHER MATERIALS.Do NOT inhale any vapors. Cartridge respirators do not work against methanol.
