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Biodiesel is arguably the best alternative for the petroleum fuel. It can be used as fuel in diesel engines. The reason for it being called as the biodiesel is that it is prepared from the biodegradable material. You also have a choice to use it in its pure form or you can then blend it with petroleum diesel. Homebrew diesel is quite easy to prepare. Still you should take the proper care by getting the proper equipments as well as the proper clothing. The following is the method to prepare homebrew diesel with the help of the fresh vegetable cooking oil, but before you start you will need the following things; * A blender with a glass jar; * A weight measurement scale; * One quart jar; * One hand pump; * Fresh vegetable oil; * One liquid measuring cup; * Sodium hydroxide; * Methanol; Now before starting, let all the material get warm to at least 1310 F. Then put on the necessary shielding equipments like the gloves, goggles, respirator, and so on. Take one cup of methanol in the blender. Put 3.4 grams of sodium hydroxide and add to the methanol in the blender. Cover the blender and blend the mixture for about 5 minutes at low speed. You will now find that the mixture in the blender is sodium methoxide. This is a strong base and you should avoid coming in contact with the mixture. Now, add one quart of fresh vegetable cooking oil into the mixture in the blender and with all due precautions, blend them at a low speed for half an hour. Now let the mixture to set at normal room temperature for a minimum of 8 hours. You will find that the mixture has now two layers. One of them is alight coloured and is floating on top of the other layer, a dark coloured layer. The dark coloured layer is called the glycerol, while the other lighter fluid is the biodiesel. You can now pump out the diesel with the help of the hand pump. Homebrew diesel is quite easy to prepare and it also gives you another option. You can also prepare biodiesel with the help of the used or the waste biodiesel. The waste oil is more acidic than the fresh vegetable oil and hence can be more efficient. Because of the presence of the higher fatty acids, the amount of catalyst required is more. To determine how much of the catalyst is required, you will have to do the titration. After the titration, you can determine the amount of the catalyst required and then you may proceed. You will have to utilize the whole amount of sodium hydroxide. When this is done proceed with the same steps to prepare the biodiesel as followed in the method to prepare the biodiesel from fresh cooking oil. After the completion of the process, you will find that the there are more layers present than the first one. The layer which is white in colour and is in between the glycerol and the diesel is the soap. It is a by product and comes even if there is minute amount of water in the oil. Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Biodiesel for Years. For More Information on Homebrew Diesel, Visit His Site at HOMEBREW DIESEL
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