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ELVIS
02-08-2005, 02:26 PM
February 8, 2005

China and India are locked in an increasingly aggressive wrangle with the United States over the world's most critical economic commodity: oil. More than any other issue, this tussle will shape the economic, environmental and geopolitical future of these three countries, and the world.

Ensuring a steady flow of cheap oil has always been one of the central goals of U.S. foreign and economic policy, and Washington's pre-eminent position in the world is based in large measure on its ability to do this. But China and India are increasingly competing with the United States to secure oil exploration rights in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central Asia and Latin America.

India has invested more than $3 billion in global exploration ventures and has said it will continue to spend $1 billion a year on more acquisitions. China, which has already invested about $15 billion in foreign oil fields, is expected to spend 10 times more over the next decade.

The motive, says Zheng Hongfei, an energy researcher at the Beijing Institute of Technology, is that "there is just not enough oil in the world" to cover China's and India's growing energy needs.

With global oil production barely 1 million barrels over the global consumption rate of 81 million barrels a day, the surge in demand from China and India could eventually lead global demand to outstrip supply, causing fuel prices to shoot up beyond their recent highs of around $56 a barrel, says Roach.

In September, Michael Rothman, a senior energy analyst at Merrill Lynch, said rising oil prices were not so much a result of the Iraq war or political instability in Venezuela and Sudan, but of extensive "hoarding" by China.

According to Rothman's analysis, China and India are roiling oil markets by creating oil reserves, which are designed to provide the minimum cache the country needs to ride out a crisis, along the lines of the United States' Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

With both countries flush with foreign exchange reserves that are threatening to infect their economies with inflation, creating an oil stock seems a sensible solution. But critics say Beijing's and New Delhi's timing is unfortunate, coming just as the global economy seemed to be recovering and the United States was questioning the value of its own reserve.

At 175 million barrels and 25 million barrels respectively, China's and India's estimated oil reserves are just a small fraction of the 700 million barrels held by the United States in its SPR.

China and India, which are both nuclear states, are also taking advantage of the United States' strained ties with Iran, Vietnam and Myanmar by extending these countries military and political support in exchange for energy supplies. And a Washington preoccupied with Iraq, the war on terror and nuclear crises in Iran and North Korea has been unable to checkmate either country as successfully as it did earlier.

For example, U.S. nervousness over China's intentions in Latin America had led it to use its leverage with Panama to impede China's access to the all-important canal connecting the Pacific and Atlantic. But in December, Beijing signed a landmark deal with Venezuela and its neighbor Colombia, under whose terms a pipeline would be constructed linking Venezuelan oil fields to ports along Colombia's Pacific coastline. This will allow Venezuelan oil to bypass the Panama Canal and create a new and direct route to China.

There are also signs that China is warming to the idea of a Russia-China-India axis, which, in cooperation with Iran, would turn the oil-rich Central Asian region into their domain.

INTHESETIMES (http://www.iran-daily.com/1383/2211/html/dotcoms.htm)



:elvis:

McCarrens
02-08-2005, 02:36 PM
This has little to do with the posed article but...

Elvis, you and Ashcroft, BBB and all the other logical thinking right-wingers continually amaze me.

You all show real dedication to proving how incorrcet the liberals are in their way of thinking. You continue to do it, and do it well, when your best points are ignored and the foolish other posters here make assinine jokes about your sexuality, writing ability or simply post doctored pictures of mentally and physically handicapped people and propose they are actually pictures of you.

It is one thing to go against Ford and his liberal rants but to try and carry on your work against the fools who do the things as mentioned above never fails to impress me.

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 02:49 PM
Thankya very much!

They're just hard headed...

We will continue to bombard them with truth and facts!

:D


:elvis:

Angel
02-08-2005, 02:59 PM
Originally posted by ELVIS
Thankya very much!

They're just hard headed...

We will continue to bombard them with truth and facts!

:D


:elvis:

CONTINUE? When are you going to start is my question! :D

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 03:01 PM
Hmmm...

Nickdfresh
02-08-2005, 03:14 PM
Originally posted by McCarrens
This has little to do with the posed article but...

Elvis, you and Ashcroft, BBB and all the other logical thinking right-wingers continually amaze me.

You all show real dedication to proving how incorrcet the liberals are in their way of thinking. You continue to do it, and do it well, when your best points are ignored and the foolish other posters here make assinine jokes about your sexuality, writing ability or simply post doctored pictures of mentally and physically handicapped people and propose they are actually pictures of you.

It is one thing to go against Ford and his liberal rants but to try and carry on your work against the fools who do the things as mentioned above never fails to impress me.

Whatever McCarrins. Say, why don't you ever post any logical articles? or tell us why you are so impressed with this one?. That is, if you are finished with your flagrant ass-kissing now. Maybe they'll be your friend now McCerry, but I doubt it.

McCarrens
02-08-2005, 05:26 PM
I point to Nickdfresh as exhibit A.

Nickdfresh
02-08-2005, 05:53 PM
Originally posted by McCarrens
I point to Nickdfresh as exhibit A.

Yeah, McCarrans, I'm going to tell everybody how my writing has won awards and how I'm a professional journalist! Conveniently leave out those facts in your posts. Feel free to offer any factual information to support your contentions McCarrins. I really can't help it if I and my "liberal" "comrades" have a sense of humor and creativity.

I think even your conservative 'friends' would have to say that I am at least a marginally better poster than you. Feel free to post any of your articles as well. You rarely show any aptitude for reading a newspaper much less writing in one. Your the last guy/gal to be critical of anybody Ninja-journalist.

Here's "exhibit B" for you:

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 06:26 PM
Any thoughts on this particular article ??

Anyone ??

Nickdfresh
02-08-2005, 06:30 PM
Art Bell/George Noory has a guy that talks about all things oil periodically. He was saying the world will be effectively out of oil in less than 50 years since it is not economically feasible to extract every single deposit.

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 06:31 PM
I've heard that guy...

Nickdfresh
02-08-2005, 07:03 PM
Is biodiesel the answer?

Make your own biodiesel

Anybody can make biodiesel. It's easy, you can make it in your kitchen -- and it's BETTER than the petro-diesel fuel the big oil companies sell you. Your diesel motor will run better and last longer on your home-made fuel, and it's much cleaner -- better for the environment and better for health. If you make it from used cooking oil it's not only cheap but you'll be recycling a troublesome waste product. Best of all is the GREAT feeling of freedom, independence and empowerment it will give you. Here's how to do it -- everything you need to know.

Three choices
1. Mixing it
2. Straight vegetable oil
3. Biodiesel
Biodiesel
Where do I start?
What's next?
The process
Our first biodiesel
Biodiesel from new oil
Biodiesel from waste oil
Washing
Using biodiesel
Safety
How much methanol?
Ethyl esters -- making ethanol biodiesel
Reclaiming excess methanol
More about lye
How much lye to use?
Basic titration
Better titration
Accurate measurements
pH meters
Phenolphthalein
High FFA levels
Deacidifying WVO
No titration?
The basic lye quantity -- 3.5 grams?
Mixing the methoxide
Test batches
Stock methoxide solution
How much glycerine? Why isn't it solid?
PET bottle mixers
Viscosity testing
How the process works
What are Free Fatty Acids?
Which method to use?
Why can't I start with the Foolproof method?
Quality
Quality testing
Home heating
Other uses
Identifying plastics
Separating glycerine/FFAs
Three choices

There are at least three ways to run a diesel engine on bio-power, using vegetable oils, animal fats or both. All three work with both fresh and used oils.

* Use the oil just as it is -- usually called SVO fuel (straight vegetable oil);
* Mix it with kerosene (paraffin) or diesel fuel, or with biodiesel;
* Convert it to biodiesel.

The first two methods sound easiest, but, as so often in life, it's not quite that simple.
1. Mixing it

If you're mixing SVO with kerosene or petroleum diesel ("dinodiesel") you're still using fossil-fuel -- cleaner than most, but still not clean enough, many would say. Still, for every gallon of vegetable oil you use, that's one gallon of fossil-fuel saved, and that much less carbon in the atmosphere.

Most people use a mix of up to 30% kerosene and 70% vegetable oil, some use 50/50 mixes. Some people just use it that way, others say it needs at least pre-heating and probably a two-tank system too, like SVO (see below), and we agree with that. The same goes for mixes with vegetable oil and biodiesel -- usually 50/50. In both cases, you might get away with just using it with an older Mercedes 5-cylinder IDI diesel, which is a very tough and tolerant motor. Otherwise, not wise.

So, to be safe, you're going to need what amounts to an SVO two-tank system with heating anyway, so you don't need the kerosene. If you're mixing SVO with biodiesel, you'll use very much less biodiesel by using it in the second tank for start-ups and stops rather than mixing it 50/50. (See next.) Or just use 100% biodiesel and don't bother with two tanks and heating. (See after next.)

Mixes are a poor compromise. But they do have advantages in cold weather. Some kerosene or #1 diesel mixed with biodiesel lowers the temperature at which it starts to gel, and a 50/50 mix with biodiesel will do the same for an SVO system.

Message to the Biofuel mailing list:

"I stuck 3 litres of pure rapeseed oil from my local supermarket straight into the tank of my 1998 VW Caddy van. There were about 3-4 litres of dino-diesel in the tank. Once the dino had cleared the fuel lines, I was running on about 50% dino to 50% oil. The only differences I noticed were: A) the engine ran about 10 deg C cooler; B) the exhaust smelt like a roadside burger bar. Apart from that, no problems! As the weather is finally starting to warm up here, I may increase the oil/diesel ratio and see that happens. -- Nick"

Reply:

"One thing that will happen is that your cold starts will begin to deteriorate. Then your filter will probably start plugging. Then your injectors will likely, in time, get coked up. Then the spray pattern will be wonky. Then you'll set the stage for ring sticking, glazing of the cylinder walls, increased lube oil consumption and eventual engine failure -- if you can continue to get the thing started in the morning. More than 20% or so in the diesel is not a good plan for more than short term 'experiments'. Unfortunately, you're not doing anything new here, Nick, and if it was as easy as running high percentages of SVO in diesel, and being able to maintain reliability, we'd all have gone that way long ago. Regards, Edward Beggs, Neoteric Biofuels Inc <info@biofuels.ca>

A variation on this theme is adding a solvent to the veg oil to lower the viscosity -- usually 3% white spirit (a.k.a. mineral turpentine, Stoddard solvent, turpentine substitute). This raised a lot of interest after it was publicized on a British TV program -- "just add a spoonful". It also raised a lot of scepticism: "'experimental' at best" was the view of experienced SVO'ers, and "steer well clear" unless you have a 5-cyl IDI Mercedes (in which case you don't even need the white spirit). We agree. Work on blends of SVO with other solvents, such as butanol and ethanol, is still experimental. By all means go ahead and experiment, but there are no guarantees.
2. Straight vegetable oil

With SVO you have to start the engine on ordinary petroleum diesel or biodiesel to warm it up, then switch to the straight vegetable oil, and switch back to petro- or biodiesel before you stop the engine. If you don't do that you'll coke up the engine and the injectors. This means having two fuel tanks -- no simple matter with diesels, which have airtight fuel systems. Using SVO also means pre-heating the oil or it'll be too viscous (thick).

But there's a lot to be said for straight vegetable oil systems -- running on straight vegetable oil while starting up and shutting down on biodiesel can be a clean, effective and economical option.

More information on straight vegetable oil systems here.
3. Biodiesel

Biodiesel has some clear advantages over SVO: it works in any diesel, without any conversion or modifications to the engine or the fuel system -- just put it in and go. It also has better cold-weather properties than SVO (but not as good as petro-diesel -- see Using biodiesel in winter). And, unlike SVO, it's backed by many long-term tests in many countries, including millions of miles on the road.

Biodiesel is a clean, safe, ready-to-use, alternative fuel, whereas it's fair to say that SVO systems are mostly still experimental and need further development.

On the other hand, biodiesel can be more expensive, depending what you make it from and whether you're comparing it with new or used oil (and where you live). And, unlike SVO, it has to be processed -- you have to make it. But the large and rapidly growing worldwide band of homebrewers don't seem to mind -- they make a supply every week or once a month and soon get used to it. Many have been doing it for years.

And anyway, you have to process SVO too, especially WVO (waste vegetable oil, used, cooked), which many people with SVO systems use because it's cheap or free for the taking. WVO has to be filtered and dewatered, and probably should be deacidified.

Biodieselers say, "Well, if I'm going to have to do all that I might just as well make biodiesel instead." But SVO types scoff at that -- it's much less processing than making biodiesel, they say. To each his own.

x
Needs processing

Guaranteed trouble-free

Engine conversion

Cheaper
Biodiesel
Yes

Yes

No

Sometimes
SVO/WVO
Less

No

Yes

Usually

Costs and prices: Biodieselers using waste oil feedstock say they can make biodiesel for 60 cents US per gallon or less. Most people use about 600 gallons of fuel a year (about 10 gallons a week) -- say US$360 a year. An SVO system costs from $300 to $1,200 or more. So with an SVO system you'll be ahead in a year or two, which is not a long time in the life of a diesel motor. But will it last as long with SVO? Too soon to tell. Probably, if you use a good system. Recommendations, and much more, here.
Biodiesel

Converting the oil to biodiesel is probably the best of the three options (or we think so anyway).

You could simply buy your biodiesel instead. Most major European vehicle manufacturers now provide vehicle warranties covering the use of pure biodiesel -- though that might not be just any biodiesel. Some insist on "RME", rapeseed methyl esters, and won't cover soy biodiesel in the US, but this seems to be more a trade-related issue than a quality-control one. Germany has more than 1,500 filling stations supplying biodiesel, and it's cheaper than ordinary diesel fuel. It's widely used in France, the world's largest producer. Virtually all fossil diesel fuel sold in France contains between 2% and 5% biodiesel. New EU laws will soon require this Europe-wide. Some states in the US are legislating similar requirements. There's a growing number of US suppliers. Biodiesel is more expensive than ordinary diesel in the US but sales are rising very fast and prices will drop in time. In the UK biodiesel is taxed less than petrodiesel and it's available commercially.

But there's a lot to be said for the GREAT feeling of independence you'll get from making your own fuel (and it's more than just a feeling -- it's real!).

If you want to make it yourself, there are several good recipes available for making high-quality biodiesel, and they all say what we also say: some of these chemicals are dangerous, take full safety precautions, and if you burn/maim/blind/kill yourself or anyone else, that will make us very sad, but not liable -- we don't recommend anything, it's nobody's responsibility but your own.

On the other hand, a lot of people are doing it -- it's safe if you're careful and sensible. "Sensible" also mean not over-reacting, as some people do: "I'd like to make biodiesel but I'm frightened of all those terrible poisons." In fact they're common enough household chemicals. Lye is sold in supermarkets and hardware stores as a drain-cleaner, there's probably a can of it under the sink in most households. Methanol is the main or only ingredient in barbecue fuel or fondue fuel, sold in supermarkets and chain stores as "stove fuel" and used at the dinner table; it's also the main ingredient in the fuel kids use in their model aero engines. So get it in perspective, no need to be frightened. See Safety for further information. Learn as much as you can first -- lots of information is available. Make small test batches before you try large batches (see also Test-batch mini-processor). Make it with fresh oil before you try waste oil.
Where do I start?

Start here: make a test batch of biodiesel using 1 litre of fresh new oil in a blender. If you don't have a spare blender, either get one (you can pick them up quite cheap second-hand), or try this. Or, better, make a simple Test-batch mini-processor.

Go on, do it! Get some methanol, some lye and some new oil at the supermarket and go ahead -- it's a real thrill!

Here's the recipe, just use 1 litre of oil instead of 10 litres, and 200 ml of methanol instead of 2 litres, with 3.5 grams of lye. Here's how to use a blender, and here's how to mix the sodium methoxide -- "Methoxide the easy way" (also the safe way).
What's next?

Learn. You have some decisions to make. It's all quite simple really, thousands of people are doing it, very few of them are chemists or technicians, and there's nothing a layman can't understand, and do, and do it well. But there is quite a lot to learn. You should find everything you need to know right here. We've tried to make it easy for you. You start off with the simplest process that has the best chance of success and move on step by step in a logical progression, adding more advanced features

First, here's how we started.
The process

Vegetable oils and animal fats are triglycerides, containing glycerine. The biodiesel process turns the oils into esters, separating out the glycerine. The glycerine sinks to the bottom and the biodiesel floats on top and can be syphoned off.

The process is called transesterification, which substitutes alcohol for the glycerine in a chemical reaction, using lye as a catalyst.

We use methanol to make methyl esters. We'd rather use ethanol because most methanol comes from fossil fuels (though it can also be made from biomass, such as wood), while ethanol is plant-based and you can distill it yourself, but the biodiesel process is more complicated with ethanol. (See Ethyl esters.)

Ethanol (or ethyl alcohol, grain alcohol -- EtOH, C2H5OH) also goes by various other well-known names, such as whisky, vodka, gin, and so on, but methanol is a deadly poison: first it blinds you, then it kills you, and it doesn't take very much of it. It takes a couple of hours, and if you can get treatment fast enough you might survive. (But don't be put off -- it's easy to do this safely. Safety is built-in to everything you'll read here.)

Methanol is also called methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha, wood spirits, methyl hydrate (or "stove fuel"), carbinol, colonial spirits, Columbian spirits, Manhattan spirits, methylol, methyl hydroxide, hydroxymethane, monohydroxymethane, pyroxylic spirit, or MeOH (CH3OH or CH4O) -- all the same thing. (But, confusingly, "methylcarbinol" or "methyl carbinol" is used for both methanol and ethanol.) In the US you can usually get it at race tracks.

Methylated spirits (denatured alcohol) doesn't work; isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) also doesn't work.

The lye catalyst can be either sodium hydroxide (caustic soda, NaOH) or potassium hydroxide (KOH), which is easier to use, and it can provide a potash fertilizer as a by-product. Sodium hydroxide is often easier to get and it's cheaper to use. If you use potassium hydroxide, the process is the same, but you need to use 1.4 times as much. (See More about lye.) You can get KOH from soapmakers' suppliers and from chemicals suppliers. Other chemicals, such as isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) for titration, are available from chemicals suppliers.

CAUTION:
Lye (both NaOH and KOH) is dangerous -- don't get it on your skin or in your eyes, don't breathe any fumes, keep the whole process away from food, and right away from children. Lye reacts with aluminum, tin and zinc. Use glass, enamel, stainless steel or HDPE (High-Density Polyethylene) containers for methoxide. (See Identifying plastics.)

See also Making lye from wood ash.
Our first biodiesel

This was just an investigative project for us when we made our first biodiesel more than five years ago in Hong Kong. Most of the equipment was improvised. Apart from chemicals and some beakers, syringes and things, the only thing we bought was a set of scales.

We got about 60 litres of used oil (WVO --waste vegetable oil) from Lantau Island's local McDonald's. There were four 16-litre cans of it, a mix of used cooking oil and residual beef and chicken fats. Two of the tins were solidified, the other two held a gloppy semi-liquid. We warmed it up a bit on the stove (to about 50 deg C) and filtered it through a fine mesh filter, and then again through coffee filter papers, but it was quite clean -- very little food residue was left in the filters.


Used cooking oil from McDonald's.
We'd also bought 10 litres of the cheapest new cooking oil we could find -- we don't know what kind of oil it was, the tins only said "Cooking Oil" -- and used this for our first experiment.

It worked, but we've learnt a lot since then. Now it's easy to make high-quality biodiesel every time without fail. And we don't use open containers for processing now, and neither should you -- and mix the methanol in closed containers too.

Practices, knowledge, technology, equipment and safety measures have all improved tremendously in the last five years since we brewed our first batch, thanks mainly to the collaborative work of thousands of biofuellers worldwide at the Biofuel mailing list and other Internet forums.

As a Biofuel list member said in 2002: "I just want to say how important what you all are doing here is. Closed-system fuel production, on a local or small regional scale, tied to local resources, using accessible technologies, and dependent on entrepreneurial innovation combined with open-source information exchange -- it's AWESOME. Keep up the good work everyone, before the planet fries."
Biodiesel from new oil


Make your first test-batch using new oil (fresh, virgin, uncooked). Follow the instructions below, but use 1 litre of oil instead of 10 litres, and 200 ml of methanol instead of 2 litres, with 3.5 grams of lye. Check the quality of your biodiesel with this basic quality test.


We had difficulty finding pure methanol in Hong Kong, and eventually paid the very high price of US$10 per litre for 5 litres from a wholesale chemical supply company. It has to be 99% pure or better. (See How much methanol?)

In the US, for small test batches, you can get DriGas from the hardware store. One type of DriGas is methanol, another is isopropanol, make sure to get the methanol one.

We used 2 litres of methanol to 10 litres of vegetable oil, and 3.5 grams of pure, granular lye (sodium hydroxide) per litre of oil -- 35 grams for 10 litres. (See More about lye.)

You can get lye at most hardware stores (Red Devil lye in the US). Shake the container to check it hasn't absorbed moisture and coagulated into a useless mass, and make sure to keep it airtight.

We had to be quick measuring out the 35 grams of lye required -- summer humidity in Hong Kong is usually about 80% at 30 deg C or more, and the lye rapidly got wet, making it less effective.

We mixed the lye with the 2 litres of methanol in a strong, heatproof glass bottle with a narrow neck to prevent splashing. It fumed and got hot, and took about 15 minutes to mix. See Methoxide the easy way. (Use closed containers for mixing methoxide.)

This mixture is sodium methoxide, an extremely powerful base which enjoys eating stuff like human flesh -- take full safety precautions when working with sodium methoxide, have a source of running water handy.


Midori checks the temperature of the oil.
Meanwhile we'd warmed the 10 litres of new oil in a steel bucket on the stove to about 40 deg C (104 deg F) to thin it so it mixed better. In fact, 55 deg C (131 deg F) is a better processing temperature. Don't let it get too hot or the methanol will evaporate. (Methanol boils at 64.7 deg C, 148.5 deg F.)

We'd made a wooden jig with a portable vice clamped to it holding a power drill fitted with a paint mixer to stir the contents of the bucket. This did a good job without splashing.

Stirring well, we carefully added the sodium methoxide to the oil. The reaction started immediately, the mixture rapidly separating into a clear, golden liquid on top with the light brown glycerine settling out at the bottom. We kept stirring for an hour, keeping the temperature constant. Then we let it settle overnight.

The next day we syphoned off 10 litres of biodiesel, leaving two litres of glycerine in the bottom of the bucket.
Biodiesel from waste oil

This is more appealing than using new oil, but it's also more difficult.

First, check for water content. Used oil often has some water in it, and water in the oil will interfere with the lye, especially if you use too much lye, and you'll end up with jelly. Test first for water content -- heat half a litre or so in a saucepan on the stove and monitor the temperature with a thermometer. If there's water in it it will start to "snap, crackle and pop" by 50 deg C (120 deg F) or less. See Removing the water. If it's still not crackling by 60 deg C (140 deg F) there's no need to dewater it.

Here's another way, from Aleks Kac -- it uses less energy and doesn't risk forming more Free Fatty Acids (see below) by overheating. Heat the oil to 60 deg C (140 deg F), maintain the temperature for 15 minutes and then pour the oil into a settling tank. Let it settle for at least 24 hours. Make sure you never empty the settling vessel more than 90%.

Waste oil needs more catalyst than new oil to neutralize the Free Fatty Acids (FFAs) formed in cooking the oil, which interfere with the transesterification process.

You have to titrate the oil to determine the FFA content and how much lye will be required to neutralize it. This means determining the pH -- the acid-alkaline level (pH7 is neutral, lower values are increasingly acidic, higher than 7 is alkaline). An electronic pH meter is best, but you can also use pH test strips (or litmus paper), or phenolphthalein solution (from a chemicals supplier).

We also thought of using red cabbage juice, which changes from red in a strong acid, to pink, purple, blue, and finally green in a strong alkali (see Natural test papers). We didn't have a pH meter then so we used phenolphthalein solution. Phenolphthalein is colorless up to pH 8.3, then it turns pink (or rather magenta), and red at pH 10.4.


Keith checks the pH of the waste oil.
Dissolve 1 gm of lye in 1 litre of distilled water (0.1% lye solution). In a smaller beaker, dissolve 1 ml of the cooled oil in 10 ml of pure isopropyl alcohol. Warm the beaker gently by standing it in some hot water, stir until all the oil dissolves in the alcohol and turns clear. Add 2 drops of phenolphthalein solution.

Using a graduated syringe, add 0.1% lye solution drop by drop to the oil-alcohol-phenolphthalein solution, stirring all the time, until the solution starts to turn pink and stays that way for 10 seconds. Take the number of millilitres of 0.1% lye solution you used and add 3.5. This is the number of grams of lye you'll need per litre of oil. (See Better titration.)

Our first titration took 6 ml of 0.1% lye solution(not very good oil), so we used 6 + 3.5 = 9.5 grams of lye per litre of oil: 95 grams for 10 litres.

Then proceed as with new oil: measure out the lye and mix it with the methanol to make sodium methoxide -- it will get even hotter and take longer to mix, as there's more lye this time. Make sure the lye is completely dissolved in the methanol.

Carefully add the sodium methoxide to the warmed oil while stirring, and mix for an hour. Settle overnight, then syphon off the biodiesel.

The first five times we did this, using 10 litres of waste oil each time, we got biodiesel (a bit darker than the new oil product) and glycerine three times, and twice we got jelly. The answer is to be more careful with the titration: do it twice, just to be sure. Read on, and you'll learn how to make high-quality biodiesel every time, without fail.

The production rate was less than with new oil, ending with 8-9 litres of biodiesel instead of 10. The acid-base Foolproof method, developed since, will get much higher production rates with heavily-used oil.

Check the quality of your biodiesel with this basic quality test.

For a more detailed description of making biodiesel from WVO, see Mike Pelly's method.
Washing

Biodiesel should be washed to remove soap, catalyst and other impurities. Some people insist on it, others don't and argue that the small amounts of impurities cause no engine damage.

We recommend washing it. In fact we insist on it -- good-quality biodiesel must be washed.

See Bubble washing
Using biodiesel

You don't have to convert the engine to run it on biodiesel, but you do need to make some adjustments and check a few things.

Retard the injection timing by 2-3 degrees -- this overcomes the effect of biodiesel's higher cetane number. It also causes the fuel to burn cooler, thus reducing NOx emissions.

Petro-diesel leaves a lot of dirt in the tank and the fuel system. Biodiesel is a good solvent -- it tends to free the dirt and clean it out. Be sure to check the fuel filters regularly at first. Start off with a new fuel filter.

Check there are no natural rubber parts in the fuel system. If there are, replace them. Viton is best.

The Rest (http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html#3biod)

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 07:17 PM
I'm a mechanic...

I'd like to try this as an expirement...

Nickdfresh
02-08-2005, 07:24 PM
Originally posted by ELVIS
I'm a mechanic...

I'd like to try this as an expirement...

All you need is a diesel. It supposedly works very well. CBS News is going to run a package on Willie Nelson's fleet of biodiesels tomorrow night.

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 07:27 PM
Experiment...:D

LoungeMachine
02-08-2005, 09:52 PM
Originally posted by ELVIS
I'm a mechanic...

I'd like to try this as an expirement...

Expirement:D

You're even starting to SPEAK like the Dolt you shill for......

ELVIS
02-08-2005, 09:54 PM
Hey, I corrected myself!


:D

LoungeMachine
02-08-2005, 10:08 PM
Originally posted by ELVIS
Hey, I corrected myself!


:D

:cool:

ODShowtime
02-09-2005, 09:18 AM
Originally posted by McCarrens
Elvis, you and Ashcroft, BBB and all the other logical thinking right-wingers continually amaze me.

You all show real dedication to proving how incorrcet the liberals are in their way of thinking. You continue to do it, and do it well, when your best points are ignored and the foolish other posters here make assinine jokes about your sexuality, writing ability or simply post doctored pictures of mentally and physically handicapped people and propose they are actually pictures of you.

Well that's funny since I'm pretty sure most of the people you mentioned by name here have put you down in the past. Not for your views, but simply because of the idiotic way you express them (not that your views aren't simple-minded and ill-informed too).

You're like gw's teacher's pet. An all-round boot-kissing, anus-tongueing, bag-carrying yes-man.

ODShowtime
02-09-2005, 09:21 AM
In response to this article, I just find it comical how we spend so much energy and thought on oil when some technological advancement could free us from the rat-race and push above the struggle for oil. I view the globe's fight for oil like a bunch of kids jumping under the pinata right after it gets hacked in two. Everyone scrambling and stepping on each other to get a little piece of candy.

I know exactly how difficult and expensive it would be to replace every car and gas station in the country, but it's also very costly to annihilate whole nations and build them up from scratch!

McCarrens
02-09-2005, 12:02 PM
And I point to ODShowtime as Exhibit B.

LoungeMachine
02-09-2005, 12:13 PM
Originally posted by McCarrens
And I point to ODShowtime as Exhibit B.

You're a moron

ODShowtime
02-09-2005, 12:17 PM
Originally posted by McCarrens
And I point to ODShowtime as Exhibit B.

Notice how you've done nothing to add to any conversations going on here. You haven't even shared "your" opinion on the article. Not that anyone would care anyway.

Nickdfresh
02-09-2005, 01:07 PM
Originally posted by McCarrens
And I point to ODShowtime as Exhibit B.

MaCrrcarns, I just think that you are too dumb to post here. you are ill-informed and do nothing but parrot the arguments of right-wing bumper stickers and your intellectual superiors. Give it up McCarrans, you're in over your head "journalist."

Seshmeister
02-10-2005, 07:50 AM
Originally posted by ELVIS
I'm a mechanic...

I'd like to try this as an expirement...

They tried it on a motoring TV show here and it worked absolutely fine.

No great loss in performance either.

Could the 'christians' stop killing children in Iraq now that we don't need to steal their oil please?


Cheers!

:gulp:

Nickdfresh
02-10-2005, 09:34 AM
Originally posted by Seshmeister
They tried it on a motoring TV show here and it worked absolutely fine.

No great loss in performance either.

Could the 'christians' stop killing children in Iraq now that we don't need to steal their oil please?


Cheers!

:gulp:

I am actually a bit of a Gearhead (lite) myself. I was on Mobil1's web site and learned that 52% of all European passanger cars are diesels. Only a few in America are, although the Volkswagon reintroduced the Jetta and Golf diesel (52 mpg highway) in every state except California and Mercedes/Chrysler are now seeking to pump out new diesel vehicles.


I was considering buying a diesel and making my own fuel or going in on a co-op with other owners, but life has gotten in the way.

McCarrens
02-10-2005, 10:10 AM
Originally posted by Nickdfresh
MaCrrcarns, I just think that you are too dumb to post here. you are ill-informed and do nothing but parrot the arguments of right-wing bumper stickers and your intellectual superiors. Give it up McCarrans, you're in over your head "journalist."

The fact that you have yet to spell my name correctly does nothing to make me think that I'm "in over my head" when dealing with you.

;)

Nickdfresh
02-10-2005, 10:13 AM
Originally posted by McCarrens
The fact that you have yet to spell my name correctly does nothing to make me think that I'm "in over my head" when dealing with you.

;)

Sorry MacCarrens, I'll try to pay more attention from now on.

You have any of your stellar news articles you can post for us?

Mr Grimsdale
02-10-2005, 05:59 PM
The article is stating the bloody obvious, a couple of up and coming nations are after their slice of the pie.

It's just the cycle of dominance continuing.

As for cutting ties to oil and alternative energy, the sooner Europe, Japan, the US and Russia decide where to build the first efficient working fusion reactor the better.

ELVIS
02-10-2005, 06:04 PM
Yup, yup...

mwsully
02-11-2005, 01:33 AM
Originally posted by ELVIS
Any thoughts on this particular article ??

Anyone ??

Yes,

If this article is true, then why the hell are we (the U.S.) still digging for petroleum? Why are we searching for "crumbs under the dinner table" with the other countries? Even if oil was plentiful, why would we, in our right minds, continue to use one of the most finite energy sources?

We stopped using wood in general for obvious reasons (inefficient, deforestation, etc.). We stopped using coal for the most part, for obviously good reasons. Why the hell do we continue to spend billions for it, suck up for it, despite what we so plainly know? Based upon the history of energy sources, we were due for a change in technology a while back.

The United States, a country of many pioneers, inventors and innovations, can't even mass produce alternative sources of energy to our citizens? Puhleeeze!

The belief that there are no other economically feasible ways to harness energy is ludicrous.

How desperate for oil are we? Bush first focuses his sights on Afghanistan, looking for the instigator of 9/11, promising that Osama and his comrades would be brought to justice. In the middle of his "search", he suddenly shifts his focus onto a country that had no direct connection to 9/11. He plans to take out Saddam to establish democracy, and "save" the people from tyranny.

Ok, now I'm going on a tangent....sorry. So, if GW was going to be so heroic, altruistic about his intentions, why wasn't this done for any African country, where, there, the word tyrant is a mild term? Aside from Saudi Arabia (obvious Bush ties), Iraq has the largest oil reserves in the ME. Hmmm.

The ringleader of the greatest terrorist attack on U.S. soil alive and well, despite Bush's initial plans to find him no matter what?

You do the math.

LoungeMachine
02-11-2005, 08:23 AM
Originally posted by ELVIS


We will continue to bombard them with truth and facts!

:D


:elvis:

Be sure to wake me when this begins:rolleyes:

ODShowtime
02-11-2005, 11:01 AM
Originally posted by mwsully
Yes,

If this article is true, then why the hell are we (the U.S.) still digging for petroleum? Why are we searching for "crumbs under the dinner table" with the other countries? Even if oil was plentiful, why would we, in our right minds, continue to use one of the most finite energy sources?

We stopped using wood in general for obvious reasons (inefficient, deforestation, etc.). We stopped using coal for the most part, for obviously good reasons. Why the hell do we continue to spend billions for it, suck up for it, despite what we so plainly know? Based upon the history of energy sources, we were due for a change in technology a while back.

The United States, a country of many pioneers, inventors and innovations, can't even mass produce alternative sources of energy to our citizens? Puhleeeze!

The belief that there are no other economically feasible ways to harness energy is ludicrous.

Dude, I have agreed with few people in here as much as I agree with this post. This 100% mirrors my thoughts on this issue.

To answer your question of why we haven't done more to convert to better energy resources, just look at who sets the policy and runs this country. All those guys made their money in oil. They see no reason to push the admittedly difficult transition to better resources. It will lesson demand for the product they're selling. It really is as simple as that.

It's much better for them to expend (not expand) our wealth creating war to use oil while killing people to get more oil. President Eisenhower warned us about this back in the 50s. There's a thread about it here somewhere.

Nickdfresh
02-11-2005, 11:11 AM
I though Hydrogen powered cars was supposed be our savior, course no one talks about where the hydrogen will come from.

ODShowtime
02-11-2005, 11:21 AM
Originally posted by Nickdfresh
I though Hydrogen powered cars was supposed be our savior, course no one talks about where the hydrogen will come from.

some of these new energy sources right now require more energy to get them to the end user than they provide once there.

LoungeMachine
02-11-2005, 12:44 PM
Originally posted by ODShowtime
some of these new energy sources right now require more energy to get them to the end user than they provide once there.

yeah, and SS is the "crisis" for the Shrub...:rolleyes:

BigBadBrian
02-11-2005, 01:03 PM
Originally posted by LoungeMachine
yeah, and SS is the "crisis" for the Shrub...:rolleyes:

LoungeMachine, go think of something interesting to say before returning to these boards. That's an order!

:gun: