Water Hydro Fuel

Anna Williams asked:


ts alternatives, such as biodiesel, are continuously in the news. When oil prices go up, it seems that everyone is affected. Many countries’ economies depend on oil. And this is one reason why people are looking for a cleaner and cheaper alternatives to our conventional fossil fuels. One of these alternative forms of energy is biodiesel. What is Biodiesel? Technically speaking, biodiesel is a biodegradable and renewable diesel fuel, which is made from plant oils or from animal fats. Which material is used depends on which production method is used, as well as on which type of fuel is to be made. This type of fuel consists of a form of natural hydrocarbon which contains little sulfur content, thus helping to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from diesel engines. Biodiesel can be used in a pure form, or it can be blended with other petroleum-based products. It is safe for use even on unmodified diesel engines. Blends of biodiesel are known with the designation “Bxx,” where xx is the percentage of biodiesel contained in the mix. In pure form, it would be referred to as B100. Because it comes from animals and plants, its sources can be recycled or farmed. It also has no known harmful side effects. More people using biodiesel means cleaner air. Additionally, it helps lubricate the engine, therefore decreasing wear and tear. Biodiesel creates fewer emissions, is biodegradable, and is a renewable form of energy as well. One downside of this type of fuel is that its use can lead to the degradation of a vehicle’s natural rubber gaskets. This is the case for vehicles made before 1992. Their hoses do tend to deteriorate over time. Some older hoses have since been replaced by FKM (a material that doesn’t react with biodiesel). It is common for fuel filters to become clogged after the transition has been made. Therefore, it’s recommended that these parts be replaced. Biodiesel in Everyday Lives Biodiesel has been accepted for use worldwide. Most fuel stations around the globe have biodiesel pumps ready for their consumers. Diesel engines can use biodiesel without any changes being made in the engine. There is even a train which runs on 20% biodiesel. Controversy The public acceptance of biodiesel has led to an increase in its production. Because of this, issues have also been raised in regards to food or feed being used to create fuel. There are reports of food shortages in some regions of the world, as a result of food sources being diverted and used for the production of biodiesel. While biodiesel could be a good alternative renewable energy solution, I think most of us can agree that its use should not cause anyone to go hungry. Any long-term strategy which implements biodiesel as an alternative energy source should also include measures to ensure that necessary food supplies are not diminished or made less accessible as a result.

Gloria Smith asked:


With the high cost of oil and gas, biodiesel has increasingly become a popular alternative to the fuel that is sold in gasoline stations that are available for consumption as rich energy sources. It is a non-petroleum-made diesel fuel, which incorporates a dumpy chain alkyl containing ethyl or methyl esters. They are made by trans-esterification of the vegetable oils like groundnut oil, mustard oil, and ghee.

Consider these great benefits—more savings for you and a cleaner and greener planet for every person alive on earth. This is the reason why a lot of people have become curious as to the content of biodiesel and how it is made. The good news is that we can in fact create biodiesel right in our very own homes.

The main ingredient in making biodiesel is vegetable oil—the very same kind of oil that we use in the kitchen for the food that we eat. This can be done with the use of a biodiesel processor. It converts vegetable oil into the fuel that will power a typical diesel engine.

Determine first if the diesel-powered engine that you have will be able to run on biodiesel. You can do this by checking out with the manufacturer of your engine. If your engine is compatible, that will be the time that you can buy your biodiesel processor. Do not worry if the manufacturer says that your engine is not compatible, as there may be other available options. There are some kits that are able to convert engines that show problems when biodiesel is burned. Seek the help of professionals in finding the kit that is fit for your engine. Another option to the right way in making biodiesel is to learn and ask advice from a person who has already has experience with the use of biodiesel.

The raw materials that are used in producing biodiesel are methanol and a certain vegetable product. Corn is actually one of the best vegetable oils commonly in producing biodiesel. Other vegetable products are soybeans and flaxseed.  Mix vegetable oil with just a little bit of methanol. Place the mixture in an alkaline catalyst, say sodium hydroxide, which should just be 1% of the total mixture. Vegetable oils actually comprise triglycerides—compounds of glycerin that has three fatty acids. This whole process separates the glycerin molecule from its three fatty acids, which would eventually be replaced with three methanol molecules. The final product is 10% glycerin byproduct and 90% biodiesel. The process is called ester interchange.

The biodiesel processor that will be used for the above process is very small in size, and may either be purchased as a complete pre-made unit or one that you need to still set up. If you are setting up one of your own, take time out to understand all of the instructions and be aware of the precautionary measures in using the biodiesel processor so that untoward accidents when making your own biodiesel fuel.

Boomer Sagacloud asked:


Heat is needed during the biodiesel conversion process for the following reasons:

1. Preheating your oil.

2. Heating your biodiesel during the settling process.

3. Drying water out of water-washed biodiesel.

4. Recovering methanol from biodiesel.

We have compiled a guide to heating systems here for you to be able to make a more informed decision on which system is best for you. If you have questions about any of this information call 1-800-679-1398. The three main types of heating systems offered today are: -Oil Preheating Systems. -In-Line Heating Systems. -In-Tank Heating Systems Oil preheating systems are a safe traditional method of pre-heating the oil prior to processing. The system conists of a steel drum with at least one thermostat controlled barrel heater and insulation. This is a very safe method because there are no heating elements in contact with the liquid. The standard Freedom Fueler comes with this type of heating system. In-Line Heating Systems Better For:

- Pre-heating your oil.

- Drying water-washed biodiesel Drawbacks:

- Requires a pump to operate.

- Cannot heat throughout entire process.

- Elements must be replaced periodically.

In-line heating systems are better than a pre-heating system but they have one common flaw, they all require a pump to circulate the oil through the heater in order for the heater to work. They are mainly intended to pre-heat the oil and dry the water out of biodiesel that has been water-washed. With an in-line heater using submerged elements, the user must remember to start the flow of liquid before turning the heater on.Note: All heaters have what is called a Watt Density. Watt density is the number of watts the heater puts out divided by the surface area of the heaters element. Our supplier of heating systems recommends no higher than 30 watts per square inch in the biodiesel process. All of our heaters have a watt density of 28 watts per square inch. In-Tank Heating Systems Best For:

- Preheating your oil.

- Heating biodiesel during settling.

- Drying water out of water-washed biodiesel.

- Removing methanol from dry-washed biodiesel.

An In-Tank Heating System is the ultimate in biodiesel heating systems, with the ability to maintain the batch temperature even if the temperature in your shop drops overnight. Home Biodiesel Kits is proud to offer the only In-Tank Heating System for home processors on the market. Each of our three Deluxe Biodiesel Processors now come with our new In-Tank Heating Systems. All three sizes come with sealed housings, a built in thermostat with high limit controls preset for the biodiesel process and an incoloy sheathed element to prevent corrosion. The entire unit is built into the top of the processor ensuring no leaks and a completely closed system. These heaters will allow you to heat your batch throughout the entire process and will maintain temperature with a built in sensor located in the center of the tank. Our custom heating units were designed and built specifically for our tanks and the biodiesel process with a watt density of 28. This is not an off the shelf product built for water or any other purpose but a professionally made heater manufactured by the leader in biodiesel heating systems. Call Jess or Ryan today to discuss our new In-Tank Heating Systems or to order one of our Deluxe Biodiesel Processors at 1-800-679-1398.If you want to read more about this on our blog click here to read about biodiesel

roosterbob asked:


On August 10 1893, an engine running on Biodiesel ran for the first time. This is why this day has been declared as “International Biodiesel day”. This model was proposed by Rudolf Diesel. The transesterified oil that was used as source for the first run was Peanut oil. Biodiesel is a liquid produced form materials or biological origin unlike petrodiesel made from fossil fuel. Known previously as American Society for Testing and Materials, the ATSM has certified Biodiesel as confirming to the ATSM D 6751 standards.



The sources of biodiesel can be divided into:

1) Lipid accumulation in plants and algae

2) Hydrocarbons produced in algae or plants.

The lipid sources can be sunflower, linseed, Jatropha, safflower, peanut, rapeseed, olive seeds etc. These lipids have high energy value but are highly viscous. Hence they cannot be easily injected in the engine combustion chambers. This limitation is suggested to be solved by a process called pyrolysis or blending with solvents, emulsification with addition of water or fuels etc, but none proved fit. It was later decided that synthesizing esters of fatty acid was the solution to the viscosity problem. But production from edible oils commands a high price even in developed countries. Hence non-edible oils are the fresh sources for biodiesel. E.g.: Jatropha. These are now cultivated in large areas and researched for biodiesel production.

Certain algae accumulate large (about 60%) of Lipids in their cells when grown in a nutritionally suffucient medium. This property can be exploited to produce large amounts of lipids. Some freshwater algae and plants also store hydrocarbons (made of hydrogen and carbon atoms). E.g. in Botryococcus braunii, 75% of biomass is made of hydrocarbons. Other brown, red and green algae consist of varying amounts of Lipid content. USA, Austria, France, Czechoslovakia, Germany, Malaysia, Italy & other Asian countries have realized the benefits of Biodiesel. These countries are now competing in research on Biodiesel and its production.

The basic chemistry of biodiesel synthesis lies in transesterification process, where an ethyl ester reacts with methanol to form methyl ester and ethanol. Glycerol is a by - product developed in the process which ahs other industrial applications. Methyl esters are favoured for biodiesel production because of the cetane number.

Cetane number is a dimensionless value assigned to indicate the ignition quality of a liquid. This value is high, in case of long unbranched alkanes which are similar long chained compounds. High cetane numbers are related to compound that have low idle noise and easy starting even in cold weather. Though Biodiesel holds much promise for the future, its list of cons includes its properties as being a solvent, able to take up water from the atmosphere etc and sometimes providing reduced power in engines.

Many have patented the process of producing Biodiesel and one such patent is owned by DuPont and Colgate-Palmolove-Peet, and also by CLRI (India). Biodiesel is available nationwide. It can be purchased from the legalized biodiesel distributors, producers and marketers, or even at a public pump throughout any nation. Biodiesel does have its cons, however the pros outweigh them. From the looks of it, biodiesel is going to have a bright future ahead of us.

Mervyn Rees asked:


(c) 2008 Mervyn Rees

I thought I would talk about some aspects affecting the production of biodiesel.

The Kyoto Protocol goes by a number of aliases: The Kyoto Treaty, The Kyoto Accord, or The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

It does not stand alone but is actually an amendment to a larger body of work by the United Nations on climate change. The larger body of work is a treaty on managing environmental change by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. It came into being in 1992 at a summit in Rio De Janeiro, but since it is a treaty and does not hold countries accountable to make any changes, an amendment was added to it, called a protocol, to help nations take action in response to the treaty. The goal is to stabilize the amount and concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Since then, the Kyoto Protocol has eclipsed the treaty itself in terms of assumed effectiveness and controversy. Countries who choose to ratify the Kyoto Protocol are committing to the reduction of six greenhouse gas emissions including carbon monoxide, or developing measures to deal with those commitments if they cannot fill them.

There were two conditions for the Kyoto Protocol to enter into force. The first condition was that no fewer than 55 participants in the convention needed to ratify the protocol. This was agreed on May 23, 2002 when Iceland ratified the protocol. The second condition was that countries who participated in producing a leased 55% of the total carbon dioxide emissions for 1990 needed to ratify the protocol as well. Russia’s ratification on November 18, 2004 met the second condition needed to put the Kyoto Protocol into force. Ninety days after the conditions were met, on February 16th 2005, the Kyoto Protocol entered into force.

The United States and Australia have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol. In spite of that, 157 nations have ratified the protocol, which represents 61% of global greenhouse gas production.

The legally binding protocol calls for countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5.2%, compared to the emissions produced in 1990. While the average is 5.2%, different countries have different targets to aim for: Japan needs to reduce its emissions by 6%, Australia by 8%, the US by 7%, and Iceland by 10%. The reduction needs to affect the following greenhouse gases:

* Carbon dioxide * Methane * Nitrous oxide * Sulphur hexafluoride * HFCs * PFCs

Countries who exceed these targets earn “credits” that they can sell to other countries that are not yet able to meet those targets. Credits are also earned by countries with large forested regions that turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. So countries who can quickly exceed emissions standards or who can create Kyoto Protocol forest areas have financial incentive to do so.

Cleaner, breathable air, a clearer sky, and a reduction in global warming are noble pursuits. So why has the Kyoto Protocol received so much controversy and attention and not been ratified by everyone?

Objections and criticisms

There are a number of objections and criticisms to the Kyoto Protocol. Here are some of them:

* By 2050, if the Kyoto Protocol is successful, the global warming trend will be reduced by one third to one half of a degree annually. Unless other modifications are made, Kyoto Protocol will be ineffective at reducing global warming in a largely measurable way.

* Both the United States and Australia have not ratified the protocol because of concerns over the economic ramifications resulting from sweeping changes that need to be made by industries. Other countries, like Canada, have ratified the protocol but with a lot of national controversy for the same reason.

* Credits earned from planting a ‘Kyoto Protocol Forest’ sound like a great idea, except that the first 10 years of a new forest tend to produce more carbon dioxide than it reduces, because new forests help to release carbon dioxide that is locked in the ground.

* China, who is the second-largest greenhouse gas emitter in the world, is exempt from ratifying the Kyoto protocol or being bound to it because it does not belong to a specific class of countries: those who were producing excessive greenhouse gases during the growth in industry that the UN feels contributed to current concentrations. In fact, China’s usage is on the rise, increasing 40% between 1990 and 2003.

* Because of the variety of credit-selling opportunities as well as responsibilities to share knowledge with non-industrialized countries, some people see the Kyoto Protocol as a global social movement to spread wealth from the “have” countries to the “have-not” countries instead of effectively addressing climate change.

* As well, the law of supply and demand suggests that a reduction in fossil fuel usage by industrialized nations will lead to a reduction in overall prices for fossil fuels, allowing non-industrialized nations, who are not bound by the Kyoto Protocol, to burn more fossil fuels at a cheaper price without any restrictions.

* Lastly, critics say that the Kyoto Protocol only addresses the problem with an immediate, short-term solution. Critics suggest that the Kyoto Protocol, or something like it, needs to address greater issues such as population explosion, which has a huge effect on global warming.

Who wins?

If the Kyoto Protocol is successful in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, we will all win with a reduction in global warming. But there are others who will win in a different way:

* Kyoto Protocol measurements are based on emissions produced in 1990 and ratifying countries are measured against that number as a benchmark. Russia, however, because of its collapse, will easily meet its 1990 number, and its benchmark is set at 0%. This means that it should continuously generate credits which can be purchased by other countries. This means that reactionary spending by other countries will push millions of dollars to Russia.

* The Kyoto Protocol also requires industrialized nations to provide information and support to non-industrialized nations attempting to make leaps and bounds in technology and power generation. So countries like the United States will be expected to provide assistance and support to countries like India and China who both have a lot of people and are struggling to become industrialized nations. In both situations, by supporting the Kyoto Protocol, they receive financial assistance but have no parameters in which to operate once they do achieve industrialization.