Bio Diesel

[Clunk]

excellent stuff, so it's not all horror stories then

[DeJay]

I have a friend who makes bio diesel here in NZ ( 2nd largest here ) and supplies two logging firms and various others. He has been importing various oils from California due to a lack of supply here. This led him explore growing crops for oil during which he found that algae produces approximately 100 times more oil per square meter than any other land based crop. The algae grows in 350mm to 400mm deep water ( to allow for photosynthesis ) and produces on average 600ml of oil per 1000lt of water in 4 days. The algae oil once extracted is quite thick but with a settling period of a few days allows the glycerin to separate to the bottom ( about 6 to 8 % of the total volume ) allowing the thinner oil to be drained off the top. There is still a glycerin content within all bio diesels which is the reason the fuel lines and tank are cleaned so well and also the cause of SOME rubber seals to break down or dissolve, like paint will if you get it on it. The water being use to grow the algae is varied and different algae grow better in different water such as, gray water from sewage ( which is drinkable afterwards ), dairy farm ponds ( with the cleaned water being put back into the pond ), river water ( which gets put back into the river cleaner than when it came out ), town supply tap water ( which doesn't produce as much oil because of the lake of nutrients or any other healthy stuff yet is cleaned even more. Using the algae to clean water is now more important than the production of bio diesel, making the bio diesel a reward for the job and the fuel to run the process. Commercially this system and all it variations is very viable, so much so that my mate has been...'pressured'...into stopping the direction he was heading and just sticking to importing oil and making bio diesel. Sad. Stepping on the ' big boys ' toes it seems. Still his expertise is willingly shared with those of us who don't think commercially and are thinking small scale. An example of small scale he told me is this...
12 houses using a collective gray water system
Bio diesel generator big enough to supply power to all 12 houses and the process
Every week each house would get approximately 40ltr of bio diesel .
Set up costs vary due to the simplicity of the individual processes that need to be performed and the cleverness of the 'think outside the square' DIY'rs. All the people he is supplying report better fuel economy, more power, less maintenance and a smaller fuel bill.

Win win win win situation. I say do your own research on line and make your own within a group of your mates ( rather than alone ) with the idea of cleaning water. Will post pics of the systems we have been building around the greater community..

[greeny_gu_ute]

any pics of the setup yet DeJay im really interesting in setting up a processing plant and any particular site or forum you use to get info, iv been on biofuels and seems to be a good source

[greenchef]

I've been homebrewing biodiesel for 3 years now and have found most engines run fine as long as bio is well made and well cleaned. However, my dad has a terrano se 3.0lt which I've only ever managed to get to 50/50 bio to diesel. I believe this is the same engine as used in the 3.0ltr patrol.
The td42 loves the stuff and is even happy on veg oil.

Any one interested should check out vegetableoildiesel forum and biopowered, tons of info and helpful people all homebrewing. Mostly UK based.