The third tank is for washing the crude biodiesel. Since glycerol is mostly insoluble in biodiesel, it separates into a separate layer that sinks to the bottom of the tank.Īfter the glycerol has been removed, the next step is to remove the leftover methanol. Then the process starts for purifying the biodiesel from the other chemicals present, starting with the glycerol by-product. Several steps actually happen in this tank, of which the first is the reaction itself. The second tank, the reactor (also a converted water heater), is where the dried oil is mixed with methanol and potassium hydroxide, which are delivered from some smaller tanks behind the reactor. The dryer (a converted home water heater) then removes small amounts of water typically present in the used oil. The first tank, the Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO) Dryer, receives the used oil from a collection vessel that also filters out small bits of french fries, sludge, etc. The process of making biodiesel at Goshen College follows plans published in the book “Biodiesel: Basics and Beyond” by William Kemp.īelow is a schematic of the main components for the processor.
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