„Open-Source“-Pläne für Biodiesel- Heimbrauanlagen unter Verwendung handelsüblicher Teile und eines Warmwasserbereiters:
Aus einem alten Warmwasserbereiter lässt sich ein sicheres und kostengünstiges Biodiesel-Heimbraugerät herstellen. Ein HDPE-Ballon (weißer Krug im Foto) oder ein anderer Tank kann zu einem passiven kleinen Methanol-Katalysator-Mischer werden, und eine kostengünstige Kreiselpumpe (blauer Motor im Foto) von Harbor Freight Tools mischt die beiden Flüssigkeiten, um die Biodieselreaktion in Gang zu setzen Ort. Nach einem Tag des Absetzens kann das Glycerin-Nebenprodukt ziemlich gut abgelassen werden – die Tanks haben ein Weinflaschenbodenprofil mit einem Abfluss an der „spitzen“ Kante, sodass die Trennung zweier Flüssigkeiten einigermaßen sauber erfolgen kann. Der Prozessor kostet etwa 150 US-Dollar an Installations- und Elektroinstallationen und etwa einen Tag oder weniger Arbeit. Der Tank kann ein alter, mit Kalk verkrusteter Tank sein, der von einer Mülldeponie geborgen wurde, oder er kann für etwa 200 US-Dollar mehr neu gekauft werden.
Nach dem Ablassen des Glycerins kann dieselbe Mischpumpe den Biodiesel in einen „Waschtank“ für eine Wasserwäsche transportieren, um Methanol und wasserlösliche Verunreinigungen zu entfernen. Es gibt ein extrem einfaches „Standrohr“-Design, das keine Schweißarbeiten erfordert, was einen schönen Minimaltank ergibt, den Standrohr-Waschtank von Sean Parks. Der Bau des Standrohr-Waschtanks kostet etwa 30 US-Dollar an Installationsarbeiten. Man hat Variationen gebaut, die Heizung, Möglichkeiten zur Verwendung von Kunststofffässern und eingebaute Sprühköpfe (die nur für kleinere Chargen funktionieren) umfassen.
Dieses System hat in der Biodiesel-Community eine große Anhängerschaft entwickelt, und es gibt Hunderte von Heimbrauern, die ihr System gebaut oder gebaut und modifiziert haben.
Pläne für den Bau des Appleseed
Es gibt viele mögliche Sanitärvarianten. Hier ist das nackte Original und eine Teileliste sowie mehrere Variationen. Bitte beachten Sie, dass ich hier bis vor kurzem ein veraltetes Diagramm hatte, auf das Sie möglicherweise immer noch Verweise im Web finden. Es ist jetzt korrigiert, ebenso wie die Teileliste:
I purchase the valves at Harbor Freight Tools, where they cost considerably less than Home Depot and other places. Lowes' is my preferred big box hardware for the plumbing. Local stores like Ace or True Value can be cheap or can be very expensive for plumbing, at random. Home Depot is my last choice- their plumbing section is usually very disorganized and prices are high. Avoid at all costs.
Harbor Freight runs sales on their online or retail stores every few months- so pumps may end up costing about $25 and 3/4" ball valves can be $2 when on sale. valves will bankrupt you on this project- shop around. They range from $6 at Lowes to $12 at some local stores I"ve patronized, and you'll need lots of them.
Shopping List and General Instructions
(note: all plumbing 3/4 inch unless otherwise noted. All plumbing black iron threaded pipe if possible- galvanized is sometimes the only choice for some fittings but is not preferred due to zinc content):
The modifications needed to an electric water heater are:
Remove dip tube (?) from the top cold water inlet. Dip tubes are underneath any pipes or pipe nipples threaded into the heater. This is the worst part of the operation- undoing any old piping. If it is a two-heating element water heater you might also need to disable the upper element and thermostat- the upper element is usually above the level of the oil you are heating, and would burn out if heated without being covered by liquid. You will also probably also want to mount the water heater on a stand- I use two milk crates stacked together- and strap it to the wall studs for earthquake safety in earthquake country.
I usually disable the upper heating element and thermostat in a two-thermostat water heater processor- because the upper heating element will be above the level of the oil you're heating.
Parts List:
All plumbing 3/4 inch unless otherwise noted. All plumbing black iron threaded pipe if possible- galvanized is sometimes the only choice for some fittings but is not preferred due to zinc content:
- 3" pipe nipple
- 3/4" x 3/4" x 1/2" tee
- close nipples - you'll need 7 of them
- ball valves (3/4")- buy 5 of them (very cheap at Harbor Freight, more expensive elsewhere)
- cross fitting (a sort of four-way tee, available at Lowes' but not at all other hardware stores. Substitute a pair of tees and some close nipples if you cant' find one)
- Bushing: 3/4" by 1/2"- buy 2
- 1/2" close nipple- 2
- 1/2" ball valve
- 1/2" swing check valve
- Nylon or Brass 90degree thread-to-barb fitting: male thread end is 1/2" thread, hose barb end is 3/8" barb, plus hose clamp
- Length of 3/8" vinyl tubing- 3 or 4 feet.
- straight or 90 degree 1/2 inch threaded to 3/8 inch barbed nylon or brass fitting, and hose clamp
- 3/4" Hose Barb (I use plastic grey PVC ones that are sometimes in irrigation departments for about 30 cents each)
- 1 or 2 feet of vinyl tubing as a drain/filler tube. Make this clear rather than braided hose so you can see through it well.
- Union (3/4" of course)
- 1" by 3/4" bushings- 2 . Thread these into the pump with TONS of thread tape or pipe dope- more than you would normally use. The pump threads are straight thread rather than tapered American pipe thread, so they need extra help to prevent leaks.
- Length of BRAIDED 3/4" vinyl hose. Do not use unreinforced nonbraided hose here. Prepare to replace this hose every few months as it deteriorates with heat and biodiesel.
- 90degree elbows-2
- length of pipe nipple approx 12"- 18" (purchase correct size after assembling everything else)
- 2" long pipe nipple- 2
- Automotive mechanical temperature gauge (not 12V electrical type). I prefer the heavy-duty Sunpro one from Pep Boys over the other brands/stores. It should be $15ish. The numbers should start at 100F or lower instead of 130F (the other option at these stores). The biodiesel homebrew supply stores sell some alternatives.
- Proper plumbing to attach to water heater's pressure relief vent and direct any fumes outside if using a pressure relief.
- Water heater strapping, or other earthquake strapping for attaching the processor to your wall studs. I use webbing strapping.
- Pump: This is a '1" Clear Water Pump from Harbor Freight Tools or Northern Tool- $35 part number 1479. This centrifugal pump also allows your 3/4" hose become sight tube (so you know how high the oil level is when filling the processor). Non-centrifugal pumps won't give you this feature, in which case you will need to instead add a tee and another tube as sight tube Give the sight tube a shutoff valve so you don't drain unreacted oil into your biodiesel when emptying the processor. See other plans elsewhere in this book for more details on how this works. You will need to buy a grounded plug and a length of 14gauge power tool cord to wire up the pump as well.
- Heating elements and thermostats: Disable the upper heating element and thermostat.
Disconnect power from the water heater before opening it's electrical panels! I turn 220Volt water heaters into 110 volts and add a heavy-duty 110V plug on a 12 or 10 gauge cord, because we don t usually have 220V outlets easily accessible at the sites where I work. A 220V heating element operated at 110V will put out 1/4 the power output (watts). In practice this usually means that the lower element will heat far too slowly on 110. I purchase a 110V replacement element instead. Thermostats will work at either voltage.