Frequently Asked Questions

What to do with by-product

How do I get rid of all the glycerin I’ll be accumulating from making biodiesel?

You have several choices: 1) evaporate the methanol and compost the rest; 2) recover the methanol and compost the rest; 3) recover the methanol and purify the glycerin, then compost the rest; 4) use it as a shop cleaner and degreaser.

 

Is there a simple way to recover some of the methanol used in the eh process?

You can use a pressure-cooker with a condenser to collect boiled methanol.  Recovery is about 20% of what you used in your last batch of biodiesel.

 

Is there a simple way to purify the raw glycerin to the point where it becomes marketable?

Not really.  You have to raise the temperature VERY high, and perform special processes to get market-grade glycerin.

 

Processing

What can go wrong in making biodiesel?

The two most common mistakes are: a) using the wrong amount of lye, and b) excessive agitating of the water during the biodiesel wash cycle.  Both of these mistakes can be easily avoided with simple procedures and modest attention to details.

 

How can I fix a problem batch?

Diagnosing a problem batch is fairly simple, but recovering the batch may be difficult.  Please refer to the FuelMeister™ Instruction Manual for more details.

 

How can I prevent problem batches in the future?

It’s easy to get consistently good results by following the methods and procedures in the FuelMeister™ Instruction Manual.

 

Why does the FuelMeister use mist washing rather than the more popular bubble washing method?

Mist washing is less likely to disturb the biodiesel which could cause a water/soap/biodiesel emulsion which is VERY difficult to separate. It also takes up much less processor capacity than bubble washing, allowing the full batch to be washed right after glycerin draining.

 

C & E Biodiesel

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