Growing your own Biodiesel

[Thob]

The other thread is a little old, so I started a new one.  I found some Canola seeds and planted them last fall.  They grow thru the winter, with just the leaves near the ground.  About a week ago, they started putting up stalks and have begun to bloom.  These are planted in one corner of our garden.  The area on the right had been planted earlier in the year (potatoes), and had compost added to it.  The area on the left hasn't been planted in a while, I've been just plowing it to hold the grass and weeds at bay.  You can see the huge difference it makes it the way the plants grow, the ones on the left are almost nothing.  I've even added some granular fertilizer, but I don't think the left half is going to make much.  This is just a hobby, test plot, so I'm only expecting to get maybe a gallon of oil.  I also need to get a seed press, settling tanks, filters, biodiesel reactor, etc.  But at least I've started...

[fuelfarmer]

Looking good. Do you have a plan to harvest the seed?

[veggie]

Be careful !
Canola was originally a weed. The seeds blow easily into the neighboring fields and farms.
(Or the neighbors yard)
Then you have some explaining to do 

Looks good.
FYI ... 1 acre of Canola produces about 1 ton of seeds.
1 tone of seeds makes approx. 80 - 90 gallons of oil

keep us posted,
veggie

[Curbie]

I also need to get a seed press

If you don't already have one:
http://www.rajkumarexpeller.com/
http://www.piteba.com/eng/index_eng.htm

Curbie

[Thob]

Looking good. Do you have a plan to harvest the seed?

I plan on harvesting this batch by hand.  The entire plot is about 30 x 30 feet, so it won't take long.  I have a black-eyed pea sheller that I'm thinking about using as a thrasher, and then use the old fashioned wind to separate out the chaff.  I've also seen plans to build a box that you drop the seeds into, the seeds spill down over some boards and you use a shop vac to generate the wind, blowing the chaff out.

I've seen the Piteba expeller before, they are for sale in the US on ebay.  It's a bit expensive for this hobby, but I may wind up buying one anyway.  I'm thinking about building a cylinder and piston arrangement that I can put in the hydraulic press and squeeze the oil out.  Slow as Christmas but I can build it from junk I already have on hand.

What I really need is about 500 acres, a seed drill, a combine, a big press... then I could be way over my head in debt like a real farmer.  But then I would also need to get cows to eat the press cake.  Does this hobby ever end?

FuelFarmer - how's your Canola coming?

[LowGear]

Maybe you could design a VO modification for Zippo lighters? 

[fuelfarmer]

The canola is still dormant. With the warm weather it should take off soon.

[Thob]

Maybe you could design a VO modification for Zippo lighters? 

   

Now THAT was funny!

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of I'd get enough fuel to run one of WCEACAPS (or what's his name?) engines for at least 1,000,000 uSecs.

[Thob]

Be careful !
Canola was originally a weed. The seeds blow easily into the neighboring fields and farms.
(Or the neighbors yard)
Then you have some explaining to do 

...

[to the neighbor]
Oh - you have some of those nice yellow flowers too?  Wow - I hear they make oil that you can make biodiesel from!  That makes you a certified organic green alternative fuels grower!  Congratulations!

Doesn't that yellow flower go really well with those dandelions we've been growing?

I hear the deer really love that as winter forage.  Have you seen them lately?

I just plant those because it attracts birds.  Don't you know - "it's the smallest of seeds, but the birds of the air will nest in it's branches"?  (Thanks to FuelFarmer for the picture on that one).

[fuelfarmer]

Just so you know what can happen........

This


Turned into this

[veggie]

fuelfarmer,

In that second picture there are 3 white plastic cylindrical tanks side-by-side. (Against the back wall)
Are those your washing/drying tanks ?
Any chance of getting a picture them?

cheers,
veggie

[LowGear]

Hi Fuelfarmer,

When your Steiner isn't extracting oil how does it work as a mower?  I live on farm that rises 250 feet in 1000 feet of property line.

Casey

[fuelfarmer]

The plastic monster is three processors, two wash tanks, and a methoxide mixer. I did not build it, but I have made a lot of changes. Plastic is not the best choice for processing, but that is how the cookie crumbled.

Here is a photo of the system when new.


Replacement pumps that were added after the original pumps failed.

[fuelfarmer]

Hi Fuelfarmer,

When your Steiner isn't extracting oil how does it work as a mower?  I live on farm that rises 250 feet in 1000 feet of property line.

Casey

We liked the Steiner a lot for mowing until we got a zero turn mower. Zero turn is just faster on most jobs. The Steiner will climb like a billy goat and the 5 ft.deck does a good job cutting on uneven ground. You can add a bunch of attachments depending on your needs and wants.

[fuelfarmer]

Winter canola in bloom.