Biodiesel Production Classes

Biodiesel Essentials: Sept 18-19, 10-5 pm

Advanced Topics in Biodiesel Production: Sept 20-21, 10-5 pm. (Must have prior experience or attend the Essentials class first)

Riverhead, NY
early bird registration before 8/16 $108 per class
After 8/16: $120 per class
www.girlmark.com/tour

This class also offered in Florida in October, and elsewhere during the fall.

Biodiesel is a clean-burning diesel alternative made from any natural oil or fat. It can be made easily in a backyard or garage environment. We are offering two classes at a home in Riverhead, LI, covering beginning or advanced topics, on September 18-19 or 21-22.

The Biodiesel Essentials class is a comprehensive, hands-on workshop that teaches you everything you need to know to make high quality biodiesel, use your system more efficiently, and make informed decisions about shortcuts. This class is geared to both beginning and more advanced students and we encourage discussion of questions you may have, as appropriate.

There are extensive hands-on 'lab' portions in the class during which you will get individual attention to make sure you understand the process fully and can do the techniques on your own at home. We will run a full-sized system but also do 'lab'-scale batches so that you really learn the underlying concepts and techniques, and we will make some 'engineered failures' so you learn what not to do and what causes it.

The Advanced Topics class covers many more techniques beyond basic production, and will be more discussion-based, with some experienced regional homebrewers and farm-scale biodiesel producers attending, who will share their experience (if you have experience in biodiesel, please bring a short presentation about your system, or photos to share). There will be some hands-on lab work in the Advanced Topics class as well (soap testing and water/glycerine neutralization, ethanol-based biodiesel production techniques, and acid-base two-stage biodiesel will all be done as a lab exercise). Advanced Topics will also cover regulatory issues with small-scale production, composting or boiler fuel use of glycerine and advanced treatment of spent wash water, taxes, and more.

To attend the weekend Advanced Topics class, you must have prior experience making biodiesel, or attend the Thur-Fri Essentials class first.

Location:

We are meeting in a private home a few miles from Riverhead, NY, with many 'green building' and recycled building materials technologies on display (photo below is from last winter's Biodiesel Essentials class). The address will be emailed out to registered participants two weeks before the class. We can help arrange transportation from LIRR in advance.

There is a working, functional homebrewing system on a trailer that we will operate during the Essentials class.


Some topics covered in the Biodiesel Essentials class:
biodiesel/SVO/solvent thinning (ie DSE etc) options and history
biodiesel chemistry
testing oil (titration and water testing)
removing water from oil
making test batches
an overview of equipment
Equipment build- help build a reactor at the end of Sunday's class
quality control factors
quality testing
mistwashing and other water washing options
breaking emulsion
two-stage base biodiesel
waste water and glycerine treatment and disposal
reuse
waterless soap removal with Amberlite and GL's process
common pitfalls
hands-on experience recovering from failed batches and emulsion
special considerations for biodiesel made with ethanol instead of methanol
safety

The Advanced Topics class covers topics that include:

Quality control
analysis of real-world problems with offspec biodiesel
"ASTM testing" for those considering commercial production
gas chromatography versus other options for testing for conversion
acid-base biodiesel process
advanced topics in dewatering of oil
using glycerine in your process for various benefits
testing for soap
methanol recovery and equipment design
testing recovered methanol for purity
zeolite and other methods for improving methanol purity
issues to avoid when "waterless washing" with ion exchange resin
acid-base chemistry and safety
testing for residual soap
acidulation of soap in glycerine, special equipment considerations
Recapturing oils or biodiesel trapped in glycerine or wash water
dealing with high-water-content oils
Graham Laming-type vapor control system
spill-proofing your system
regulatory issues
taxes
larger-scale equipment design (for co-ops or small farms)
treating wash water and glycerine for disposal or other uses
commercial tests for wash water- BOD, COD, FOG, etc
real-world test results related to biodegradability/safety of sidestream disposal
burning glycerine safely for energy
hydronic/solar applications for biodiesel and wash water heating
disaster prevention scenarios exercises for larger-scale processor systems
discussion of regulatory topics for non-commercial producers larger than homebrew
solar heating options
very through discussion/demonstration of several different options in washing, including drawbacks and advantages
greywater systems for wash water recycling


I strongly recommend that you read this website first: www.biodieselcommunity.org to get a background for this subject.

To register for the class:

see www.girlmark.com/tour