Considering making biodiesel at home?
With fuel costs skyrocketing, many people are looking at alternative ways to beat the cost of gasoline and diesel fuel. One such way is making biodiesel by using recycled vegetable oil. While this process is environmentally-friendly, it creates a fire and safety hazard for a variety of reasons.
The process for making biodiesel can be hazardous as explained on the website http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/biodiesel/intromakingbiodiesel.htm:
Intro to making biodiesel yourself
Safety and precautions, must read!
First, making biodiesel is a potentially hazardous activity. You are handling and working with dangerous chemicals that could seriously injure you, kill you, and even cause a fire and burn down your house and your neighbor's houses. When handling biodiesel making chemicals, always wear full protective chemical resistant clothing and goggles/face shields and have multiple fire extinguishers with appropriate classes available located in easily accessible locations. Always work in a well ventilated area, as poisonous gases are created when making biodiesel and mixing biodiesel related chemicals, and away from any persons and/or property. Always check with the local, state, and federal fire marshals to verify your compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal fire regulations and codes at all times with all materials, usage, and methods, and anything else not mentioned here that may be related to biodiesel, biodiesel making, or biodiesel storage. If you have any doubt about the safety of making biodiesel, or do not know how to make biodiesel safely, do not attempt to make biodiesel or work with biodiesel-related chemicals unless you have complied with all of the above precautions and any other commonly prescribed precautions when working with biodiesel and biodiesel making chemicals and processes. Lastly, using biodiesel may void your car's warranty and may be subject to taxes, check with your car manufacturer and local officials to find out for sure.
The fire hazards when working with biodiesel include heat sources present when making biodiesel such as open burners, pilot lights, and electrical wiring. Open housings for electric motors may also expose brushes inside the motor which causes sparks. Pulling or pushing electrical plugs or faulty electrical switches could also create a spark. Proper ventilation and using an air tight reaction chamber will help reduce the chance of flammable gasses causing fires.
The chemicals you will most likely use are methanol, or wood alcohol, a main ingredient in barbeque lighter fluid or model airplane fuel. Methanol cannot be filtered by any cartridge filter, you must have it under a fume hood or have a clean air supply when handling. Lye, or sodium hydroxide, is a main ingredient in drain or stove cleaner. Ethanol is a kind of alcohol, the type of alcohol found in grain alcohol, vodka, gin, etc. Each of these ingredients on its own or mixed with each other can be a fire hazard and can be poisonous in sufficient quantities. Take all safety precautions when handling, transporting, mixing, and/or in any way working with or using these chemicals. While there is a risk when dealing with biodiesel, biodiesel production, and biodiesel-related chemicals, most people are able to safely handle these chemicals in a safe manner.
PERMITS FOR THE STORAGE OF FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE LIQUIDS ARE REQUIRED BY MASSACHUSETTS FIRE PREVENTION REGULATIONS PRIOR TO THE STORAGE OF BIODIESEL AND THE PRODUCTS USED TO PROCESS THE VEGETABLE OIL.
The following is an overview of the process used in converting vegetable oil into biodiesel:
Various internet sites offer advise on making biodiesel and include various homemade and commercially-available products for sale to do so. The following fire and safety concerns come with the processing of vegetable oil into biodiesel:
1. Improper storage of flammable & combustible liquids and hazardous materials:
Biodiesel, vegetable oils and methanol (used in the process) are considered to be combustible and flammable. When used to process biodiesel, such products are usually stored in large quantities, often in containers and vessels not designed to hold such materials. In the photo below, trash containers, beverage coolers and other containers are storing combustible liquid. In a fire, these containers will rapidly fail resulting in an intense fire.
A home in a neighboring community contained a biodiesel processor and storage area in the garage. A fire occurred in the home during the night. When the biodiesel and other liquids became involved in fire, the resulting fireball was so intense, that the fire destroyed the home in the matter of minutes:
Flammable & combustible materials must be stored in approved containers, in approved areas, and in areas that have fire separations from the rest of the building. A permit may then be issued for the storage of such items when conditions required by building and fire codes are met.
2. Added electrical load:
The biodiesel process requires the vegetable oil to be heated, as well as mixed. The heating process generally requires the use of electric heaters to accomplish this task. All too often, electricity for such projects is provided through the use of extension cords, which are designed, tested and listed for temporary use only. Improper electrical equipment for the hazardous environment is also a major concern.
The installation of biodiesel-making equipment may involve electrical-system upgrades and approval and permitting by the local electrical inspector.
3. Use of LYE and other Hazardous Materials
Use of chemicals and other haz-mat requires using proper personal safety equipment, respirators and ventilation. The inadvertent mixing of two or more chemicals can cause an accidental hazardous, poisonous, and sometimes deadly release.
Prior to considering the purchase, use and/or installation of biodiesel processing and/or storage, please ensure that you check with the local fire, building and electrical inspectors to ensure that your proposal is safe for you, your family, the community and the environment. Please feel free to contact Southborough's fire inspector at 408-485-3235 extension 403 or fire_inspector@southboroughma.com with any questions.