As per your request, processes and wish list, Bill DOdds

Brian Jameson,  For what its worth.  This is what I come up with, Remember I ha
ve not been steady with the production team as per my studies at PSU.  I do bel
ieve however, I have a rough Idea whats going down.  My theory is we can spend 
a bunch of effort doing the following things or whatever you decide to bring up
 to grade the current site. 
 Alternatively, we could also spend the same effort getting a grant from PDC or
 some other government agency and 
obtain an old Brownfields service station lot site and do it right.  That is my
 political opinion.  Thats my story and Im sticking too it!  Bill Dodds
 
Note to Brian:  After talking with Tom last night, I wrote down some notes and 
thought about process.  IV come up with, what I think is a rough draft, as foll
ows...
 
Requests for the short term:
 
 1. Conex is a mess.  We need to clean conex out and re/assign/dedicate areas o
f the conex to hold supplies.  Pryor to this task I recommend the installation 
of a safety shower.  This can be a simple affair with a 55 gal. plastic drum se
t on the top of the conex, and filled with clean water.  It should be routed to
 a dedicated area, possibly next to the meth house for use as an emergency show
er in case of accidents, This would be a good place to store a jug or two of 
vinegar.
A fast flow valve with a lanyard and a small pull chain valved to a deluge show
erhead from Sandersons Safety Supply is what we need!
A definitive safety instruction (S&I) booklet must be developed and supplied to
 all members, to include procedures answers to common questions and phone numbe
rs to call in the event of an accident or for questions.  A phone tree should b
e posted along with a copy of the S/I booklet on site for all to access.
 
2.  While were at it (cleaning the conex) we need to move the large Hot Water h
eater 
from the outside area to inside the conex, where it can work more efficiently. 
 It can be plumbed to a thru/wall valve to the awning area outside but the valv
e must be outside for convenience to the fuel washing area. It should be locate
d at an accessible area that is easy to get to and should be connected to a fem
ale cam lock connection.  A second outlet valve would be nice inside the conex 
for inside access to hot water. 
 
3.  A rack must be constructed to raise the elevation of the Washer unit, the D
ryer unit and the soon to be second Washer unit.  I suggest 
lumber rack set on Pressure treated 6X6s running the with of the awning area on
 the East side, whatever?  The level of the bottom drains in the totes must be 
high enough to accommodate a five gal. bucket below it.  Catwalk must be large 
enough to accommodate a person accessing the top of the totes to change sprinkl
er heads etc.
Rack must be sturdy, can be thrown together quickly with my nail gun.
4.  Move BBQ Filter unit under the awning to escape the winter rain that has so
 hampered its effective use.  This will necessitate a retro fit of the wooden s
tandard on which 
it now stands. Im hoping it will fit directly against the conex next to the cur
rent spill containment pan with the three processors that would be nice.  If no
t we will have to decide where it goes.
At any rate, its new location must be elevated to a height to accommodate a fiv
e gal. pail under its lowest drain port.  The pump system currently under it ne
eds repair!  The BBQ must be plumbed hopefully with flex hose to the Waste Vege
table Oil holding tank that accompanies it.  Once again, the elevation must cor
respond to the BBQ unit but also allow for drainage into a five gal. pail. 
 
5.  Dryer must be rebuilt to improve its effectiveness.  Girl Mark cautions to 
leave plenty of elevation in dryer to allow it to work well!  The manor in whic
h it currently drains into the second chamber (tote) does not allow for the esc
ape of air and it seems to burp from time to time.  This is not efficient becau
se in my mind, it doesnt allow free flow into the second chamber, If you follow
 me.  We need a tote about twice as tall as the one we have employed for the ta
sk.   We also need a better fan and fan filter set 
up.  The one we use now is hokey pokey.
 
6.  Dispense with current location of distribution tote.  It should be mover to
 the other side of the conex.  Better yet, obtain a metal tank that can be hard
 plumbed into a metered electric pump set up.  The plumbing should be metal per
haps steel pipe 2 inch at least.  Metered pump should be accessible to COOP mem
bers and their vehicles.  I suggest a location where the current generator shed
 
is located or somewhere near there.  It should be secure and the little fuel le
dger book awning should adjoin it.  Moving the D Tote will free up the area adj
oining the awning and provide better access to the BBQ
 
7. Once again the area for storage of WVO and Waste Water totes should be defin
ed and marked, perhaps with police tape or whatever.  Now would be a good time 
to distribute some of the gravel in the pile adjacent to parking area, to walkw
ays near the WVO and Fuel supply to make the area easier to navigate and keep i
t cleaner.  Currently this storage 
area thing is confuseing, at least to my mind.  Which totes are for dirty water
 and which are for whatever?  This needs to be addressed.  I suggest that placa
rds be made, maybe from old political signboards that are provided by politicia
ns during and after ever election.  They are distributed to roadways near you a
nd plentiful.  I think the predominant colors are white yellow red & blue.   We
 could use red for the dirty water, white for the WVO and Yellow for fuel await
ing drying and washing.  Alternatively, 
whatever?
During the last presidential election Mr. GW Bush provided me with a few large 
4X10 signs blue for our use.  Im sure he would be glad to donate them to the ca
use. 
Placards should be large enough to be seen at a distance and prominently displa
yed, affixed to the side of containers.  They can be marked with grease pencil 
but primarily the color will signify the contents.
In addition, batch numbers should be assigned to the fuel we produce for distri
bution.  The batch number marked on a smaller placard should accompany the fuel
 thru the process 
wash...dry...and finally distribution.  One should be able to look at the distr
ibution tank and determine which batch it originated from.
 This will aid in the control of quality and help record production, not to 
 
8.  Finally, an effort must be made to put the fuel processors back into servic
e.  Located currently in the awning area within the confines of the containment
 reservoir (galvanized tin trough).  They must be secured to the wall of the co
nex to avoid spills should one get knocked over or 
whatever?  They should probably be elevated somewhat, at least to the five-gall
on pail rule.  They should be plumbed, properly with durable fittings (steel & 
brass) that will serve our purposes.  After this supplies must be obtained to p
rocess WVO into fuel and adequate storage must be obtained and secured.  A syst
em of supply records and a procedure for ordering and procuring more supplies m
ust be established.  Perhaps a site manager or P.I.C. would be charged with the
 systems commission.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Processes
 
 
(Note to Members)
Currently our fuel is being processes by a sub contractor, we are not at this t
ime making our own fuel on site, and this will change as after our process unde
rgoes some major changes, soon!
  We receive our fuel ready for processing (washing and drying) in 55 Gal. drum
s which shall be marked unwashed fuel, and stored in designated 
areas.
 
 
Task: (Washing Fuel)
 
Before you begin, now is a good time to establish a batch number for your work/
karma records. Check the batch number in 
the distribution tank against the batch number in the Léger book in the conex a
nd assign your batch number to be the next chronological number (providing ther
e are no unfinished batches in the dryer). 
To wash fuel, move fuel drum within hose reach of washer (located under side aw
ning). I like to wash two drums or 110 gals of fuel at a time.  Use pump to fil
l washer with 110 gal. of fuel then re/valve pump to hot water heater and tap o
ff enough hot water to bring wash fluid up to the mark on side of washer.  (be 
sure to turn on water hose at house and open water heater valve near its base))
  
After filling to prescribed mark, re/route valves on the washer assembly to use
 the pump to circulate the mix thru the sprinkler heads in the washer for about
 30 minutes or more.  (note, if you use ball valve to restrict sprinklers flow 
to less volume and more finer droplets you will have less problem with emulsifi
cation lumps in the fuel)
 
Now allow the mixture settle out 30 minutes or more.  You will soon notice a li
ne of demarcation 
between the fuel (amber color, and the water/soap mixture in the bottom of the 
wash tote, white in color)  This is the FFA (free fatty acids) falling out of t
he fuel.
You have now washed the fuel once.  Time to rinse the white mixture out of the 
wash tote into a wastewater tote marked with colored placard.  Use pump, valvin
g it accordingly.
The wash process must be repeated as many times as needed to get out the FFAs, 
at which time the PH will be between 6.8 and 7.8.  and its clarity will resembl
e amber ale, (but dont drink it, thats what happened to Tom). 
Test strips in Conex.
Typically three to five washes are needed!  
(remember to turn off water supply at house)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Task: Drying Fuel
After re/routing fuel from washer to dryer 
unit, re valve, so that dryer is circulating the fuel thru its system.  Be sure
 to turn on and plug in the electric fan that evacuates the moister in the fuel
 to the outside atmosphere, thus drying the fuel.  Here is where time is the ma
in thing.  It takes time to evaporate the water from the batch.  In the hottest
 of days last summer @ aprox 100 degrees +, Tom says it takes about three hours
.  So now is the time to do some of the other tasks on site.
After the fuel is dry and has been tested for water using the heat test procedu
re outlined in this instructions booklet,  
the next step is to valve it to the distribution tote.  Re/valve thru hose to d
istribution tote and enter the date, approximate galonage, batch number and the
 test results in the ledger book in the conex along with the names of those COO
P members responsible.  Be sure to mark Distribution tote with the proper batch
 number in grease pen on the placard attached to the D tote.
(records are important for quality control, please leave record tracks so other
s can trace them if need be!
 
 
 
Task: (Waste Water)
One of the tasks needing to be done is neutralizing wastewater.
This involves adding muriatic acid (in the conex) to one of our waste  
water totes and mixing with a pump until the pH of the water in the  
tote is neutral ~pH of 7 approximately.
 
Steps:
 
1) Hook pump and hose up to wastewater tote to recalculate from  
bottom port to the top lid.
2) Add muriatic acid through top lid. Start with 1/2 gallon.
3) Turn on pump and recirculate for 45 minutes (can be started before  
doing wash tasks).
4) Check 
the pH on a sample of the water.
5) Repeat as necessary with 1 cup at a time, mixing for 30 minutes.
6) Note the steps you've gone through in the logbook.
 
Testing is very simple (for now).
 
BEFORE PUMPING FUEL INTO WASH TOTE: We test a sample of fuel before  
pumping it into the wash. Use the 3/27 test.
 
AFTER DRYING FUEL: We test another sample of fuel when it has dried.  
Use the 3/27 test AND do a heat test.
 
Here are the test procedures:
 
 
 
Task: (3/27 test)
-------------------------
Mix 3 ml of oil with 27 ml of methanol. Use the yellow bulbed eye  
dropper to measure oil. Use the 100ml graduated cylinder to measure  
methanol. There is a glass jar labeled methanol with the other  
chemical supplies. Mix the two in a closed CLEAN jar. Swirl it for  
about a minute. As you swirl, if there are any droplets of FFAs, they  
will coalesce together into a liquid-like bead of pale yellow. If you  
see any sized bead, the fuel hasn't fully reacted. If you are in  
doubt, do a second test.
 
 
Task: (Heat Test)
 
use one of the metal cups to measure 20ml   of fuel.
Weigh the cup with fuel on the scale and write down the weight.
Heat the cup on the hot plate until the temp is 212 degrees  
Fahrenheit (the boiling point of water). When it reaches 212 turn off  
the hot plate and remove the cup.
Weigh the cup with fuel again and record the weight.
 
If there is a gram or more difference between the preheated and the  
postheated weights, the fuel probably contains water.
 
Task: PH Test
PH test can be run on washed fuel to see if glycerin and FFAs have left fuel mi
x.  Use test strips in Conex and try to get mid/stream sample.  
Compare with color on side of test strip container and if solution tests out to
 between 6.8 and 7.8, then thats a good test.
 
 
If you have questions, call me. Bill Dodds (503) 663-2112 or (503) 577-8517.
 
 
       ______________________________________________________________

     From:  [email protected]
     Reply-To:  [email protected]
     To:  [email protected]
     Subject:  pdx-biodiesel Digest, Vol 54, Issue 6
     Date:  Thu, 26 Jul 2007 12:16:16 -0700 (PDT)
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     >    1. Tailpipe emissions to zero + food for algae = biodiesel
     >       (Brian Jamison)
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     >
     >Message: 1
     >Date: Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:11:57 -0700
     >From: Brian Jamison <[email protected]>
     >Subject: [pdx-biodiesel] Tailpipe emissions to zero + food for
     algae =
     > biodiesel
     >To: PDX Biodiesel List <[email protected]>
     >Message-ID: <1185423117.7326.2.camel@dent>
     >Content-Type: text/plain
     >
     >http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/hope/greenbox-turns-carbon-dioxide-into
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