Brew Your Own Biofuel

(Page 2 of 5)

June/July 2008
By Derek Kanwischer 
Article Tools
Print
Comments
RSS
Bookmark and Share

The dual-tank system requires one tank for diesel and another for vegetable oil — plus a system to switch from one fuel to the other. The engine starts on diesel fuel, but switches to run on vegetable oil after heat produced by the engine warms the vegetable oil to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Before shutting off the vehicle, diesel fuel is cycled through the fuel lines to purge the system of vegetable oil. (For more information, see Would you use Veggie Oil to Fuel Your Vehicle?) Because diesel fuel is required for starting the vehicle and clearing the lines before shutdown, a dual-tank system is better suited to vehicles that run for extended periods or distances.

RELATED CONTENT

A single-tank system preheats the vegetable oil using electric heat (plus the additional heat produced by the engine when it’s running) and uses modified injectors and glow plugs that are optimally suited to ignite and combust vegetable oil. (New diesel engines have precise fuel requirements that need to match the chemistry of the oil, but older engines have a better tolerance for a range of vegetable oils.)

Considering the frequent start-and-stop nature of our small-farm work, we decided a single-tank system would be the appropriate choice to run vegetable oil in our tractor.

Fuel for the Farm

Thanks in part to a grant from the National Center for Appropriate Technology, an organization that promotes technologies that conserve energy and resources, we have retrofitted a Kubota tractor with an Elsbett single-tank fuel system to run on straight vegetable oil produced in eastern Montana. (Elsbett is a German company that manufactures conversion kits and engines designed to run on straight vegetable oil.) The performance of this tractor is being measured and compared with the performance of two similar tractors used on comparable farms nearby. One of these tractors uses a biodiesel blend; the other uses petrodiesel.

If we confirm that a single-tank system is a viable option for running a tractor on straight vegetable oil, we plan to grow an oilseed crop and produce our own fuel. We estimate we’ll need to devote about 5 percent of our crop land to oilseed (probably canola) production annually to provide enough oil to power the tractors. Others estimate it would require up to 30 percent of a farm’s land to produce enough fuel to make a farm self-sufficient. See “Do you have enough land for food and fuel?” below.

Page: << Previous 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Next >>
Bookmark and Share
RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print
FEATURED ARTICLES
MOST POPULAR


Subscribe Today - Pay Now & Save 66% Off the Cover Price

First Name: *
 Last Name: *
Address: *
 City: *
State/Province: *
 Zip/Postal Code:*
Country:
 Email:*
(* indicates a required item)
Canadian subs: 1 year, (includes postage & GST). Foreign subs: 1 year, . U.S. funds.
Canadian Subscribers - Click Here
Non US and Canadian Subscribers - Click Here

Lighten the Strain on the Earth and Your Budget

Mother Earth News is the guide to living — as one reader stated — “with little money and abundant happiness.” Every issue is an invaluable guide to leading a more sustainable life, covering ideas from fighting rising energy costs and protecting the environment to avoiding unnecessary spending on processed food. You’ll find tips for slashing heating bills; growing fresh, natural produce at home; and more. Mother Earth News helps you cut costs without sacrificing modern luxuries.

At Mother Earth News, we are dedicated to conserving our planet’s natural resources while helping you conserve your financial resources. That’s why we want you to save money and trees by subscribing through our Earth-Friendly automatic renewal savings plan. By paying with a credit card, you save an additional $4.95 and get 6 issues of Mother Earth News for only $10.00 (USA only).

You may also use the Bill Me option and pay $14.95 for 6 issues.