Gasifier Experimenters Kit

Biomass Energy Foundation: BiodieselBIODIESEL - McDIESELHomeBiomassEnergyGasification &ReformingLiquid FuelsWoodCookingEnergyRosetta StoneBookstoreAbout theBEFLinksBecome aMemberof theBiomassEnergyFoundationIn Summer, 1989, I learned about the conversion of animal fats andvegetable oils to their methyl esters for fuel purposes from someproceedings of the US Dept of Agriculture workshops held in the early1980s and from research at the University of Idaho and others. The processis called "Transesterification", and is quite simple. It means converting thefats are oils, which are tri-esters with glycerol, to the monoester withmethanol. Being interested in alternate fuels, I mulled this over in mysubconscious and in November, 1989, I wondered what happened to all thatgood oil/fat when it was "used up". I found that there are about a billiongallons a year under the heading "yellow grease" which are used for soap,cattle feed, but has a very low value (