Falls Brook Centre, with help from Natural Resources Canada, established a Biodiesel processing demonstration facility in 2005. Our goals were educating the public about benefits of Biodiesel use, and encouraging communities to explore the use of locally available resources in creating environmentally and economically sound energy. Our facility was open to the public for demonstrations and educational presentations.

What is biodiesel ?
Biodiesel is a petroleum diesel substitute made from vegetable or animal oils/fats. It can be used in any diesel engine, generator, pump, heater or oil furnace. It can be used straight (B100) or blended with petrol-diesel in any concentration. The most common blends are B5 and B20 (5% or 20% biodiesel)

Who is using it ?
Biodiesel has been in production commercially in Europe since the early nineties. With more than 2000 filling stations, the European Union consumes some 2+ billion litres per year, and has over 15 billion logged road miles. The majority of biodiesel in North America is marketed to large fleets such as transit buses.
Users include:
100 Toronto Hydro vehicles since 2001
The U.S. Postal Service
Many U.S. School Boards
Nova Scotia provincial government for heating
The Cities of Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Brantford, Montreal, Sudbury and many others

Where can I get biodiesel ?
There are over 350 service stations offering Biodiesel in North America most of which are currently located in the United States. In the Maritimes, ‘Wilson Fuels’ supplies biodiesel for heating oil (Halifax Area), and to bulk diesel consumers. There is also a filling station in Moncton., at 5 Plaza Blvd., Mapleton Rd. More will be coming online soon.

How can I use biodiesel ?
Easily, since biodiesel can be used in all diesel engines, at any concentration. Simply pump biodiesel directly into your tank with your regular diesel and go. Most service stations in Canada will offer a blend of B5 or B20 for all seasons use. Some offer a complete range of blends including B100 in the summer.

Biodiesel can be stored anywhere petroleum diesel is stored and has a flash point of 130+ºC, so is much safer to store and transport than regular diesel.

Precautions
Materials Compatibility: Over time Biodiesel degrades certain natural rubbers and soft metals (copper) present in some fuel delivery systems of older vehicles and oil furnaces. Most are easy and cheap to replace, like fuel lines. Replace these as necessary.

Fuel Filter Plugging: Petro-diesel usage leaves a residue in fuel tanks and lines that builds up over years. Fortunately Biodiesel behaves like a detergent, loosening and eventually removing this residue over a period of months. Loosened deposits will be filtered out by the fuel filter. Older cars may have so much build up that the fuel filter clogs. Fuel filters are cheap and easy to replace. As a precaution, change your fuel filter 1 to 3 months after regular biodiesel use. Once lines/tank are clean they will remain clean even with a low blend.

Cold Weather: Blends of B20 or lower are recommended for temperatures below freezing. Like petro-diesel, biodiesel may gel in extreme cold temperatures. If blending biodiesel with regular petro yourself, attention must be taken to avoid gelling. Blends purchased from service stations have taken local climate into account. You can also use gel-suppressing additives as a precaution.

Questions

How Much Does Biodiesel Cost?
Although the price varies, B20 Blends are typically 2-5 cents per litre more than regular petroleum-based diesel.

Do I have to modify my engine?
When using low blends B2-B5 no engine modification is necessary. With higher blends (i.e. B20) some modifications may be needed in older vehicles that contain natural rubbers in the fuel delivery and injection system. Most vehicles built after 1997 have the necessary modifications.

Is Biodiesel the same as Vegetable Oil?
Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) is not Biodiesel. SVO requires engine modifications or a two tank system before it can be used. Biodiesel, created from vegetable oil, has been processed in such a way that it can be pumped directly into the fuel tank.

Falls Brook Biodiesel Background

During the summer of 2004 the Falls Brook Centre began a project to produce Biodiesel.  Biodiesel is a fuel produced from a renewable source (often vegetable oil) capable of running in an unmodified diesel engine.  It has similar performance characteristics to petroleum diesel but has major reductions in green house gasses and can be produced locally.  During that summer our first few drops of the gold colored fuel were produced from french fry grease.

There are 4 ingredients to our Biodiesel:

• feedstock - used vegetable oil from restaurants
• catalyst - Sodium Hydroxide (NaOH, Lye)
• alcohol - Methanol (CH3OH)
• acid - Sulfuric Acid (H2SO4)

Process overview:

1. Feedstock is poured through coarse filter to catch all large particulate matter/organic substance.
2. The oil is heated in an evaporator pan to 100 celcius to boil the water off then pumped through filters into a...
3. ...storage tank.
4. Methanol and Sulfuric acids are added and its mixed for 2 hours then it is allowed to settle for 8 hours.  Methanol and lye are added and it is Mixed at 55 celcius for between 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours or until the oil reaches a straw-yellow color.  The mixture now is allowed to settle into 2 layers.  The upper layer is biodiesel and the lower layer is a golden brown liquid, Glycerin. 
5. The biodiesel continues to settle and is removed in portions for washing.
6. Water is added to the biodiesel now to for washing.  An aquarium stone is added to introduce air bubbles and help the process.  The washing procedure is repeated twice more with the same biodiesel stock. The biodiesel turns lighter in color after the washing phase.
7. Biodiesel is stored at room temperature for at least three weeks. After this settling time, it becomes a transparent solution.

More information on Biodiesel:
Canadian Renewable Fuels Association http://www.greenfuels.org
Collaborative Biodiesel Tutorial Website http://biodieselcommunity.org
The Maritime Biodiesel Co-op http://www.maritimebiodiesel.com
The US National Biodiesel Board http://www.biodiesel.org

For more information on this project please contact:

Greg LeBlanc
Renewable Energy Coordinator
Falls Brook Centre
125 South Knowlesville Road
Knowlesville, NB, E7L 1B1

Tel: (506) 375-4310
Fax: (506) 375-4221
Email: greg@fallsbrookcentre.ca