The Grassolean production project began in 2001 when Charris Ford, who had been operating a biodiesel powered truck, joined forces with Dr. Ken Hodges and Glen Harcourt. The men began researching the process of making veggie fuel and working together to build a small scaled processor of their own. With Ken at the helm as head engineer, they designed and fabricated a top of the line 80gallon batch biodiesel processor suitable for a garage scaled fuel production. Restaurants were signed up, chemical sources found, and the project was on.

Regional interest grew and they became proficient at making the recycled fuel. As more people expressed desire to take part in the project, they realized that, if the system were expanded, the same amount of work could result in much larger batches. Two new partners, Eric Jacobson and Nickolai Cowell, joined the effort in 2002.

Wanting to provide the region with recycled fuel from restaurant waste oil, the team set out to build a commercial production plant capable of producing a quarter of a million gallons of biodiesel per year. One of Eric's power plants provided the perfect industrially zoned facility for housing the project. Eric was instrumental in gathering the many tanks, pumps and filters needed to build the processor. Nickolai also joined the team in a powerful way by putting his Harvard degree to work as the plant manager and chief alchemist.

Glen helped take the project to the next level when he arranged for an engineering intern, from a German technical college, to help with plant construction. Christoph Beck, the savvy German intern, helped the team assembled all the necessary components to make their full-scale processor work. In March 2003, the plant produced its first 450gallon batch of recycled fuel.

Our process begins with 100% recycled restaurant fry oil. By letting the crude vegetable oil settle in black tanks exposed to full sun, we let passive solar energy and gravity do much of the initial "filtering" work. We then force filter the fry grease into our 9foot high, 650gallon stainless steel reaction tank. This tank is fitted with a heating element that provides the additional heat needed to create an optimal biodiesel reaction (also known as Transesterification). We then add alcohol and a small amount of catalyst to the oil. Using a commercial sparkless mixer in conjunction with a static mixer and a recirculating pump, we thoroughly blend these ingredients together for about an hour.

The biodiesel reaction is complete when the mixture becomes clearer and almost immediately less viscous... it is also common for the telltale smell of biodiesel to fill the air. Within just a few hours, the glycerin component of the vegetable oil settles out of solution with the help of gravity. Before the tank temperature drops too low, we drain the bulk of the glycerin from the lowest valve on the tank. This by -product has many uses including soap, cosmetics and less glamorous applications like biodegradable wetting agent for settling dust on dirt roads.

The next phase in producing high quality biodiesel from recycled oil is the washing process. We do this step in a separate 500gallon cone-bottom tank using fresh water and a large aquarium-style air bubbler. The purpose of washing is to remove any remaining methanol, glycerin or unreacted particles. We submerge the air bubbler in 20gallons of water at the bottom of the empty tank and then gently add the new biodiesel on top of that.

As the air bubbles rise, they gain a thin coat of water which they then carry with them on their upward journey through the biodiesel. Hitting the air atop the tank, the bubbles pop and the water they brought to the surface slowly sinks again. On both the way up and the way down, the water collects glycerin, methanol, and resident water, all of which are polarized molecules and therefore water-soluble. Excess methanol evaporates at the top of the tank and the sinking water droplets collect more particles and glycerin to be deposited at the bottom. We typically run the bubbler for 12 hours after which time we transfer the fuel into settling tanks.

Storing the biodiesel in settling tanks for no less than a week is an important step. During this period the fuel is subjected to solar heat and gravity. Any remaining impurities settle to the bottom of the tank over time. The finished biodiesel is then pumped from the top of the tank through a five-micron filter, plenty small for diesel engine fuel injectors. This final step insures that the Grassolean facility produces only the finest recycled veggie fuel available. We are committed to producing the highest quality biodiesel and are currently seeking ASTM certification.

For complete information on making and using biodiesel, purchase a copy of the definitive book on the subject, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, by clicking the french fry icon below.