Araz Biofuel
Working Group
Working Group
Fuel Shed Notice · Post This Copy · Do Not Remove
If the grid won't feed us, the earth will.A Practical Guide to Hemp Biodiesel Operations
Anarcho Rodentia Autonomous Zone
This notice has been created with the assumption that you are working to create a new biofuel refining location to assist the cause.
Why We Run Green
Simply put, the old world's fuel resources are very limited at this point, and those creating new fossil fuels currently are hostile to our cause.
This forces us to grow our own fuel to supply our communities with energy and to fuel our vehicles.
Hemp seed oil, pressed cold, cooked with wood-alcohol and lye, supplements the power in every home in our community, and runs every diesel rig we have.
1
Growing & Agriculture
Seeds & Soil
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Hemp seed (seed-optimized strain) | Not fiber strains — you want high seed yield |
| Soil pH testing kit | Target 6.0–7.5 |
| Lime (agricultural) | To raise pH if soil is too acidic |
| Sulfur (elemental) | To lower pH if too alkaline |
| Compost / organic fertilizer | Hemp is a heavy nitrogen feeder |
| Nitrogen fertilizer (urea or blood meal) | Critical for seed yield |
| Phosphorus & potassium supplements | Balanced NPK nutrition |
Cultivation Equipment
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Tractor or draft animal rig | For plowing, tilling, planting at scale |
| Plow / disc harrow | Soil preparation |
| Seed drill / row planter | Dense rows, 4–6 inch spacing for seed hemp |
| Irrigation system (drip or overhead) | Backup if rainfall is insufficient |
| Hand tools (hoes, rakes, shovels) | Always |
| Pest control supplies | Neem oil, row covers — hemp is hardy but not invincible |
Harvesting
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Combine harvester (salvaged / maintained) | Ideal for seed stripping at scale |
| OR scythe + threshing rig | Manual fallback |
| Grain bags / burlap sacks | Seed collection |
| Tarps | Drying seeds in the field or barn |
| Grain storage bins / dry barn | Seeds must be stored dry or they go rancid |
| Moisture meter | Seeds must be below 10% moisture before pressing or storage |
2
Seed Processing & Oil Extraction
Seed Cleaning
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Seed cleaner / grain sieve / winnower | Removes chaff, stems, debris before pressing |
| Air blower or fan | Assists winnowing |
Oil Pressing
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cold screw press (expeller press) | The heart of the operation. Mechanical, repairable, low-tech |
| Belt drive / PTO shaft (to tractor) | OR electric motor if power is available |
| Collection trays / buckets | For raw oil and press cake output |
| Press cake collection bins | High-protein animal feed — don't waste it |
| Filter cloth / muslin / cheesecloth | First rough filtration of pressed oil |
| Settling tanks (food-grade steel or HDPE) | Let oil sit 48 hrs+ to separate solids |
| Fine filter (1–5 micron filter sock) | Second-pass filtration for clean oil |
| Water content test strips or moisture meter | Water in the oil will ruin your reactor batch |
3
Biodiesel Production — Transesterification
Core Chemicals
| Chemical | Purpose | Per 100 L oil |
|---|---|---|
| Methanol (99%+, anhydrous) | Alcohol reactant — absolutely essential | ~20 L |
| Potassium hydroxide (KOH) | Base catalyst — preferred for lower water sensitivity | ~1.4 kg |
| OR sodium hydroxide (NaOH / lye) | Alternative catalyst — cheaper, slightly trickier | ~1.0 kg |
| Distilled / deionised water | Washing the biodiesel after reaction | ~30–50 L |
| Phosphoric or citric acid | Neutralising residual catalyst during wash | Small amounts |
!
METHANOL IS YOUR BOTTLENECK. Source it by scavenging industrial stocks,
by wood distillation (destructive pyrolysis retort — "wood alcohol"), or by trade.
Everything else in this shed can be improvised. This cannot.
Reactor Equipment
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Reactor vessel (steel, sealed, 50–500 L) | A repurposed hot water heater tank ("Appleseed processor") works excellently |
| Thermometer (0–100°C) | Temperature must be held at ~55°C during reaction |
| Heat source (element, propane, or wood) | External heat for the reactor |
| Agitator / circulating pump | Continuous mixing is essential for 45–60 mins |
| Methoxide mixing vessel (separate, sealed) | For pre-mixing KOH/NaOH into methanol — never do this in the main reactor |
| Valves & fittings (steel, KOH-compatible) | Avoid aluminium — lye destroys it |
| Graduated containers / measuring jugs | Accurate measurement of methanol & catalyst |
| Precision scale (accurate to 1 g) | For catalyst measurement |
| Thermometer probe | Monitor reactor temperature continuously |
| Settling tank / separation vessel | Biodiesel (top) and glycerin (bottom) separate over 6–12 hours |
| Drain valve at base | To draw off glycerin layer |
| Collection vessels (clearly labeled) | Separate containers for biodiesel and glycerin — never mix them up |
Washing & Drying
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wash tank (HDPE or steel) | Gentle water wash removes residual catalyst, soaps, and methanol |
| Mist sprayer / shower nozzle | Apply water as a fine mist — not a torrent (prevents emulsification) |
| Aquarium air pump + air stone | "Bubble washing" — gentle, effective |
| Drain valve | Draw off wash water from below |
| Drying: air bubbling, or gentle heat | Biodiesel must be completely dry and clear before use — any cloudiness = water still present |
| pH test strips | Wash water should come out neutral (pH ~7) before fuel is ready |
4
Additives
C Cold Flow / Anti-Gel
This is your winter survival toolkit. Untreated hemp biodiesel has a cloud point of roughly 0°C and a pour point around −3°C. Massachusetts winters will gel it.
Untreated B100 — Behaviour by Temperature
−15°C−10°C−3°C0°C+5°C+10°C
Solid — gelled. Will not pump. Rig is dead.
Screened — clouding, wax forming, filters clogging.
Clear — flows.
| Additive | Type | How It Helps | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petroleum diesel blend (B20–B30) | Blending | Single most effective cold fix — dilutes the saturated esters that cause gelling | Target B20 (20% bio / 80% petro) for below-freezing ops |
| Kerosene blend (10–20%) | Blending | Lowers cloud point significantly; widely used before CFI additives existed | Available from scavenged stocks; lowers lubricity slightly |
| Ethanol blend (5–10%) | Blending | Reduces pour point; can be commune-produced from stalk fermentation | Can cause water separation issues if not kept dry |
| Ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer | Polymer CFI | Modifies wax crystal structure; reduces pour point up to 10°C in blends | Commercial product; small quantities needed (0.05–0.3%) |
| Poly(dodecyl methacrylate) | Pour point depressant | Can reduce pour point dramatically (to −46°C in some tests) | Technically complex to source post-collapse; pre-stockpile |
| Polyolefin depressants (e.g. T803) | Polymer CFI | Effective in diesel blends at very low concentrations (0.02–0.08%) | Moderate effect on pure biodiesel; better in B20–B25 |
| Commercial anti-gel additive | Proprietary mix | Pre-formulated, easy to use, proven results | Stockpile heavily if available; ration carefully |
| Winterization (fractionation) | Physical process | Chill the finished fuel, filter out the saturated esters that crystallise first | No additives needed — just time, cold, and a fine filter. Labour intensive, but produces genuinely winter-grade fuel. |
★
BEST COLD-WEATHER STRATEGY FOR A COMMUNE. Run a B20–B30 blend in winter,
treat with commercial CFI additive if you have it, and winterise your batches by chilling in
October and filtering before storage.
O Oxidation Stabilisers
Biodiesel degrades faster than petroleum diesel. Stored fuel can go off in 3–6 months without protection.
Synthetic — most effective, pre-stockpile
| Chemical | Abbr. | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tertiary-butylhydroquinone | TBHQ | Most effective tested antioxidant for biodiesel |
| Pyrogallol | PY | Also highly effective — the most studied |
| Propyl gallate | PG | Effective, widely available as a food additive |
| Butylated hydroxytoluene | BHT | Cheaper, widely available, good baseline |
| Butylated hydroxyanisole | BHA | Similar to BHT, slightly different profile |
| Octyl / dodecyl gallate | OG / DG | Effective, longer chain variants |
Natural — commune-producible
| Source | Notes |
|---|---|
| Rosemary extract | One of the most studied and effective natural antioxidants for biodiesel — outperforms TBHQ in some tests. Grow it. |
| Oregano extract | Effective alone or blended 1:1 with rosemary |
| Tocopherols (Vitamin E) | Found in hemp seed itself — cold-pressed oil retains some naturally |
| Curcumin / turmeric extract | Effective antioxidant; tetrahydro-curcuminoid form outperforms BHT |
| Citric acid | Mild antioxidant and metal deactivator — helps prevent oxidation from metal contamination in storage tanks |
| Gallic acid | Found in oak bark and many plants — forageable |
→
GROW ROSEMARY AND OREGANO AT SCALE. Extract in ethanol. This is a fully
self-sufficient antioxidant solution requiring no industrial supply chain whatsoever.
B Biocides — Microbial Control
Biodiesel stored in tanks grows microbial colonies — bacteria and fungi — especially in humid climates like Massachusetts. This produces sludge that clogs filters.
| Additive | Notes |
|---|---|
| Isothiazolinones (CMIT/MIT blend) | Most widely used industrial biocide for biodiesel — very effective at small doses |
| Oxazolidines (e.g. MBO) | Effective broad-spectrum biocide |
| Ethylene glycol monomethyl ether (EGME) | Dual function: biocide and fuel system anti-icing agent |
| Copper sulfate solution | Crude but functional antimicrobial; already used in farming contexts |
| Rotating / dry storage protocols | Best low-tech solution — don't let tanks sit half-full, keep moisture out, rotate stock every 3–4 months |
+ Other Useful Additives
| Additive | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Cetane improver (2-ethylhexyl nitrate) | Improves ignition quality, especially in cold engines — hard to source, stockpile if possible |
| Lubricity additive | Hemp biodiesel is naturally high lubricity — usually not needed, unlike with petroleum diesel |
| Metal deactivator | Prevents oxidation catalysed by dissolved metals from storage tanks |
| Fuel system cleaner | Helps on older / salvaged diesel engines — one-time dose when switching to biodiesel |
5
Storage & Dispensing
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Steel storage tanks (sealed, bunded) | HDPE also works — avoid copper, brass, zinc (they react with biodiesel) |
| Clearly labelled dispensing drums | Separate containers for B100, B20 winter blend, glycerin, methanol |
| Hand pump or 12V transfer pump | Dispensing fuel into vehicles |
| Fuel filter (10 micron, diesel-compatible) | At point of dispensing — last line of defence |
| Flow meter | Tracking fuel budget accurately |
| Funnel with filter screen | Always |
| Spill containment trays / bunding | Under all storage and dispensing points |
| Fire extinguisher (CO₂ or dry powder) | Methanol fires are invisible — take this seriously |
6
Safety Equipment
Non-negotiable. Every single person working in the fuel shed needs these. No exceptions, no "just this once", no borrowing someone else's goggles later.
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Heavy nitrile or rubber gloves | For all methanol and lye handling |
| Chemical splash goggles | Not safety glasses — full goggles |
| Face shield | For catalyst mixing and reactor operations |
| Chemical-resistant apron or overalls | Lye eats through regular clothes |
| Respirator (methanol-rated cartridges) | Methanol vapour is toxic — adequate ventilation is mandatory |
| Eyewash station | Near the reactor at all times |
| First aid kit (with burns treatment) | Lye burns require copious water flushing |
| Fire blanket | Near methanol storage |
| Ventilated workspace | No open flames anywhere near methanol |
| Lockable chemical cabinet | For lye, methanol, and additives — controlled access |
7
Testing & Quality Control
| Item | Purpose |
|---|---|
| pH test strips | Checking wash water neutrality |
| 27/27 test jar (clear glass, 270 ml) | Visual gel test — pour a sample, check at low temp |
| Isopropyl alcohol + phenolphthalein | Titration kit for measuring oil acidity before processing |
| 1 ml syringes (×2) | Titration |
| Hydrometer | Testing fuel density (biodiesel ≈ 0.88 g/mL) |
| Clear sample bottles | Visual clarity check — cloudy fuel = water contamination |
| Thermometer | Monitoring reactor and fuel storage temps |
| Alcohol content test kit | Verify residual methanol levels in finished fuel |
8
Methanol Production — Self-Sufficient Route
If industrial methanol cannot be scavenged, a wood distillation retort produces crude methanol ("wood alcohol"). This requires:
| Item | Notes |
|---|---|
| Steel retort vessel (sealed, heat-resistant) | The "oven" that wood is heated in without oxygen |
| Condensing coil (copper or steel tubing) | Turns vapour back into liquid |
| Collection vessel | Catches the distillate — crude wood alcohol, water, and other compounds |
| Secondary distillation still | Concentrates methanol from the crude mixture |
| Hardwood feedstock | Birch, maple, oak — softwoods yield less |
| Thermometer on still | Methanol distils at 64.7°C — collect that fraction |
| Anhydrous calcium chloride or magnesium sulfate | Drying agent to remove water from distilled methanol |
Quick Reference — Core Chemicals Only
Tear this corner off and pin it above the reactor.
| Chemical | Qty / 100 L oil | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Methanol (99%+) | 20 litres | Industrial supply, scavenge, or wood distillation |
| KOH (potassium hydroxide) | 1.4 kg | Chemical supplier or wood ash leaching (crude) |
| OR NaOH (sodium hydroxide / lye) | 1.0 kg | Chemical supplier |
| Distilled water (washing) | 30–50 litres | Distillation or rain collection |
| Antioxidant (TBHQ or rosemary extract) | 200–500 ppm | Chemical supplier, or grown |
| CFI / anti-gel (EVA copolymer) | 0.05–0.3% vol. | Stockpile commercial product |
| Biocide (if storing > 3 months) | Per instructions | Chemical supplier |