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SPEAR
Students Promoting Environmental Awareness and
Responsibility
Biodiesel at Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt Biodiesel Initiative:A Visual Tour
How did it get started?
Fall 2006
Spring 2007
Fall 2007
Wilderness Skills instructors wanted to travel more green
Top ten finalist for Eco-Magination
Construct and test a pilot system
Began the construction of the biodiesel shed
Summer 2007
Finished construction… Began production!
Biodiesel Shed
Located at the intersection of Vanderbilt Place and 24th Avenue South inside the gate of the Power Plant
Biodiesel Shed
The Process
Starting Materials
Vegetable OilMethanol
Base Catalyst
Vegetable Oil
• Collected from– Rand– Commons– Jackson’s Bar and Bistro– And others
• VBI registered as a 501.c3 non-profit organization so any oil donations are also tax deductible.
Vegetable Oil
Vegetable Oil
Filter Wand
Used Window Screen to filter chunks
The Process
Methanol
Glycerin
Biodiesel
Powder +
Biodiesel
Synthetic talc powder
KOH: Potassium Hydroxide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Potassium_hydroxide.jpg
System
Separation
Glycerin Soap
To date VBI has produced over 1,300 gallons of
biodiesel and 100 gallons of soap for Vanderbilt.
Production Capacity
• Running a batch (~120 gallons) about every other week.
• Operating at full capacity, in theory 360 gallons per week.
• Currently limited by the amount of waste oil collected and personnel to run the system.
Cost
~$1 per gallon
Who is involved?
Biodiesel in Use
Biodiesel in Use
Who can buy the fuel?
Not the general public, due to regulatory issues
Summary
Getting Involved
For More Information