College diesel technology program teaches biodiesel production

The oil used to make donuts and other fried foods at Skagit Valley College is being recycled on the campus to eventually power the Truck Driver Training program.

The truck driver training, diesel power technology, culinary arts and chemistry departments at the school are putting their heads together to learn how to make and use biodiesel.

Biodiesel is a low-emission fuel made from plant and animal oils that can be used in diesel engines. The college students use fryer oil from their student cafeteria, as well as local fast food restaurants, to supply their production.

As a handful of young men transferred 50 gallons of used fryer oil into a giant mixing tank in the diesel tech building last week, they talked about how their experience with this relatively new technology could be just the edge they need to land a dream job some day.

“It’s a good thing to know for the future,” said diesel tech student Amado Benavidez.

Student Barrett “Diesel” Bertram plans to become a diesel mechanic, as something to fall back on while he pursues his preferred career of working in commercial shipping.

The experience will also help him cope when the fossil fuel markets begin to take their widely predicted plunge, he said.

“That’ll be very helpful if I plan to switch from gas to diesel and if diesel prices are particularly high,” Bertram said. “It’s a good back-up.”

Gary Eckermann, diesel power technology program chairman, said he’s been wishing to expose his students to the environmental and economical benefits of biodiesel for several years.

A couple of years ago some people who knew of this goal told him they would love to exhibit their oil processor at the campus. In return, they left the processor behind for educational use.

After mixing and heating the used fryer oil in the giant processor, the students poured out a sample of the golden goo to test for acidity.

They hovered around beakers and test tubes, mixing the oil with methanol and then counting how many milliliters of phenolphthalein it took to turn the mixture pink.

At 20 milliliters, the milky substance Bertram held in a beaker turned to a rosy hue, and the process of titration was complete.

Titration tells the biodiesel manufacturer how much potassium hydroxide to add to the raw oil in order to separate the fat out of the oil.

The only two chemicals required to make the fuel are the potassium, which can be compared to a strong soap, and methanol, which Eckermann said is like the race fuel used at Skagit Speedway.

The diesel program at the college turned out its first batch of biodiesel in May, and they are currently in the development phase to get a consistent product, he said.

The chemistry department at the school reviews the quality of the product.

“It’s not as easy as it looks,” Eckermann said. “It seems like you put all the chemicals in and wait a little while and out comes biodiesel. It’s not that simple.”

Bertram attested to the messiness of the task, although upon removing his gloves, Benavides noted the not-too-unpleasant smell — at least compared to regular diesel.

“Smells like chicken,” he said of the drops of oil on his hand.

“Must be from KFC then,” answered student Rey Canonizado.

Benavides refined his estimation of the oil’s origins. “A little KFC mixed with McDonalds,” he said.

Bertram said if someone knows the process and is attentive to details, they can make a good batch of biodiesel.

“It’s not like calculus, it’s definitely not that but it requires some algebra to do the testing,” he said.

Eventually, truck drivers in training can offset the fuel costs they sustain during their learning process by making their own biodiesel, Eckermann said.

The nearly two-year-old biodiesel program comes at a time when the fuel is becoming a “real industry” in Skagit County.

Rail cars bring the fuel to the area 32,000 gallons at a time, Eckermann said.

“As it becomes a more mainstream alternative, I anticipate that the need will grow,” he said. “And we’ll all be doing a little bit more for our environment.”

Skagit Valley College Sustainability Fair

WHAT: Information on new and old sustainable practices, including ideas for average consumers to green up their daily lives. The college’s Diesel Power Technology program will exhibit biodiesel manufacturing and a student-built biodiesel power generator.

WHERE: SVC Mount Vernon Campus, College Way

WHEN: May 16 and 17