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Chinese takeaway biodiesel man in garage explosion horror
www.theregister.co.uk ^ | 7/28/2008 | By Lewis Page

Posted on 07/31/2008 5:26:46 AM PDT by Red Badger

A Northamptonshire man destroyed his garage and badly injured himself at the weekend while attempting to make biodiesel from used cooking oil. A devastating explosion levelled the makeshift reprocessing plant on Saturday afternoon, when sparks from an electric drill being used to mix ingredients ignited explosive vapours.

Firemen hastened to deal with the smoking wreckage, in Middleton Cheney, and the unnamed thrifty motorist was airlifted to hospital with 20 per cent burns.

"Firefighters would like to urge members of the public to take extreme caution if undertaking such chemical mixtures in their own homes," said a statement from the Oxfordshire fire brigade, quoted by the BBC.

The injured biodiesel fancier reportedly made motor fuel from used cooking oil obtained from his local Chinese takeaway. Such oil can often be used in diesel vehicles without preparation, but this will typically knacker the engine in short order. It is normal to treat the oil with alcohol and other ingredients before use, and this process was apparently underway when the mishap occurred.

The explosion would most probably have been caused initially by alcohol fumes building up in the garage, a process likely enhanced by the hot weather this weekend. Open-air - or at least better-ventilated - biodiesel manufacture might have been wiser.

Home biofuel making is legal and tax-free to the amount of 2,500 litres per annum. With so much of the pump price of fuel being duty, such an effort is becoming more and more worthwhile to motorists as fuel costs soar. Quite apart from the risk of a devastating garage or garden-shed explosion, however - and the chance of then being mistaken for a terrorist - care is needed to avoid engine damage. ®


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: biodiesel; diesel; energy; fuel
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Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

1 posted on 07/31/2008 5:26:47 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: sully777; vigl; Cagey; Abathar; A. Patriot; B Knotts; getsoutalive; muleskinner; sausageseller; ...

KnOcK!............Be careful with that drill, Eugene..........


2 posted on 07/31/2008 5:27:38 AM PDT by Red Badger (If we drill deep enough, we can reach the Saudi oil fields from THIS side..........)
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To: Red Badger

I was trying to figure out why the Chinese came and got him, then I figured it out.


3 posted on 07/31/2008 5:28:53 AM PDT by neodad (USS Vincennes (CG 49) "Freedom's Fortress")
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To: Red Badger
"...but this will typically knacker the engine in short order."

Knacker. What a great little word. I will try to use that today...
4 posted on 07/31/2008 5:30:19 AM PDT by Hegemony Cricket (Vigilantism will arise where the justice system is viewed as overly lenient and/or ineffective.)
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To: Red Badger

I blame Free Republic. All that ‘Drill here! - Drill now!’ stuff got to this bloke.


5 posted on 07/31/2008 5:31:15 AM PDT by decimon
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To: neodad

This is British English, not American English............


6 posted on 07/31/2008 5:31:41 AM PDT by Red Badger (If we drill deep enough, we can reach the Saudi oil fields from THIS side..........)
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To: decimon

LOL!!!!!!! I hadn’t thought of that!..........


7 posted on 07/31/2008 5:32:29 AM PDT by Red Badger (If we drill deep enough, we can reach the Saudi oil fields from THIS side..........)
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To: neodad

They must have run out of hyphens in the newsroom. ;-)


8 posted on 07/31/2008 5:34:24 AM PDT by Gondring (I'll give up my right to die when hell freezes over my dead body!)
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To: Red Badger

That headline looks like it was written by the Chinese.


9 posted on 07/31/2008 5:35:02 AM PDT by Tribune7 (How is inflicting pain and death on an innocent, helpless human being for profit, moral?)
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To: Tribune7

And translated by Google.


10 posted on 07/31/2008 5:35:28 AM PDT by Tribune7 (How is inflicting pain and death on an innocent, helpless human being for profit, moral?)
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To: Red Badger

Now, where did the Chinese take him, again?


11 posted on 07/31/2008 5:41:58 AM PDT by WayneS (What the hell is wrong with these people?)
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To: Red Badger

Clever PF reference. Good work.


12 posted on 07/31/2008 5:42:24 AM PDT by WayneS (What the hell is wrong with these people?)
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To: Red Badger
I'm thinking of joining the "Chinese Takeaway Biodiesel Man Ping List"....

Naaaah. I guess not.

13 posted on 07/31/2008 5:43:12 AM PDT by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: Red Badger
Learning the hardway what flashpoint really means.

Air motor from Grainger: $136.50

Getting your house blowed up real good because you don't know what you don't know: Priceless.

14 posted on 07/31/2008 5:43:52 AM PDT by Jack of all Trades (This line intentionally left blank)
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To: Red Badger

“The explosion would most probably have been caused initially by alcohol fumes building up in the garage...”

“Hold my Scotch... Watch this!”


15 posted on 07/31/2008 5:44:07 AM PDT by WayneS (What the hell is wrong with these people?)
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To: Red Badger
I Guess...


16 posted on 07/31/2008 5:44:57 AM PDT by Gorzaloon
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To: Red Badger

Fifteen minutes later, he was ready to mix another batch.


17 posted on 07/31/2008 5:45:01 AM PDT by Thrownatbirth (.....Iraq Invasion fan since '91.)
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To: WayneS
Now, where did the Chinese take him, again?

Newcastle.

18 posted on 07/31/2008 5:48:49 AM PDT by decimon
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To: Hegemony Cricket

I think in this case, it means to wear out. IOW, it will quickly bring the engine to End of Life.


19 posted on 07/31/2008 5:49:51 AM PDT by savedbygrace (SECURE THE BORDERS FIRST (I'M YELLING ON PURPOSE))
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To: Red Badger
"Drilling" for biodiesel can be hazardous. Anyone using an electric drill to mix oil and methoxide is asking for disaster.

I know, I refine my own and run as high as B100 or as little as 100% petrodiesel, according to my ability to process the crud oil. I try to make it a policy NEVER to start any electrical device when the methanol or meth and NaOH are open and my home-built processor is the closed "Appleseed" that mixes in a closed loop recirc pump.

I'm gonna brew up another batch tonight.

20 posted on 07/31/2008 5:52:31 AM PDT by azhenfud (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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