That's just it. The concentration isn't marked on the container.All it says is "technical" which is about as helpful as "guess" to me. Sooo, I have re-done the thing using NaOH and will shall see what is what soon. The process is I warm up the oil in a sauce pan with a thermometer in it until it reaches 130F or so and then add it to the blender and slowly add the methoxide (prepared in my Grolsch bottle- methoxide the easy way) :) Blend the lot for 15-18 minutes, pout into a Masson jar and let it settle. I get clear seperation of darker glycerine on the bottom, the lighter (but still dark) on top. I take a sample of this top layer and add water and shake and I get MAYO freekin' NAISE ! about 1/3 of it.My tests are done using 500ml instead of full liters and I just divide everything by 2. I am in the process of revamping my method, going to try some of that nice 1% phenolphthalein solution stuff instead of the PH meter and see if I get a discrepancy. I now have laboratory grade cylendars graded to acuracy for small alcohol stuff (100ml) and a larger one (1 liter/1,000ml) for the other stuff, like WVO. A least I know the volumes are OK :) My scale is OHAUS electronic 0.1gr- 400gr in 0.1 increments so it's not the scale either. Eliminating the variables is important for me 'cause I am not the sharpest tool in the shed :) So, I should be undergoing some adjustments very soon, and hopefully will get the testing stuff down before it's time to start loading the "real" product into the processor. I am getting some valuable help though and that is very much appreciated.
Luc --- In biofuel@yahoogroups.com, Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Hi Luc > > What is the concentration of your potassium hydroxide? I think from > your figures below that you're presuming 100% concentration, same as > NaOH (or nearly), but KOH is less concentrated and you have to allow > for that. I don't have much faith in your figure of "basic 4.9 > potasium", it should be more, according to the concentration. > > Are you titrating with a KOH solution or a NaOH solution and then > converting the results to KOH? > > >More about lye > >http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make2.html#lye > > > >KOH is not as strong as NaOH -- use 1.4 times as much KOH (actually > >1.4025 times). Titration is the same, just use a 0.1% KOH solution > >instead of NaOH solution, and use 1 gm of KOH for every milliliter of > >0.1% solution used in the titration. But instead of the basic 3.5 > >grams of NaOH lye per liter of oil, use 3.5 x 1.4 = 4.9 grams of KOH. > >So, if your titration was 5 ml, use 5 + 4.9 = 9.9 gm KOH per liter of > >oil. > > > >One more complication -- check the purity of your KOH, it's generally > >not as pure as NaOH. Anhydrous grade KOH flake is usually about 92%, > >sometimes less -- check the label. We use half-pearls assayed at 85%. > >Adjust the basic quantity accordingly: the basic 4.9 grams would be > >5.8 (5.775) grams for 85% KOH, or 5.3 (5.33) grams for 92% KOH. > > > >KOH dissolves in methanol much more easily than NaOH does, and > >doesn't "clump" together as NaOH can do. > > Do a comparison with sodium, and I'd also suggest the "poor man's > titration" that Todd outlined for Pierre a few weeks ago. > http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUEL/33676/ > > Instead of using jars, do a blender batch for each sample, same as > you're doing now. That will mean agitation, temperature etc are just > the same, with the KOH amount the only variable. You're more > interested in tests using more KOH than less. > > Best > > Keith > > > >I successfully made one batch using WVO but that required a double > >processing and came away matching all the numbers I have read about, > >BUT twice now I have doen the folowing and with nearly the same > >results. Could someone please point out the flaw ? > >WVO = 500ml heated to 130F. > >Using the "Better Titration method I titrate it using a PH meter to > >be 1gr extra (4ml%4=1). then I add that to the basic 4.9 potasium > >Hydroxide for 5.9gr and then divide by two (for the 500ml batch) > >The methoxide is very well mixed and I add it to the blender oil > >(still at 130F) slowly and let it blend for 15-18 minutes. > >After settling I get a distinct seperation of very dark, almost > >black on the bottom and a redish dark top layer (the BD) but as soon > >as I put it to the shake test (150ml unwashed BD to 150ml water at > >room temp) I get mayonaise that won't completely break even after > >two days. > >I got to be doing something wrong here. I am going to try one more > >time using sodiuk instead of potassium and see if I get the same > >results and then I will have to start questioning the PH meter and > >the source of WVO, not to mention my ability to understand a laid > >out process. > >Should I dump the PH meter and go with strips ? Maybe use the other > >liquid penolphalene (or something like that) that makes it go > >magenta for 10 seconds when it reaches 8.5 PH? > >My scale is top shelf electronic. The chems are fresh from the chem > >supply house, the oil was still warm when I sampled it :) I am using > >100% isopropyl (I now have LOTS of it,4.5lt)I mix in the oil while > >the jar is sitting in warm water and it never really does get 100% > >clear but I keep on stirring it throughout the titration process aas > >I add the .01% lye solution (made according to the Better Titration > >specs) > >I am now thoughroughly stumped as to what I did wrong. > > > >Luc ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
