Thanks Todd et all for setting me straight. The BIL (brother-in-law) is very well meaning, although intentions do not mke someone correct huh? Here's an intresting twist on the original copper issue; would it be easier to use the "soft" copper that is more maliable than the rigid copper tubing ? We used to use the soft copper in plumbing years ago for hard to reach jobs and it can be easily bent to shape by hand whereas the rigid stuff had to be torch heated to get the same effect, but then in this application would that really be a consideration ? The condenser at journey to forever's 5gal seems like a straight rigid copper pipe running down the middle of an enclosed PVC wih cold water running around in it via a submersible aquarium pump (available at any pet fish store). I like simplicity and that one seems about as simple as it can get while remaining functional.
Thanks again Luc --- In biofuel@yahoogroups.com, "Appal Energy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Luc, > > Aluminum and methanol don't mix. Stick with copper. > > Todd Swearingen > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "biobenz" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 11:59 AM > Subject: [biofuel] Re: Biodiesel Glycerin-to-Methanol Condensor plans > > > > I ran this question for a condenser by my brother-in-law who did a > > course in refrigerants ect... and he suggested that I use aluminium > > tubing instead of copper as the aluminium will transfer the cold > > from the water quicker than copper and the condensation will happen > > faster and more complete. Same as the 5 gal idea, but substitute > > aluminium piping instead of copper. Any second thoughts on this ? > > Made sense to me at the time (but then I don't know anything about > > it so it would, ha!) > > > > Luc > > > > --- In biofuel@yahoogroups.com, Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > Hi Kevin > > > > > > >Thanks for the info on the condenser plans to everyone who shared > > in the > > > >discussion. I did not realize that some info in Journey's > > website had > > > >specifics in the "Simple 5 gallon Processor". I think I passed > > this info > > > >over when I was on my reactor quest and the condenser paragraph > > was > > > >meaningless to me at the time. -Thanks Keith > > > > > > Well, it's one way. There were some provisos, as mentioned in the > > > previous message I reffed: > > > http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUEL/34289/ > > > > > > >So I have the basics and would hopefully like to still see some > > plans posted > > > >in the future. > > > > > > As far as we're concerned, we don't usually do plans. We're not > > > averse to them and wouldn't mind posting other people's plans, if > > > they're worth it, but we cobble stuff together out of bits and > > > pieces, junk usually, and everyone's bits and pieces of junk are > > > different. So the intention is to show what's possible so that > > people > > > can improvise and adapt what they have to hand to serve the same > > > purpose (and perhaps make some improvements that they might tell > > us > > > about so we could post those too). I know everyone's not into > > that, > > > some people need specifics and don't mind spending money, but > > that's > > > the way we do it, and anyway I believe a lot of those people could > > > surprise themselves and do it this way too if they'd only try. > > That's > > > a very empowering thing to discover, which is a major aspect of > > DIY > > > biofuels, we think. There's an overpowering miasma of engendered > > > helplessness and dependence in our societies these days, we're not > > > nearly as competent and generally capable as our fathers and > > > grandfathers were, and it's nonsense - we haven't changed, we're > > just > > > as capable of learning to fend for ourselves as they were. It's > > just > > > an attitude, which very much suits the powers-that-be. Attitudes > > > aren't made of concrete. </rant> > > > > > > Pardon me. :-) > > > > > > >Converting a liquid-to-a-gas, back to a liquid (Methanol), > > > >sounds easy enough. Let's discuss parts: > > > > > > > >Coaxial coil piping system: I haven't checked where to purchase > > coaxial > > > >pipe yet, (Donnie mentioned a beer homebrewing) but it appears > > that this > > > >can cool the gas efficiently using a cheap re-circulation water > > pump from > > > >let's say, a sealed bucket or as someone said a cooler of > > icewater? Of > > > >course it takes energy to make ice in the first place, but what > > else could > > > >cool the lines? > > > > > > Tap water. Have another look at that condensing section at the > > > "Simple 5 gallon Processor" page. In theory the cooling water only > > > has to be less than 64.7 deg C, 148.5 deg F, the boiling point of > > > methanol. The bigger the gap the better, but you don't need ice. > > If > > > the weather's real hot and it could use cooler water, or to > > prevent > > > having to change the water when it got hot (it gets hot), you > > could > > > rig a sort of inline evaporative drip cooling set-up the water > > would > > > go through en route from the condenser back to the reservoir > > (bucket > > > or whatever). I think that's quite easy and cheap, but you'd need > > > someone else to tell you exactly how. > > > > > > >Heater: Most likely I'll use a 1500w-1650w electric water heater > > threaded > > > >into the bottom of a 15 gallon metal drum. Girl Mark passed this > > heater > > > >idea to me when I was inquiring about a pre-heat WVO tank. The > > pre-heat > > > >tank can now serve a duel purpose. > > > > > > > >I'm not sure how I'm going to seal the lid. Being the drum is a > > standard > > > >size, I may be able to purchase a metal lid and a ring collar to > > seal it. > > > > > > That would be best. Make sure there's a seal in the lid (silicon > > or whatever). > > > > > > >For the methanol gas vapors, I imagine I would install a valve in > > the lid to > > > >the coaxial pipe, but could use some ideas? I'm not sure if I > > can mount a > > > >funnel-style lid as sealing this to a 15 gallon metal drum could > > be > > > >difficult Idea's??? > > > > > > Get a lid first and see what it offers. If there are caps you can > > > drill a hole in a cap and connect the condenser pipe to it. A > > direct > > > connection might be a little awkward if it's a screw-on cap, but > > you > > > could use a junction. > > > > > > regards > > > > > > Keith > > > > > > > > > >-Kevin > > > > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. 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