Todd, Thanks for the thoughts. I had totally ignored the left over moisture from the washing on the next reaction batch.
A follow up thought: If the reaction is complete (say with an acid/base process) would not pump mixing be just or more effective than mist or bubble washing? Even though the motor would take more power, wouldn't the wash occur more rapidly leaving the energy balance a wash? Steve --- Appal Energy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Steve, > > There are a number of good reasons to not use a reactor as a wash > vessel. > > 1) Water contamination during reaction stages. > 2) Expended time evacuating a reactor of all water prior to reaction > stages. > 3) Undersized vessel for water washes. (110 gallon reactor yields ~91 > gallons fuel, leaving only enough room for 19 gallons of water, erego > the > introduction of flush washing, aka "mist washing") > 4) Mist washing in such a set-up generally doesn't include > separation/settling of micro-droplets of fuel from the wash water, > leaving > some fuel to be discarded with the wash. > > Could probably come up with another half-dozen associated/downstream > problems. But those are the predominant ones. > > Todd Swearingen > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Friday, June 18, 2004 11:33 PM > Subject: Fwd: Re: [biofuel] Washing 1 liter batches > > > > From steven mesibov: > > > > >-------------------- > > >FROM: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > >DATE: Fri, 18 Jun 2004 06:19:32 -0700 (PDT) > > >SUBJECT: Re: [biofuel] Washing 1 liter batches > > > > > >Keith, Todd, et. al., > > > > > >I have read so much on the need for washing and the different methods > and > > >on the fact that violent washing is okay if you process correctly > that it > > >just occurred to me: > > > > > >Why not use the reaction vessel for washing as well as the initial > mixing? > > > Would pump washing (especially if you used something like Lyle's at > > >Piedmont Static In-Line Mixer by KoFlo) be acceptable? It would > certainly > > >save on having another large container for small operations. > > > > > >Steve > > > > > >--- Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > Hello Brian > > > > > > > > >Hello. I am just starting in the production of my own > > > > >biodiesel. I have made several 1 liter test batches, > > > > > > > > Good for you! > > > > > > > > >but I'm not sure how to wash them. I can't find > > > > >anything online particular to small batches, but I > > > > >have found sources that say bubblewashing will be too > > > > >violent and cause emulsification. > > > > > > > > People who say bubblewashing's too violent and set off on a quest > for > > > > ever-gentler washing methods (eg "mist" washing) have taken a > wrong > > > > turn before they start. Gentle washing techniques only mask the > real > > > > problem, which is that the stuff isn't processed properly in the > > > > first place, they need to improve their processing. > > > > > > > > Emulsification doesn't normally happen with well-processed fuel. > It's > > > > caused by either (or probably both) too much soap and poor > > > > conversion, leaving diglycerides and monoglycerides, which are > > > > emulsifiers. If your fuel's properly made you won't be able to > > > > emulsify it no matter how violently you agitate it. That is what > you > > > > should be aiming for. > > > > > > > > See "Emulsification" and "Emulsion Explained" here: > > > > http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_bubblewash2.html#emuls > > > > > > > > So, some suggestions. First, take about 150ml of your finished, > > > > unwashed fuel and do this with it: > > > > Quality testing > > > > http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_vehicle.html#quality > > > > > > > > Let us know what happens. > > > > > > > > Second, you can bubblewash it, in a 2-litre PET bottle. From Todd: > > > > > > > > >You can use the pop-up cap found on water bottles at your grocer > as > the > > > > >"valve" for drainage. > > > > > > > > > >This turns any PET bottle into a separative funnel. > > > > > > > > > >It takes a little practice to get the "valve" to trickle > properly, > but > > > > it > > > > >does work superbly. > > > > > > > > More details on how that works here: > > > > http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/BIOFUEL/13265/ > > > > > > > > You know those pop-up caps? Maybe made for cyclists or something. > > > > We've used something a little different (I think), a screw-on > pop-up > > > > cap with a straw through the middle that goes right down to the > > > > bottom of the bottle, with an air-inlet gap around the straw, and > the > > > > cap closing both the straw and the air-inlet. Do your bubblewash, > > > > remove the air-stone and air-pipe from the pump, screw on the > pop-up > > > > cap, turn the bottle upside down and allow to settle. To drain off > > > > the settled water, hold the bottle (still upside down) over the > sink > > > > or something, lift the cap; the water comes out the air-inlet gap, > > > > air goes up the straw to the top (bottom) of the bottle, and > draining > > > > is smooth without any glug-glugging that'll splash and prevent a > > > > clean separation. If you can't find something like this you could > > > > easily rig it with some thin air-pipe and epoxy putty. If you > can't > > > > find an air-stone small enough to fit the neck of the PET bottle, > cut > > > > the neck off; when the wash is finished decant it all into another > > > > PET bottle and use the pop-up cap as above. > > > > > > > > HTH > > > > > > > > Best wishes > > > > > > > > Keith > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Will someone share > > > > >a success story? > > > > > > > > > >Thank you, > > > > > > > > > >Brian > > > > > > > > > > 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 > > > > > > > > > > > > > > __________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Read only the mail you want - Yahoo! Mail SpamGuard. http://promotions.yahoo.com/new_mail ------------------------ 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/
