I have my wash tank hooked up to a drill-pump and will be giving that a go as soon as I can get my PH meter thing straightened out, and with the generous help of the list members that should be done shortly. I used the Sean Park's Standpipe design http://www.veggieavenger.com/avengerboard/viewtopic.php?t=333) and hooked up the water evacuating valve to a drill-pump with the return spliced so as to be able to get rid of the wash water after washing by simply disconnecting the hose and sending it into a bucket with which I am "feeding" the poison Ivy that is growing nearby. (apparently lye and methanol with kill the stuff). I will let you know how it works soon, (I hope)
L. --- In biofuel@yahoogroups.com, "Kevin Shea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Todd, > I had a chance to try your "fast " wash method today (35 gal white poly > drum) with a simple 55 gal drum mixer and wanted to thank you for the time > you just gave back to me! > > Success! > > At least for me, this procedure is much better & faster to wash Biodiesel > this way, compared to the bubble-wash method. Just 5 minutes of "appearing > homogenous": and allowing the 1 hour settling,...removed a heavy layer of > settled soap murky water (looked like melted marshmallows). Drained-off & > replaced the water and repeated for a total of 3 wash cycles. The murkiness > of the water & biodiesel layers are currently clear and is settling for 24 > hours. Excellent separation, no emulsion! > > -Kevin Shea > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Appal Energy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Sunday, May 02, 2004 9:13 AM > Subject: Re: [biofuel] Questions Speed-up washing biodiesel > > > > Kevin, > > > > Yes. You can speed up the process considerably. It involves the following: > > . > > 1) Throw out your mist washer. > > 2) Box up your bubble washer. > > 3) Make absolutely sure that you never try to wash an incomplete reaction > by > > testing washing a 1 ounce sample in a sealed jar. > > 4) Use a motor driven impeller to mix the water/fuel mixture to the point > of > > appearing homogenous for ~5 minutes. > > 5) Let settle 1 hour. > > 6) Syphon off the top layer of fuel and repeat steps 5, 6 & 7 two more > > cycles. > > 7) Let the fuel air dry or heat to 120*F to dry. > > 8) Combine all your wash waters and the 1"-2" of fuel that was left on top > > after each syphoning in a collection tank. > > 9) Let settle 24 hours. > > 10) Remove lower water layer to a wastewater treatment tank to recover the > > soaps. > > 11) Return the accumulated fuel from the wash water residue to your first > > wash of your next batch. > > > > Depending upon the volume of oil in your batch, the hp/size of your > reactor > > tank and wash tank motors/impellers, you could get your entire batch > process > > time down to 24 hours. > > > > Most people avoid mechanical mixing of the fuel at the wash stages, > thinking > > that it will create emulsion problems. And they're right if they try to > wash > > "fuel" from incomplete reactions. > > > > That's the primary reason why they were "invented" and have achieved such > > wide acceptance - too many people aren't meticulous about making sure that > > their reactions are complete. > > > > Todd Swearingen > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Kevin Shea" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > > Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Sent: Saturday, May 01, 2004 10:43 PM > > Subject: [biofuel] Questions Speed-up washing biodiesel > > > > > > > Hello, > > > > > > Is there a way to speed-up the water-biodiesel wash during the "settling > > of washing the fuel? I've read the bubble washing techniques & understand > > it, but for the best quality of biodiesel, it can take up-to-a- week, with > > several washes. One person mentioned a centrifuge, which I never used & > know > > nothing about that equipment. I imagine it to be a very expensive > machine, > > takes up a large amount of space, and may not be available to the average > > homebrewer. > > > > > > Could vibration assist in aiding water to help filter water to "shake" > > past the biodiesel to the bottom water level in a shorter amount of time? > > > > > > Has anyone tried to experiment using vibration? Also, -In order to > > understand the process better, does anyone have a mpeg simulation > > illustrating the (Molecular model) cleansing of biodiesel in the wash > stage > > process or something similar? > > > > > > I am curious to see the what exactly is happening in the batch? While > I'm > > at it, how about a simulation of the transesterification process in a > mpeg? > > > > > > Anyone? > > > > > > > > > Thank you, > > > Kevin Shea ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70 http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/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/
