Hi Derick
Hi all
Uh, Houston...
im not sure but I may have a problem. after many disappointing test
batches I finally got several good test batches. I now moved on to a
large batch using the same w v o used in the test batches. there was
almost instant separation
Sorry, what's that mean? Do you mean what they call a "split"? It
changes quite suddenly from WVO to esters, or most of it does anyway.
It's the rest of it that's the problem though.
and as I have read mixing should be continued for 2 hours. so I left
the mixer going for 2.5 hours.
Movable feast. The variables are the amount of methanol used, the
amount of lye used, the processing temperature, the amount of
agitation and the duration of agitation, and it's the last two that
might not translate so easily from a one-litre test batch to a
130-litre batch.
Anyway that sounds okay. There's been some fuss about a reverse
reaction when you process it for too long, but if anything that would
perhaps be a minor concern for later, when you're fine-tuning it.
IMHO.
buy that time it was late at night and I needed to get some sleep. I
left the batch for 8 hours and before I left for work I figured I
would try to drain the glycerin from the bottom of my 55 gal
galvanized reactor vessel. it was a block.
Did it solidify in the test-batches you did with that oil? It should
have done. Not that it should solidify necessarily, but if it
solidified in the one then it should do in the other too. See: "How
much glycerine? Why isn't it solid?"
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make2.html#howmuchglyc
"More important is how much soap there is -- the more soap, the more
likely the by-product layer will solidify, no matter what oil you
used."
Eight hours is on the quick side for settling, by the way.
After work I pumped the top layer off to a wash tank. The solid mass
at the bottom of the reactor was much more that I had expected it
should be from 130 liters w v o I had aprox 15 gal of solid. Is it
me or is there way to much solid left from what I started with?
About twice as much as there would be if you got a 100% yield. We'd
need to know how much lye you used and the titration results.
Now I have done the first wash using the bubble wash metherd. I know
I over did it to much air to fast i have 35 gal for blended oil and
water.
You shouldn't be able to achieve that with bubble-washing, no matter
how much air or how fast.
I have separated some and heated it to 140 deg F and held it for a
few hours. When I get home ill see the results. If this didn't work
what should i try? I have read on the postings about salt and
vinegar im not sure what ether is supposed to do or what one to try.
I suggest you read the whole page:
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_bubblewash.html
Washing: Journey to Forever
Why bother?
Which way is best?
Mist-washing
Bubble washing
Stir washing
Settling
Recycling the wash-water
Washing temperature
Emulsions
Using acid
Wash-water disposal
Drying the fuel
Any input could help.
Well I got home and there was little progress with the heat.
Two problems:
1. How to rescue the batch.
2. How to get it right next time.
We should be able to help you solve them both, I hope.
Please tell us how you get on.
Best wishes
Keith
thanks.
Derick
_______________________________________________
Biofuel mailing list
[email protected]
http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org
Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages):
http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
