Hello Nigel >I suspect this is a complete newbie question - but being a newbie - >I feel entitled to ask.
Newbies aren't entitled to anything special that other members aren't also entitled to. What you're obliged to do however is to try to avoid asking newbie questions that have been asked and answered many times already, unless you've something to add. >List resources > >Please make use of the resources listed at the Biofuel list home page: >http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > >Especially the searchable list archives: >http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > >The archives contains more than 50,000 messages over nearly five >years. The question you want to ask or the topic you're interested >in has probably already been covered. That's no reason not to ask it >again, but if you know what's gone before you'll ask a better >question and get better answers. See: List rules http://snipurl.com/mx7r Just so you know. Accuracy and scale have certainly been discussed before, but never mind. >ok - picture this - I've been out and done the decent thing - found >myself a lot of Waste Veggie Oil that I want to convert to Bio >Diesel.. I do the titration, and get the exact amount of NzOH to add >to a litre... and now I need to multiply that by the amount of oil I >have. > >I expect to have approximately 100l... but how do I know... >accurately? How accurate do I need to be in order to get a good >result? How accurate have you needed to be in order to get good results with one-litre test batches? What tolerances have you been working to with your one-litre tests with WVO? You can use the same tolerances or better with 100 litres. Eg, you should have been using scales accurate to 0.1 grams or better to measure the lye for 1 litre of oil. For 100 litres of oil, multiply that by 100 and you get a margin of error of 10 grams. If your oil titrates at say 2.5 ml 0.1% NaOH solution that will total 600 grams for 100 litres, 10 grams either way is a 3.3% margin. You should be able to improve on that. >I have thought of setting up a simple balance beam, with a weight on >one side the exactly equals 100l of oil, + the drum weight. I then >add or tap off oil until I hit the exact 100l mark. There must be >other/better/standard ways of doing it though? Volume seems the more obvious measure. Heat one litre of the oil to processing temperature and measure it again so you can adjust for the volume increase for measuring oil at room-temperature. Graduate the processor tank in convenient increments with marks you can see easily, or do that to the holding tank or pre-heating tank if you have one. Or use a bucket - add 10 measures of one litre from an accurate measuring flask and mark it as you go, then fill the processor in 10-litre batches. Do it carefully and you'll be fine. It's much simpler if you always make standard-sized batches. Um, have you made any successful test batches yet? Three weeks ago you were still sourcing chemicals. Best Keith Addison Journey to Forever KYOTO Pref., Japan http://journeytoforever.org/ Biofuel list owner >Tips and answers very welcome! >Cheers >Nigel _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org 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/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
