Hi there I have just started making biodiesel from new canola oil. (for a fuel efficiency rally in New Zealand, we are going to be the only carbon neutral entry)
The process is working well, but I am getting very different yields from different batches. I am using Alex Kac's 2 step process, and doing all the work in a proper chem lab, so quantities etc are all reasonably accurate. The thing is that some batches form a much thicker foamy middle layer after being washed, with the water below and most of the FAME above. A fair amount of the FAME ends up suspended in globules in the foamy layer, and is very hard to extract. Is the problem simply unreacted glycerine in the FAME. If so should I be using more than 3.5g NaOH for each litre of oil? How much extra (10%??) The batches that have lower yields (700 ml per litre) also tend to be much lighter in colour than the higher yield ones (950ml per litre) Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank Andrew ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> 4 DVDs Free +s&p Join Now http://us.click.yahoo.com/pt6YBB/NXiEAA/jd3IAA/FGYolB/TM ---------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/ Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
