<x-charset ISO-8859-1>> Could that be like the monoglycerides I've seen some people on the list > have trouble with?
Could very well be. They materialize as an emulsion in the presence of water, the intensity of which is dependant upon their degree of presence. "Dark brown" fuel the color of maple syrup indicates some rather well used base feedstock, rich in FFAs. If the manufacturer is conducting only a straight base reaction (which is pretty foolish when dealing with high FFA product, INMSHO), there's too good of a chance that the last of the catalyst was consumed as soap just prior to the reaction being complete. If the reaction was almost total, while there's a high degree of probability that most of the unconverted glycerides were left in what the operator may have noticed as being an unusually high wash emulsion at the plant. But there would also be a fair number that made it past the last wash and into your tank. A lot of people seem to think that all the unconverted glycerides will be in the emulsion layer. Not so. You could take a fuel that was almost entirely complete in its reaction and wash it even 10 times and always come up with an emulsion that is higher than just the interphase layer that would be present on washes of completed fuel. If you wish to determine if the fuel problem is due to stearates - which I highly doubt - put a pint of fuel in the fridge and slowly cool or let it set out overnight when the temp is expected to drop below 50*F. Part of the contents should gel, even at that high of a temp. (Wasn't it you who pointed to an article a year or so back, where the Air Force (?) was doing super cooling of biodiesel to separate the different carbon chain lengths and saturated/unsaturated esters to yield a biodiesel with the lowest possible gel point?) Still, that wouldn't cause the white exhaust plume. That's more indicative of H20 in the fuel, leading to the belief that you've got a partially incomplete fuel - hence the suggestion that you conduct a quick "frog in a blender" wash test with a small sample. Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alan Petrillo" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Tuesday, March 02, 2004 2:04 AM Subject: Re: [biofuel] Griffin Industries Biodiesel > Appal Energy wrote: > > > Allan, > > > > Take a fuel sample, match it with equal parts water and agitate vigorously. > > > > I've seen your symptoms before when running fuel laden with incompletely > > converted glycerides. They are hydrophylic and would suck up any water in > > the bottom of the tank. > > Could that be like the monoglycerides I've seen some people on the list > have trouble with? > > > Did you fill up at a pump or did you get a glance at the fuel prior to > > putting it in your tank? > > Both. I usually fill up at the pump and get a couple of 5 gallon > carboys full as well. The stuff is kind of dark brown, about the color > of maple syrup, but it doesn't appear to be cloudy. > > > It's as good a bet as any that it was already cloudy and water laden. Your > > sample may be exactly that when you pull it out of the tank. > > I've changed fuel filters, and the problem has remained the same. > > > AP > > > > 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 > > > > > > ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Ink Cartridges or Refill Kits for your HP, Epson, Canon or Lexmark Printer at MyInks.com. Free s/h on orders $50 or more to the US & Canada. http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=5511 http://us.click.yahoo.com/mOAaAA/3exGAA/qnsNAA/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/ </x-charset>
