Hello Joe. The cloudiness is most likely caused by water or water soluble substances. A simple way of approaching your problem is to put your mini batch into water about 60-65oC, and let it stay there for a few hours. If it becomes clear, let it stay there for some additional time. If it does not become clear, try washing it again several times with water only and repeat the hot water procedure. Jan Warnqvist AGERATEC AB
[EMAIL PROTECTED] + 46 554 201 89 +46 70 499 38 45 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joe Street" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <Biofuel@sustainablelists.org> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 3:26 PM Subject: [Biofuel] BD process question > Hello, I have a question about biodiesel processing I hope someone can > help me with; > I read the excellent info on the journey to forever site and checked the > archives about washing etc. I am interested in using mechanical > agitation to speed up the process of washing but I wonder if I am being > too impatient or something. Some background on what I am doing.... > I have been using the single stage process so far. I started to learn > with virgin canola oil and then went to waste canola oil from a local > pub. In every case I have done my titrations carefully using a good > quality burette and stock KOH solution carefully mixed using a > laboratory grade electronic scale and DI water. When I did the 1 liter > test batches I got a clean split with only 2 layers and after 4 washes > with acetic acid on the first one I have ended up with BD that is > cloudy. After heating the BD for drying it became spectrally clear and > remained that way after cooling. I had given an extended waiting time > of more than a week to see if it would clarify on it's own but this did > not happen. After the clarification by heating I took it down to the > freezing point and it remained clear after thawing. Then I did my first > 5 gallon batch in a water heater. My reractor is a vacuum type and I > use a circulation pump for mixing and washing etc. Again I obtained a > good clear split but this time the BD clarified after heating (began to > clear at about 50 deg. C. and I heated it to 135 deg C.) and I was > shocked to see it cloudy the following day after it cooled. I reheated > again this time to 170 deg. C. and it was better after cooling but not > near as clear as the other 1 liter test batches. So questions: > What is it exactly that causes the cloudiness? Is it water content? I > notice the BD from the test batches after all is done has a smell > similar to oil based paint or linseed oil but had a much sweeter > aromatic smell while it was being heated. The large batch more so. Is > this due to residual methanol (which I thought I completely removed > after the reaction using vacuum distillation at 55 deg C and 25 in Hg)? > Does the cloudiness indicate that the reaction was not correct (excess > caustic?) I didn't have a problem with soaps. > Any recommendations? > > > Thanks in advance for any help you can offer > > Joe > > > _______________________________________________ > 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/ > > _______________________________________________ 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/
