Interesting as to the precipitate you achieved. You might wish to dry it and
test its properties. A safe bet is that it's a flocculent of multiple
constituents, as non-water soluble calcium soaps by themselves have specific
gravities less than water and would float in water rather than settle.
See http://www.gogenchem.com/calcium/NCh14.html
We've been eying CaCl2 as a less expensive option for treatment of wash
water prior to its release as graywater. Question for us is whether it's
more environmentally friendly than magnesium sulfate.
Based upon your experience, it might be a fair idea to keep calcium chloride
in mind as an emulsion breaker. The compound has been mentioned before in
conversation on this list, but I believe it was more as a drying agent in
other applications.
It might also be a good idea that some honest labwork be conducted to see
exactly what benefits (if any) such a measure can achieve in a less than
marginal fuel situation. It's possible that under the right conditions
calcium can not only break an emulsion but convert some residual glycerides
from incomplete reactions to soaps that can be removed. But I wouldn't
recommend that anyone who reads this go off half-cocked and start preaching
it as a "one size fits all" solution to production problems until some
legitimate labwork could confirm its benefits and/or disbenefits.
As for whether or not calcium chloride could become a contaminant? It is
water soluble and should wash out. The same can be said for potassium and/or
sodium chloride, which would become present if the CaCl2 actually converts
some or all of the water soluble soaps to insoluble calcium grease ("lime
grease").
Todd Swearingen
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter Harves" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, December 30, 2004 5:52 AM
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] more on the quality test
Todd,
Thank you , I was most interested in your post as I am new to making Bio
(450lts so far)
I had a bad batch which was like milk, I put it aside to let it settle
over a week, it did but very
little. I bought a new aerator and I think I agitated the mix to much!!!
I am a potter and use all sorts of chemicals for my glazes so I thought I
would try some to
separate the glob. I used Calcium Chloride about 40 ml in a 90ltr batch ,
the reaction was
interesting, both started to separate leaving the soaps in a curdled
layer at the bottom .
I decanted the clear bio to my wash vessel, I have now washed it 2x and
will wash again
it is very clear now.
Question-- calcium chloride is water soluble, that's why I want to wash it
well, but would it
do any harm to the engine if there were traces left in the fuel for some
reason or other???
if you don't know the answer maybe somebody out there might !.
I know this is not the way to make Bio but I didn't want to throw out the
batch and I guess
we all like to experiment .
Peter.
_______________________________________________
Biofuel mailing list
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://wwia.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/biofuel
Biofuel at Journey to Forever:
http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html
Biofuel archives at Infoarchive.net (searchable):
http://infoarchive.net/sgroup/biofuel/
