Paul,
Thanks for the reply.
I like the idea of treating a sample of clean BD w. the antimicrobial
and then "inoculating it" with the cloudy stuff.
I'll give it a try.
My local auto parts store was all out of diesel antimicrobe stuff ...
will get more in on Monday. When I asked if microbes were a common problem
in diesel fuel, I was told that it's not common, but they do sell "quite a
bit of the stuff" (antimicrobial). They were aware of filters getting
clogged "by little buggers", but didn't know if sales were to treat a
problem or the prevent one.
It stands to reason that if dino diesel is on the menu for some
bacteria/fungi, and biodiesel is more biodegradable than dino diesel, it may
well be in the metabolic repertoire of a greater variety, or at least more
common microbes.
I think that if the problem is microbes, it is good news. I was worried
that my WVO was the problem ... maybe some new additive screwing up the
works. I have made more than thirty 20gal (76L) batches w/o any problem.
Others have probably made 100's of batches w/o cultivating microbes.
If it is, in fact, microbes in the brew, I suspect they're in my wash
tank . The reactor and settling tanks seem too hostile an environment for a
soil or water contaminant to survive. I'll scrub the wash tank, run a batch
w. oil from the same settling tank and see what happens.
Thanks again,
Tom
----- Original Message -----
From: "Paul S Cantrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <Biofuel@sustainablelists.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2006 9:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Microbes in BD
> Tom,
> It's all those little mad cows swimming around ;-)
>
> Seriously, have you tried treating the 'innoculated' jar with the
> anti-microbial to see if it clears up? Or, try a third jar that is
> innoculated and treated with anti-microbial?
>
> Is there a microbiologist on the list?
>
> On 3/18/06, Thomas Kelly <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>>
>> Hello All,
>> I suspect I have microbes in my recent batches of BD.
>> After washing, I drained the BD and allowed it to settle. After a few
>> days I
>> noticed a whispy sediment on the bottom of the containers of fuel. I gave
>> the batch another wash and cleaned my 5 gal. settling containers. The
>> wash
>> water was clear, but again the whispy sediment appeared after a few days.
>> My next batch seemed to wash very well, but again, a whispy sediment
>> can be observed after the BD is drained and allowed to settle.
>> I brought a sample of the sediment to a local high school. We
>> prepared
>> a stained slide and observed a multitude of tiny uniformly-shaped spheres
>> at
>> 400X.
>> I put 1 drop of the sediment in a glass jar w. 250ml of clear,
>> uncontaminated BD and put 250ml of the same clear BD in an identical
>> glass
>> jar (control). Less than 24 hrs. later the "innoculated" jar is slightly
>> cloudy w. a very fine sediment on the bottom and the control jar
>> continues
>> to be clear.
>> - I started using WVO that includes some tallow. I noticed a post
>> from JJN on 3/17/06 Re: Tallow:
>> "I am treating all my bio with both an anti fungal and anti oxidant
>> treatment since I use tallow alot."
>>
>> 1. Any thoughts/similar experience?
>> 2. If it's microbes of some sort, should I treat the fuel w. a
>> diesel anti-microbial and then filter it?
>> Will a 10 micron filter remove these critters?
>> 3. If microbes are present, do I have to be concerned w.
>>
>> metabolic byproducts screwing up the fuel?
>>
>> 4. If not microbes, what's the whispy stuff?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Tom
>
>
> --
> Thanks,
> PC
>
> He's the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by flicking a switch
>
> You can't have everything. Where would you put it? - Steven Wright
>
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>
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