Hi again Unfortunately no-one has answered my last post- have I found an insurmountable problem?!
Going back a few steps and trying to figure out what's going on, I've done some more 1l batches on the original WVO I used in my process, using 9.5g of 90% KOH I got three layers- lovely bio for the top 1/2 (which passed the wash test and burnt fine), then some original oil unreacted, then some glycerine. Using 10.8g KOH I got very dark "bio" on top, which passes the wash test but doesn't burn, then glycerine at the bottom (looks like the right amount), but no oil un-reacted! I have trawled the archives but I can't seem to find anything that will help. I realise that I have some incomplete reactions happening but I am confused by the continually different results. Charles On 13/06/2006, at 8:30 AM, Charles List wrote: > Hi all > > I have just scaled up to a 150l processor. I am using a 200l drum and > have an old swimming pool pump that pumps at 1l per second- which > seems pretty speedy! I have done as suggested on JtF and scaled up > slowly, learning as I go. Unfortunately, my first couple of big > batches (using creamy canola oil) have not gone so well, I am happy > with my titrations and measurements but I realise that my > temperature control has not been too good as the thermostat on my old > spa-pool element heater had too wide a differential and was letting > the mixture fall to 45degrees C before coming on again. > > My problem is this- my first batch came out very dark brown- almost > black- but it passed the wash test, so, confused, I washed it, dried > it and it was a very clear, dark brown. As it is now winter down here > in NZ and the snow is falling, and I only had 50l of petro-diesel > left in my boiler tank, I chucked 50l of my black "biodiesel" in. > Against my better judgement, but I didn't know what to do! Almost > immediately my boiler stopped, leaking black fuel on the floor. So- I > drained my tank and tried a 1l batch test on the petro/bio mixture to > see what would happen. I used 150ml methanol and 5.8g 85% KOH as my > base amount on my test batch. Unfortunately nothing happened, 12 > hours later, no separation, no split, no more glycerine! Has the > petrodiesel stuffed it up? What can I do? > > Charles List > > -- > > -------------------------------------------------------------- > This email was sent using Telecom SchoolZone. > www.schoolzone.net.nz > > This email has been scanned for viruses by Telecom SchoolZone, > but is not guaranteed to be virus-free. > -------------------------------------------------------------- > > _______________________________________________ > 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/ > -- -------------------------------------------------------------- This email was sent using Telecom SchoolZone. www.schoolzone.net.nz This email has been scanned for viruses by Telecom SchoolZone, but is not guaranteed to be virus-free. -------------------------------------------------------------- _______________________________________________ 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/
