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Ok, I'm a relative Noob to making biodiesel... made lots of test batches before getting my confidence up enough to do a 'big' batch.
My first 20L batch hasn't got great conversion. Quite a bit [1/2ml] precipitated out of the 27ml Meth test. But hey, not too bad for my first run. Think it was due to inadequate agitation. [Mental note to fix]
But I thought I'd go ahead and use it anyway.
So I washed it... and washed it... three times I think.
Still fairly soapy, even if the PH was neutral..
So... I thought, good enough. It's only a trial anyway.
So I poured it into the old CWA urn I use for heating large amounts of oil.... heated it up to 80 deg or so to try to dry it a bit.
Well. I'd made a mistake hadn't I? Or so I'd initally thought.
I'd been a bit sloppy decanting the BD off the wash water.
The mixture started boiling violently, so I turned down the heat... wondered how long it would take to boil off the water...
Gave up after five minutes or so thinking I'd pour off the oil... ditch the water... and try again.
Turns out there was maybe half a liter of water in the bottom. *doh*
BUT.
It was full, chockablock, of this grey crap. I wondered if maybe all the soap had come out into the little bit of water... [1/2 L water under 20L BD]
Scooped off a litre of BD... added water... shook violently.
Guess what?
Clear as glass. Reckon i'd be willing to drink it. Not only that, but the BD was pretty dry too.
Wash and dry in the same step.
Next batch [when I get back from holidays] I think I'll do the 5% pre-wash... then toss it all back into the urn with a litre or two of water.
Boil it for ten minutes... and see how it looks
Comments?
My first 20L batch hasn't got great conversion. Quite a bit [1/2ml] precipitated out of the 27ml Meth test. But hey, not too bad for my first run. Think it was due to inadequate agitation. [Mental note to fix]
But I thought I'd go ahead and use it anyway.
So I washed it... and washed it... three times I think.
Still fairly soapy, even if the PH was neutral..
So... I thought, good enough. It's only a trial anyway.
So I poured it into the old CWA urn I use for heating large amounts of oil.... heated it up to 80 deg or so to try to dry it a bit.
Well. I'd made a mistake hadn't I? Or so I'd initally thought.
I'd been a bit sloppy decanting the BD off the wash water.
The mixture started boiling violently, so I turned down the heat... wondered how long it would take to boil off the water...
Gave up after five minutes or so thinking I'd pour off the oil... ditch the water... and try again.
Turns out there was maybe half a liter of water in the bottom. *doh*
BUT.
It was full, chockablock, of this grey crap. I wondered if maybe all the soap had come out into the little bit of water... [1/2 L water under 20L BD]
Scooped off a litre of BD... added water... shook violently.
Guess what?
Clear as glass. Reckon i'd be willing to drink it. Not only that, but the BD was pretty dry too.
Wash and dry in the same step.
Next batch [when I get back from holidays] I think I'll do the 5% pre-wash... then toss it all back into the urn with a litre or two of water.
Boil it for ten minutes... and see how it looks
Comments?
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