Cold Weather Bio

[hdj80 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close hdj80]

This maybe something everyone is already aware of but this is an observation that I have noticed and would like to pass it on.
You may remember that I once posted a thread on filtering out the cloud point of Bio when the bio was cloudy/cold... ????
Anyway that doesn't matter:::

What I have noticed recently is that after making one of my 100litre batches and the Bio is washed, dried, clear and looking awesome, you would consider it OK to go straight into the tank. WELL fine if you live in a temperate climate but if you live in Canberra and it is winter I have discovered that if the bio is left in the washtank during a few cold nights it will cloud and later the cloud will drop/settle to the bottom of the tank and when I take the top off (I always leave approx 20litres in the bottom of my washtank) the resulting bio clouds at a much lower temp... I recon it could be as much as 5 degrees.
I am thinking that if I chilled the Bio in the washtank further there maybe more cloud then the resulting bio might even be better at lower temps than the samples I have been collecting....then the cloudy bio could be collected and used during the summer months...

I hope everyone can understand that ramble

BTW I don't intend to chill my Bio to try this as I really have no need for cold weather bio as I am running Dino Diesel in my subtank during the cold times.

[Jacka Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jacka]

Re: Cold Weather Bio

I know it adds to the cost but have you ever considered a Pour Point Depresant product like what they have in UK specificly developed for biodiesel?

http://www.biofuelsystems.com/wintron.htm

MIght be worth a look for those realy cold night in ACT.

I am looking at it as I will be going to SNOWY so I want to take a test batch in drums and test it to see how well it works.

I have to get my production up and going ASAP to achieve this so I can get 20l of B100 to test.

[Matt Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Matt]

Re: Cold Weather Bio

Bearing in mind your feedstock try this guys, boil the water out of the biodiesel (once you think its dried), this will drive off any left over water, then give it a go in the fridge. Be aware it will naturally absorb water form the air too like mineral diesel does as well.

May well be prohibitive on a large batch, but I did it once, made the best looking fuel too.

Matt

[XRONIS Biofuels Forum Newbie Find all posts View Profile Close XRONIS]

Re: Cold Weather Bio

I know it adds to the cost but have you ever considered a Pour Point Depresant product like what they have in UK specificly developed for biodiesel?

Biodiesel winter additive - cold temperature antigel

MIght be worth a look for those realy cold night in ACT.

I am looking at it as I will be going to SNOWY so I want to take a test batch in drums and test it to see how well it works.

I have to get my production up and going ASAP to achieve this so I can get 20l of B100 to test.

WHERE I CAN FIND TO BUY ( COMPANIE) THE B100( POUR POINT DEPRESANT)?

[Nuciferos Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Nuciferos]

Re: Cold Weather Bio

Yes I've noticed it too, probably 'cos I live near Canberra.

The way I understand it is that the oil is made up of various 'fractions'. If you gradually lower the temperature and wait, the fractions that solidify will fall to the bottom, leaving the stuff that can handle lower temperatures while staying a liquid.

It was suggested by some boffin that such a procedure was a good way to produce winter biodiesel - just leave the waxy stuff for summer.

I've done my own tests with anti-gel additives and remain unconvinced. I can get my last batch to survive to 2 C but that is pretty much it, and am not wasting any more time on the study.

Last winter in Canberra, the weather was always above around 5 C in the day time, so I'm simply going to leave my car in a warm garage during the night when it gets lower than that.