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What are your thoughts on using a 250 gallon caged tote as the actual processor? Think the heat would be a problem? Should be able to withstand the actual biodoesel chemicals.
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Re: Using the tote?
The biodiesel reaction will proceed (albeit slowly) at 20°C, so the temperature should not be an issue.Originally posted by Pavetim View Post
I found this tableon http://www.stug.com.au/materials/eng...mperatures.phpMaterialMinimum operating temp. for
short periodsMinimum operating temperature continuousMaximum operating temp. for
short periodsMaximum operating temperature continuousPTFE (Virgin) -280-250290260High Perform. Mats -60 to -20-30 to -10160 to 310150 to 250Polypropylene -15-10145130Polycarbonate -60-30135121PETP -30-20160110Acetal (C) -50-40140110Nylon 66SA -40-3018095Bakelite -120-10010590UHMWPE -280-26011090Polyurethane -60-4510085HMWPE -120-10010080HDPE -65-5010080Acrylic -200-1507060PVC -1508050
You should be able to operate the HDPE at up to 80°C, way more than the desired biodiesel reaction temperature, so Yes, a 250gal (1000L) IBC would work.Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.
Current Vehicles in stable:
'06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
'04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
'2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car
Previous Vehicles:
'90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
'80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
'84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
'85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
'99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
'98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
'06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
'04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
'06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).
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Re: Using the tote?
I made biodiesel from new corn oil , potassium hydroxide , calcium oxide and methanol in a 1 liter glass bottle at room temperature. It's not all that slow. A problem was keeping the methoxide mixed with the vegetable oil. I had a teflon cap on the bottle so there was no dissolving of plastic. The best room temperature way to make biodiesel I believe is with super dry alcohol that sodium is added to. There is a problem adding calcium oxide and potassium hydroxide to the methoxide , if calcium soaps are produced.Comment
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Re: Using the tote?
Hi Pavetim,
Welcome to the forum.
Another concern I have is that considering there are corners in a tote, is to insure thorough mixing.Comment
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Re: Using the tote?
I didn't express what I meant to write simply. It's likely that with elevated temperature the plastic in a tote would be more vulnerable to chemical attack. I made methyl salicylate once, putting about 25 milliliters of it in a plastic bottle. The liquid oil of spearmint (methyl salicylate) dissolved its' way out of the bottle leaving a little puddle on the shelf. At lower temperatures the tote plastic might do better. So, a sigle step base reaction (transesterification reaction) at room temperature will work if enough mixing is done during the reaction. There's a generalization for reaction rate that's probably accurate for making biodiesel, for every 10 degrees celcius increase in temperature the reaction rate may be about twice as fast. So if the reaction took one hour at 60 degrees at 50 degrees an equivalent reaction takes 2 hours , at 40 degrees it takes 4 hours, at 30 degrees it takes 8 hours , at my room temperature of 25 degrees celcius it takes abour 12 hours. If you're heating your chemicals in plastic there might be a problem, but with enough stirring in warm weather heating is not necessary with the common potassium hydroxide in dry methanol, and dry vegetable oil.Comment
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