Biopowered - vegetable oil and biodiesel forum
Biodiesel => Chemistry and process => Topic started by: Manfred on October 15, 2016, 07:48:44 PM
-
Last batch after demeth then bubbled overnight I saw this clinging onto my airline. When I tried to lift it out with a rod it slipped off and sank immediately. I forgot about it but today getting ready for my next batch I saw it again in the bottom of the tank. Its very slippy and like stringy snot. To see if it's something from the oil I've emptied the tank and it's now draining along with the soap and glycerol in a pillowcase into a separate container.
(http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p594/miketheknite/Bio/image_4.jpeg) (http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/miketheknite/media/Bio/image_4.jpeg.html)
The oil was well settled, glycerol washed with a two stage pass using NaOH. Todays batch after drying I glycerol washed it with added chems to reduce the titration last weekend ready for today. After draining all of the glycerol out and it cooling down over the week the oil in my jug looked almost like jelly. When I drained some more it was the same but when heated up to processing temp it cleared and processed ok. We will see it any of this slime appears after a good bubble.
The oil titrates about 3. There has never been any whites, even over last winter outside in cubies or free water, only a black sediment which self settles out forming a sludge. This is the first time that I have had this happen. The bio seems to be good. Any ideas as to what it might be.
One more thing to note. The oil I used on this batch was the first time from a 205 drum that I filled up late summer. Just wondering if something has mixed with the oil while it was stood, although I gave the drum a good wipe out first.
-
I recon it's soap.
I had just one batch, years ago with something similar. Thy looked like "spooky" cream strands swimming around in clear bio that had just been pumped into the settling tank.
You're in luck, due to the magic of modern computing I've managed to locate a photo ...
(http://www.palmergroup.co.uk/Bio/Spooky_soap.png)
-
That could be it. It looks very similar. I thaught soap formed a gell like substance. I've just checked today's batch and theirs some whisks of it floating about but nothing like the last one. Probably what was left from scooping out the settling tank.
Have you any idea as to why it should be different to what's usually seen.
-
Sorry, none what so ever, but I'd be interested to know.
The bio seemed fine and it's never happened since.
-
Strange looking stuff. We have all had soap problems over the years but I've never seen anything quite like that before.
Your photo Julian looks like a mix of soap and glycerol.