Biopowered - vegetable oil and biodiesel forum
Biodiesel => Biodiesel equipment => Topic started by: K.H on July 08, 2012, 05:29:08 PM
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Pics as promised
(http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm323/KRH01/e7cfe768.jpg)
(http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm323/KRH01/4eb0f454.jpg)
(http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm323/KRH01/3b982ac4.jpg)
(http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm323/KRH01/65ab0b06.jpg)
(http://i316.photobucket.com/albums/mm323/KRH01/f24a2740.jpg)
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Have you checked the flow from the sparge pipe?
If it's only under gravity, the total area of the first say, third of the holes look to be equal to the cross section of the pipe.
Other than that, I can't fore see any issues ... just needs to be painted pink and tested.
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I like the mesh and the sparge pipe, nice construction :)
You said at the BBB it wouldn't take much pressure before leaking. Is that just the lid that fails to seal? I'm wondering if the top layer blocks up what happens - does the bio back up to the gravity feed container or leak out?
I quite like the idea of taking the lid off, scooping off the top layer and replacing, then carrying on.
There's nothing more frustrating with a tower that is pumped from bottom to top with accidentally sucking in a bit of HMPE or soap and knowing that will end up plugging the bottom of the tower.
Invariably even if I'm careful, whenever I change the tower's sawdust there is a plug of soap forming a bung at the bottom.
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No its certainly air tight,i pressurised it to test,its just that it wouldnt take the full pressure of a Tam
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Sounds like I need to grab it for testing, now when am I next up your way I wonder? That or wait for Pete to pass in his Jeep (he's got a place to look after down my way) :)
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Pete would be a good bet
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If you want to have a go at building one Tony, I have a couple of those drums here you can have.
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That's worth knowing, thanks :)
Keith was angling for me to test his at the BBB which sounds like a fine plan to me, as my existing tower is leaking a bit these days - just got to sort out it's transport down here.
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Angling? i was requesting that you did a full test and report back to my R&D dept,the fact you need one because yours has started leaking is just a happy coincidence ;D
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Does anyone use a say a 20 litre screw or clamp top under pressure?,i was thinking that transferring everything over would allow it to be pumped
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If you guys need something like that moved from the Cotswold to Hants I may be able to oblige. I'm of to the Isle of Wight with the family on Saturday (4th of August) and using the ferry service from Lymington. Let me know.
Nige
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Thats a kind offer thanks Nigel
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Hi Nige that would be great if you don't mind grabbing it on the way down. Annoyingly I'm out on Saturday meeting my folks - though we have a porch and greenhouse so could be left if it's not too out of the way - I'll e-mail you my address though I'm pretty sure you know where I live already ;)
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I wonder what it would take to allow pump pressure? I'm thinking for the start of testing I'll run a pumped system with return overflow.
I do have a 20-30l mango chutney drum with screw top, it would be possible to transfer bits over to that in the future.
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Thats the route i would go,should allow you to run a pressurised filter,not a major problem if the seal needs replacing at a later date
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Which bit would leak with the clip top? Would a bead of silicon seal it? I've got some great rtv that is bio proof.
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I think i may of siliconed the drum seal,i cant really remember,if the 20 isnt enough they are stackable so i can make another to increase its volume and maybe decrease the hole sizes,pretty much a work in progress but im sure i could iron out most problems as /if you find them
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Just got back and there it was waiting safely - thanks Nige!
Yes you did silicone the seal, looks pretty good actually. Bit of compressed air reveals a small hiss from somewhere so will hunt that down tomorrow evening and seal it up :)
Looking forward to testing, have a batch waiting to drywash now :)
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Pleased to have been a position to help Tony. Timing was spot on for us. Got to your place at 12.30 and was over at Lymington in plenty of time for our ferry.
Nige
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Yes thanks again Nige :)
Unfortunately not tried it yet as had some other pressing emergencies (sink waste exploded and flooded the kitchen - eww!) but very much looking forward to a bit of new style drywashing :)
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Done some testing with this with some good and bad news - will post some pics up later :)
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After a little playing about I got it to seal air-tight (so I could blow into the inlet with the outlet blocked without a hiss of air). Good to go!
Charging with woodshavings.
(http://img15.imagefra.me/i58h/tttonyyy/qu3s_a25_u886p.jpg)
In action:
(http://img15.imagefra.me/i58h/tttonyyy/qu3s_887_u886p.jpg)
(I ended up soldering a 90 bend on the outlet to stop it splashing out of the drum)
However, very quickly the flow started to reduce - way before the sawdust would normally be spent. Not to worry, I though, it's sealed OK and the pump can push a little pressure. Bear in mind the pump only does 4.5lpm or so.
There were a few alarming *boing* sounds as the top and bottom dished out under pressure... but that was OK as it was all still sealed at that point, no leaks.
Then it started to leak by the clamp handle. I moved it around and the leak followed where the clamp handle was. So, I though, I'll just squish the clamp in the vice a bit so it squeezes the lid down a little tighter. What I should've done it just do the bit by the clamp, not the whole circle.
Consequently it was rather a tight fit, and I've only gone and sheered off the tag of metal that pulls on the clamp ring :( Will have a crack at welding it but I'm not hopeful for success (it's tiny).
Anyway, I made a right mess doing all of this.
Here's how the top dished out under pressure - the bottom is the same.
(http://img15.imagefra.me/i58h/tttonyyy/qu3s_a69_u886p.jpg)
I wonder if the clamps on the drums max.print has are compatible?
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Just shout if you want a couple Tony. :)
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Yes please mate, whereabouts are you based? Or do you ever travel past the Hedge End junction of the M27 during the working day?
It's definitely worth pursuing for drywash purposes.
Keith how did you seal the original lid hole? Looks like a deft bit of welding on inspection - not sure I'm quite up to that standard with my welding.
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I should keep quiet and leave you impressed with my welding :)
But unfortunately i have to admit its..................................................................solder!
BTW i think you idea of moving the parts over to a plastic screwtop drum may be a solution to one problem
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Forgot all about the screwtop - I wonder what pressure it would take to pop the thread on the lid? Only one way to find out!
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Yes please mate, whereabouts are you based? Or do you ever travel past the Hedge End junction of the M27 during the working day?
It's definitely worth pursuing for drywash purposes.
Keith how did you seal the original lid hole? Looks like a deft bit of welding on inspection - not sure I'm quite up to that standard with my welding.
PM me your address Tony and i'll post you a couple of lids without holes and the clips. They look identical to me so there's a fighting chance that they'll fit.
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Much appreciated :) But - I'll try the screw top first - at least that doesn't cost anything. If it doesn't work then it's back to the clip tops!
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Transferred all the bits to the 30l screw top but despite having a nice rubber seal in the lid, it leaks under pressure. Given that the steel drums dish out with pressure and the screw tops don't seem to seal that well, I think I need a 15-20l plastic clamp top for this job. Do they come that small?
By the way, Keith, what glue did you use to hold the drain mesh onto the fitting? Looks like good stuff - it's very tidy!
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I've never been able to get a good seal on those screwtops, to the point now that I only use them for palm and solids.
The smallest plastic cliptop I've ever seen is a 30ltr.
Other than needing extra medium to fill it, is there a problem with increasing the capacity to 30ltr or is it just that you need more space for it?
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Well initially it's the weight more than anything. I want the whole lot supported on boards over my open top barrel so that if it does leak then the liquid only falls into the barrel it's above. The bigger it gets the more precarious I feel about balancing it :) Doubly so when the bottom dishes out under pressure.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that's not so keen on screw tops. I stopped using them when one fell over in the car and the top popped off. Oil everywhere. The clamp tops however, I've dropped those from height full of oil and they just bounce. And I know from storing Meth in them on sunny days that they can take some pressure.
So perhaps a 30l clamp top is the way forward. Even if I don't have enough medium then 15l at the bottom is fine by me - just got to find one!
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I took eight clamp top 20,s to the BBB,they were for JulianF to collect,im not sure what happened to them
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Another interesting possibility occurred to me after chatting with some friends into making their homebrew.
How about a beer pressure vessel? Some come with 2" caps but some are 4" and that may be enough to scoop drywash medium out of (admittedly not as easy as upending a 20l bucket but even so...). It would definitely take the pressure at least.