Biopowered - vegetable oil and biodiesel forum
Biodiesel => Chemistry and process => Topic started by: Bio-boy on May 06, 2015, 07:27:38 PM
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What is the best way to remove excess methanol from your end product if you don't use methanol recovery???
My QC involves 10/90 test. I then water wash until no soap is visible and the water runs clear. Finally once dried I carry out a 50:50 shake test to check for residual soap and to make sure the end product remains clear and likewise the water. Does this guarantee that no methanol exists in the finished product?
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Don't do much reading do you.
Vent off with an air pump for several hours or wash and dry. If you are evaporating water from Bio Meth will already have gone or will go with the water which has a higher evaporation point.
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What he said, bubble with an air pump. I do meth recovery and then bubble with an air pump, can never be too sure :)
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I think you should be doing the 50/50 test BEFORE you dry it.
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Water/bubble washing until the bio turns from that 'orange juice' state to what appears to be the finished product indicates that there is a very low soap ppm content. Remember it's the methanol that holds the soap. So no soap=no meth.
Of course the advantage of water washing is that the meth is water misable and quickly migrates.
I've just been outside to change the water after another overnight bubble and the bio has reached that eureka state....4 x 10lt washes for 150lts of fuel in 18hrs
A 50/50 check will always show clear at this stage.
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Water/bubble washing until the bio turns from that 'orange juice' state to what appears to be the finished product indicates that there is a very low soap ppm content. Remember it's the methanol that holds the soap. So no soap=no meth.
Of course the advantage of water washing is that the meth is water misable and quickly migrates.
I've just been outside to change the water after another overnight bubble and the bio has reached that eureka state....4 x 10lt washes for 150lts of fuel in 18hrs
A 50/50 check will always show clear at this stage.
Do you bubble wash with the heat off or do you leave it on for the full 18hrs???
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The raw bio is sent to the wash tank at reaction temperature. The water washing is done without additional heat.
I've now heated it back to 50C and it's drying by using an 'inverted uri' until ambient. Job done for another month.