Is this possible????

[Bio-boy]

Is it not possible to process WVO without making Methoxide 1st?

What I mean by that is... can the 2 chemicals not be introduced to the WVO separately like adding ingredients to a cake and allow the pump to do all off the mixing and agitation as part of the process? Therefore add all the methanol to the WVO and circulate via the pump and then add all the KOH to both the WVO and methanol and allow the pump to agitate?

[Chug]

No, or we would all be doing it as its easier, the chemical reaction between meth and caustic that changes them into methoxide doesn't happen when oil is in the way.

[Tony]

Interesting.  I never thought to try it - just as well, by the sound of it!

[Bio-boy]

Oh, I knew that there would be a reason.

[Chug]

yeah even though I was told the same I still tried it!
meth first then caustic no good, then caustic then meth no good either, the caustic just floats about and clumps and meth doesn't mix in with wvo, hence why the 3/27 works

[dgs]

I've never tried it with a 1st reaction, but it does work if you have to do a small last reaction (2nd or 3rd) there is always excess methanol present so just adding KOH does work. I've done it many times with amounts around 50gms.

Two things to remember;

1 make sure your pump will take the sizes of flakes you put in. The Panther didn't like it but the 120 doesn't mind.

2 It's got to be hot and mixed for a good while, otherwise when the processor is empty some flakes are still there.

During my glycerol enhancing experiments someone asked why I didn't just add the KOH to the glycerol, so I tried it. No way on gods earth will koh dissolve in glycerol!

[Head Womble]

I've never tried it with a 1st reaction, but it does work if you have to do a small last reaction (2nd or 3rd) there is always excess methanol present so just adding KOH does work. I've done it many times with amounts around 50gms.

Two things to remember;

1 make sure your pump will take the sizes of flakes you put in. The Panther didn't like it but the 120 doesn't mind.

2 It's got to be hot and mixed for a good while, otherwise when the processor is empty some flakes are still there.

During my glycerol enhancing experiments someone asked why I didn't just add the KOH to the glycerol, so I tried it. No way on gods earth will koh dissolve in glycerol!

That's interesting, I've been caught out a few times with an incomplete reaction after using the last of my meths.

This normally leads to an emulsion and I have to fall back on acid to brake it.

[dgs]

Isn't there a method that uses quicklime, where the catalyst is contained in a sort of mesh and immersed in the oil/methanol mixture.

[Julian]

I've added ASM to hot oil/bio with no additional methanol in the past to push a reaction to completion.  It went very thick and gooey but slid down the sight tube and appeared to work fine.