Soap formation

[Head Womble]

Got an idea buzzing around my head (yes it's lonely by it's self) but need to tax your brains before I go any further.

Recently my scales packed up so I've been guestermating the weight of catalyst, but adding more than I think is about right, this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).
It's a bit like Tony's single stage overdose method.

I know there is a calculation for how much soap is formed for every 1ml of water that is in bio feedstock,
what I'd like to know is does this calculation apply when doing a post reaction prewash ?

[julesandtash]

I haven't weighed my catalyst for a while now, I just use a plastc container which I know holds 750g ish full and estimate from that with a bit more for luck.

I do use KOH which is very forgiving anywy but, like you, I get very good results by using a bit ore.

Acid wash takes care of any excess catalyst in the bio but, to be fair, I think any excess comes out with the second stage glycerol anyway.

[Julian]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

[Head Womble]

I haven't acid washed for some time as the amount of crap that settles out after washing was concerning me.

I've reverted to 7% post reaction prewash and even with overdosing haven't suffered from emulsions, yet.
But I'm not sure if the overdose followed by prewash is forming extra soap.

[Head Womble]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

Thank you for backing me up on this Julian.

With the way my collections are going I'll be reclaiming that drum soon.

[julesandtash]

I haven't acid washed for some time as the amount of crap that settles out after washing was concerning me.

Inteesting. I dont get anything settling out post washing and drying. JulianF commented that when he drove around with containers of his demethed and settled fuel in the car, he had fallout in them but when he had some containers of my fuel in the same circumstances, there was no fallout.

[nigelb]

I haven't acid washed for some time as the amount of crap that settles out after washing was concerning me.

Inteesting. I dont get anything settling out post washing and drying. JulianF commented that when he drove around with containers of his demethed and settled fuel in the car, he had fallout in them but when he had some containers of my fuel in the same circumstances, there was no fallout.

What's your finishing process Jules?

[Julian]

I haven't acid washed for some time as the amount of crap that settles out after washing was concerning me.

Inteesting. I dont get anything settling out post washing and drying. JulianF commented that when he drove around with containers of his demethed and settled fuel in the car, he had fallout in them but when he had some containers of my fuel in the same circumstances, there was no fallout.

Since acid washing, I get virtually nothing dropping out in the settling barrel.

[Julian]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

Thank you for backing me up on this Julian.

With the way my collections are going I'll be reclaiming that drum soon.

I may not want to part with it ... Simon Soap barrel, as he's become fondly known, and me have got rather attached over the last two years.

[Head Womble]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

Thank you for backing me up on this Julian.

With the way my collections are going I'll be reclaiming that drum soon.

I may not want to part with it ... Simon Soap barrel, as he's become fondly known, and me have got rather attached over the last two years.

You haven't had Simon soap barrel two years, he doesn't reach his second birthday until August.
Anyway he's my son, you're only the foster parent and you haven't exactly nurtured him have you.

[Tony]

I've moved forward a bit with the overdose batches by moving to overdose two stage with 16% Methanol.  90% first stage, drain, then 10% last stage seems to work well to get a clear pass. With only 16% meth I've stopped doing WBD and just demeth the bio - getting at least 2l back from a 125l batch, which is 14.4% meth use overall.  And it's a lot quicker as less to recover, less energy spent boiling it out.

[julesandtash]

What's your finishing process Jules?

After draining the acid wash I do two water washes with about twelve hours between them (one in the morning before I go to work, when I get home I drain that and add the second).
After draining the second I circulate for the time I am at work (or overnight, depending on how things work out) with the water heating on, the venturi open and both 4" bungs on the top of the processor open.

After that the fuel is sparkling.
Then I add the 2EHN and pump out to storage.

[nigelb]

The reason for asking is to see if Julianf's problems are process specific.

I have seen dropout on standing in my drums but have put it down to lazy practicies and incomplete reaction...ie cloudy 90/10 instead of instant crystal clear.

I seem to remember Tony having similar problems with drums being transported and dropout occurring

[Julian]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

Thank you for backing me up on this Julian.

With the way my collections are going I'll be reclaiming that drum soon.

I may not want to part with it ... Simon Soap barrel, as he's become fondly known, and me have got rather attached over the last two years.

You haven't had Simon soap barrel two years, he doesn't reach his second birthday until August.
Anyway he's my son, you're only the foster parent and you haven't exactly nurtured him have you.

If you want it/him, you're welcome to come and grab it.  I was going to have a crack at it/him next week now the weather's taken a turn for the best ... I'm gettin complaints from the domestic front about the increasing number of barrels in "her" garden.

I've also got a Disco rear load cover C/W fixings sitting here with your name on it.

[Head Womble]

... this has given me instant 10/90 passes (better than I've ever had in the past).

I've still got 200 ltrs of your "past", which proves the truth of that statement.

Thank you for backing me up on this Julian.

With the way my collections are going I'll be reclaiming that drum soon.

I may not want to part with it ... Simon Soap barrel, as he's become fondly known, and me have got rather attached over the last two years.

You haven't had Simon soap barrel two years, he doesn't reach his second birthday until August.
Anyway he's my son, you're only the foster parent and you haven't exactly nurtured him have you.

If you want it/him, you're welcome to come and grab it.  I was going to have a crack at it/him next week now the weather's taken a turn for the best ... I'm gettin complaints from the domestic front about the increasing number of barrels in "her" garden.

I've also got a Disco rear load cover C/W fixings sitting here with your name on it.

Have you still got a surplus of whites ?