14.4% conversion

[Mickindashed]

So I tried using less methanol. I make 90L batches and today I used 11L for the first stage and 3L for the second stage which is 15.5%. I recovered 1L of methanol, although it may also contain some water because I did a pre wash. If I reduced the methanol by 1L to take out the bit I recovered I would be putting in 13L in total. 13/90 = 14.4%. Next time I'll give it a go with those proportions.

[willbuild]

I also did a 90 ltr batch on friday using the same ratios 50 lts rapeseed and 40 lts palm, but i didn't do the pre wash.
Made a nice thick emulsion the moment i started the acid wash, so added 8 ltr of reclaimed meths and left overnight. next morning dropped acid wash, put back 20ltrs glyc from 1st stage and did a pre wash, the batch is now in settling tank bubbling of the excess meths.
In retrospect i should of known that i had excess catalyst when i dropped the glcy as it was frothy.
they say that you learn from your mistakes

[Dickjotec]

I have just successfully run a 160L batch.
Good oil not dried or glyc washed.

S1. 16l meth 700g NaOH 1 hour mix with two eductors and two tam 105 pumps at 65C.  Fallout 40%
S2.  4L meth 1200 ASM.   1 hour mix. Fallout 2% which is about what I normally get.

So about 21L meth for 160L is about 13%. I have not demethed but am bubbling for 24 hours.

Depending on the final result I will be using this method again as it saves time and energy with the final amount of meth used the same as I would normally use.

Next time I will reduce the first stage to 14L and see how it goes. I will also try to reduce the mixing time by taking more samples.

[Glycer-rides]

A good result, very similar to mine.
There's a substantial time saving loosing the demeth.

Next batch, I'll try at lower than my usual 64C.
At whatever temp. the venture will suck in the methoxide. At 50C we might see some action...

[Glycer-rides]

So I tried using less methanol. I make 90L batches and today I used 11L for the first stage and 3L for the second stage which is 15.5%. I recovered 1L of methanol, although it may also contain some water because I did a pre wash. If I reduced the methanol by 1L to take out the bit I recovered I would be putting in 13L in total. 13/90 = 14.4%. Next time I'll give it a go with those proportions.

I ditched the pre-wash a long time ago. If one minimise soap making by method, I never found it had much benefit.

[Mickindashed]

I ditched the pre-wash a long time ago. If one minimise soap making by method, I never found it had much benefit.
[/quote]

I still find the prewash worthwhile. I stopped doing it for a few batches because I wanted to reuse the recovered meth, but that's not such an issue if you just put in less to begin with! The batches that it did without a prewash still cleared ok by settling, but that just means there'll be more soap to clear out of the settling tank when I get round to doing it.

[Tony]

I've done many batches this way now and I'm going to stick with this process because it's quick for a two-stage, as well as methanol and energy efficient (another 14.4% meth + crystal clear 3/27 today!).

Not a sign of waxing of any sort, which I was getting even in summer using WBD (a process I've sworn by for years now, so this is bit of a turn up for me!)