Author Topic: A sad day!  (Read 744 times)

Offline nigelb

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A sad day!
« on: April 27, 2023, 07:19:30 PM »
Been brewing today.

For the last couple of years I've been using the ASM I have left very sparingly...primarily for stage 2 manufacturing. Today it ran out...I used the last 500ml. It feels like the end of an era and should be marked in some way. :'(

Offline Bill

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2023, 07:48:06 AM »
I've got enough for one more batch then I'm back on 'solids'. Definitely an end of an era.
Still forever scrabbling up the learning curve.
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Offline dgs

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2023, 10:12:51 AM »
Sad maybe but it could mark the beginning of a new exciting era for you ASM lads.

Use your solids and mix with methanol as usual. Mix (dry) with cement powder.  Use slightly more weight of cement than the Sodium. A few cubies can be mixed at once so you have plenty for a few batches. Leave a few days to settle. You will find it works at least as well as ASM.
FOC water tests by Sandy brae or Karl Fischer for forum members.

Offline nigelb

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #3 on: April 28, 2023, 08:21:51 PM »
I hear you Dave.

So, if I use 800gm of NaOH to make my methoxide...I then add 1kg of finest portland to the methoxide and mix it up and settle?

Is this about drying the methoxide? Is the portland easy to get out of the mixing vessel?

Offline dgs

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2023, 09:48:00 AM »
Thats about it Nige but use a cubie to mix it in, the portion of the cement that reacts with the water in the methoxide converts to calcium hydroxide and sets solid so you have to dispose of it and can't use the cubie again.

After you shake it up leave it for 3 days or so to settle. Be accurate with your measurements as you are going to measure the methoxide out only by volume.

Mix enough for your reaction so you don't have to disturb the fines at the bottom of your cubie. If you get the cloudy part of the methoxide in the mix you will produce calcium soaps in the bio which are difficult to remove.

There is no waste, pour the dregs of each cubie into another one and let it re-settle. Throw away the cubie with the solids in it.

When I've used this method with potassium my 1st water wash is  like the last one if I had used a normal method ie virtually no soap had formed.

It also gives you virtually 100% yield (remember 100% yield from our process is 104 litres of bio from 100 litres of oil)

Adding the cement can be messy but if you can do that bit as efficiently as possible the rest is easy.
FOC water tests by Sandy brae or Karl Fischer for forum members.

Offline neisel

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2023, 11:23:17 AM »
Intriguing, I've never heard of this cement lark before.

I had & used 25L of ASM years ago but went back to solids when it ran out due to the cost of ASM & having bags of KOH & NAOH.

Might give this a go but one thing I've never been 100% clear on is how much ASM to use per L of oil for each stage. IIRC opinions varied back when I used it.

Offline dgs

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Re: A sad day!
« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2023, 08:32:32 PM »
Intriguing, I've never heard of this cement lark before.

I had & used 25L of ASM years ago but went back to solids when it ran out due to the cost of ASM & having bags of KOH & NAOH.

Might give this a go but one thing I've never been 100% clear on is how much ASM to use per L of oil for each stage. IIRC opinions varied back when I used it.

16,7mls per litre of oil, then the same for S2 for the unconverted oil. This equates to normal sodium base of 5gms/litre. Some say base is 3,5gms but that won't get you anywhere.
FOC water tests by Sandy brae or Karl Fischer for forum members.