In processor titrated water wash method

[julesandtash]

Julian, I will edit the post to add the warning - you are quite correct that adding water to the acid gets very exciting, it is very exothermic, boils the water instantly and throws sulphuric acid droplets around the place which try to eat anything they touch !!!!!
You are, of course, correct that one should slowly add the acid to the water.

Keith - good result and good writeup there. I like the idea of using universal indicator.

Sulphuric acid cost me £1 a litre from NigelB when I bought some. My last batch needed 1ml per litre so, in your 280litre batch, that would be 280ml or around 28p worth of acid so a considerable amount cheaper than vinegar.

[Carrington]

Hi jule's
Thank you for doing the hard work on this little project I'm glad it's working for everyone.
I do think that sulphuric is the best for this process but it's down to how people feel about storing strong acid at home. I remember thinking that 60L may be a bit much to have in the garage now I store it by the IBC's.
one foot note with regards to which acid's not to use. Hydraulic acid will corrode stainless steel and also give's of some nasty fumes and hydrfloric dissolves bones so equally less desirable

Paul

[K.H]

Yes i agree sulphuric is probably the way to go if you are happy handling it,the only reason i used vinegar was that me and Jules thought it made sense to use two different acids in the trials

[Head Womble]

Just a small note, when I ran a fish & chip shop many years ago we got the vinegar in a concentrated form and just mixed it with water ,
I can't remember what the % was but this may be a safer option for those that don't want to keep sulfuric acid around the place.

I'll see if I can find a supplier and price for it.

[K.H]

I noticed the bottles i used said 5% acidity,not sure what that means?

[Carrington]

Hi Kieth
Yes I agree that with two people doing test with different materials was the best way to showcase this system . Giving people the option of of a range of acids means they can work with a acid that they feel comfortable with rather than having to jump straight in with sulphuric.
Looking at your pic's I have carried on adding vinegar until the water separation was clearer before going on to the full water wash, but saying the amount you used still makes it possible to go straight to pump wash with no chance of emulsion and reduced the amount of following washes this being the main objective of the trials.

Paul

[julesandtash]

I'm going to try the next batch with 85% phosphoric acid.
There would be no real reason to do this as it is quite expensive (I got it at a bargain basement price and was still £2.50 a litre) but I have around 15 litres or so of it so I will give it a go

The processor is now in piece for a while so I can move it all and rebuild the bund for it in a better position.

Interestingly the bio/veg/glyc/water combination that had accumulated in the bund had seriously degraded the concrete blocks and mortar and was starting to leak out across the floor.
The new bund is going to be lined with 18mm OSB plywood then covered in fibreglass which seems to be immune to everything.

It's a good time to strip the processor back to the basic requirements needed for this method too.

[julianf]

I noticed the bottles i used said 5% acidity,not sure what that means?

I think its simply the strength.  As Mark says, not all vinegar is as potent / concentrated.

Asda does, i think 5 or 600 ml bottles of brown vinegar for about 8p a hit (or at least did when i wanted some last).  I doubt it is that strong (i dont have a bottle to hand to check) but i used a whole load of them once for stripping some rust, and they worked for that.

Depending on how the titration quantities work, that may be a convenient source of less scary acid, for not loads of money.


Incidentally, my first and last water washing attempt ended in emulsion - i had some of these left over then, and they split the emulsion well - i dont recall having to use that many of them?

[Head Womble]

Jules, I always find strip down and rebuild time very scary.
It's that need to get brewing again before you have to visit the tax station that makes me cut corners,
or at least get it up and running before everything is just how I planed it,
my shed is still not finished and I just don't seem to find the time.

[julesandtash]

Well the taking and insulation of the walls where the processor is going is done. The timberwork of the bund is all done with a 1:55 gradient from each end towards the middle where the is a 1.5" deep sump .
I went to get the 10 sq.m of fibreglass mat and resin today but didn't realise the place closed at 4:30  and I got there at 4:40! Will have to go get the fibreglass tomorrow.
Hopfully by the end of tomorrow the glassing will be done.

Then I just need to tile the area above the bund. Once that is done the processor can get moved in there. Once all of that is done I can get started on the new control panel and, after that, the boiler powered heating system for the oil heat tank

[Julian]

Jules, I think we need some photos ... this sounds like the mother of all processing systems! Next you'll be telling us you have a works canteen on site!

What about a mixing drum under the Glycerol drain for making Glogs on the hoof?  Thinking this might be a good addition if I ever get round to updating my set up.

[julesandtash]

I will take some photos. I do have running hot and cold mains water in the workshop, plus a dishwasher and soon to be a fridge out there

I am just fed up with the walls leaking (one end of the building is actually underground due to the slope of the site) and the floor getting oily so I am doing it properly.

[K.H]

I noticed the bottles i used said 5% acidity,not sure what that means?

I think its simply the strength.  As Mark says, not all vinegar is as potent / concentrated.

Asda does, i think 5 or 600 ml bottles of brown vinegar for about 8p a hit (or at least did when i wanted some last).  I doubt it is that strong (i dont have a bottle to hand to check) but i used a whole load of them once for stripping some rust, and they worked for that.

Depending on how the titration quantities work, that may be a convenient source of less scary acid, for not loads of money.


Incidentally, my first and last water washing attempt ended in emulsion - i had some of these left over then, and they split the emulsion well - i dont recall having to use that many of them?

Thats a better price than the sarsons i had to get.
It would take about 2 of the bottles (568 ml) to do a titrated wash on a 125 litre batch,how much do you think you used to split that emulsion roughly?

[K.H]

Jules, I always find strip down and rebuild time very scary.
It's that need to get brewing again before you have to visit the tax station that makes me cut corners,
or at least get it up and running before everything is just how I planed it,
my shed is still not finished and I just don't seem to find the time.

Nooooo thats the most enjoyable bit,i much prefer messing about with the processor as opposed to actually brewing a batch (unless theres something new to do) thats probably why im on No 4

[K.H]

I'm going to try the next batch with 85% phosphoric acid.
There would be no real reason to do this as it is quite expensive (I got it at a bargain basement price and was still £2.50 a litre) but I have around 15 litres or so of it so I will give it a go

The processor is now in piece for a while so I can move it all and rebuild the bund for it in a better position.

Interestingly the bio/veg/glyc/water combination that had accumulated in the bund had seriously degraded the concrete blocks and mortar and was starting to leak out across the floor.
The new bund is going to be lined with 18mm OSB plywood then covered in fibreglass which seems to be immune to everything.

It's a good time to strip the processor back to the basic requirements needed for this method too.

I brought some Brick acid home today,9% Hydrochloric, so i will test that next,at that strength its a sort of happy medium and easy enough to obtain