ASM

[therecklessengineer]

So where do I buy some of this magic powder?

I'm nearly out of NaOH so figure now would be the time to try!

[K.H]

Nigel b 

[1958steveflying]

So where do I buy some of this magic powder?

I'm nearly out of NaOH so figure now would be the time to try!

It is a liquid though. 

[K.H]

So where do I buy some of this magic powder?

I'm nearly out of NaOH so figure now would be the time to try!

It is a liquid though. 

Sometimes

[1958steveflying]

So where do I buy some of this magic powder?

I'm nearly out of NaOH so figure now would be the time to try!

It is a liquid though. 

Sometimes

LOL, you will buy dodgy s/h stuff.

[nigelb]

The latest batch of 1000lts of ASM should be here in the next few days.

20lt...£38
25lt...£47.50
Drum...£380

All prices are VAT inclusive and 30% ASM

Nige

[therecklessengineer]

It is a liquid though. 

Being a newbie to the stuff, I assumed that given that the 'A' stands for 'anhydrous' I'd be buying a powder to be mixed with methanol. I understand now that it's normally supplied in liquid form.

So really what I'm buying is just SM.

Which raises the question - why can't we do this with NaOH? Premix it with methanol and sell it as a liquid to be diluted by the end user?

Thanks Nige - you have a PM.

[Carrington]

Just copied this to explain
While sodium methylate solutions appear to be more expensive than sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide, they can be less expensive in practice. First, since the solution contains methanol, it lessens the amount of methanol that must be added to the reaction. There are some savings from this. Second, it is usually possible to use less sodium methylate than the amount of sodium hydroxide needed to get the same extent of reaction. This is because of the loss of sodium hydroxide associated with soap formation. Finally, the increased soap formation from the use of a hydroxide catalyst causes a loss of yield that wastes a significant portion of the feedstock oil. Not only is the oil which goes to soap lost, but also some of the good biodiesel product is lost when the glycerin is removed at the end of the reaction. This is because soap increases the solubility of biodiesel in the glycerin phase.

Hope this helps

Paul

[therecklessengineer]

I must confess I've only skim read the wiki page about it. I figure with so many claiming how it'll double the yield, turn the finished bio into rocket fuel, produce no waste and actually cause £5 notes to fall out the bottom of your condenser I probably ought to give it a try!

Thanks for the explanation. Much clearer now.

[1958steveflying]

It is a liquid though. 

Being a newbie to the stuff, I assumed that given that the 'A' stands for 'anhydrous' I'd be buying a powder to be mixed with methanol. I understand now that it's normally supplied in liquid form.

So really what I'm buying is just SM.

Which raises the question - why can't we do this with NaOH? Premix it with methanol and sell it as a liquid to be diluted by the end user?

Thanks Nige - you have a PM.

My understanding is that when we mix Methanol with KoH or NAoH a by-product of doing this is water is created. (which we don't want).
We have been told the ASM that is being made available to us is made in such a way that it does not have any water in it.

[nigelb]

I had a sample of ASM analysed before the first consignment was delivered and it showed a moisture content of 0.01%. That's pretty dry in my book.

I think the product is made my mixing sodium metal with methanol either under pressure or in a vacuum.  I could be wrong there though.

[julesandtash]

Mr Reckless Engineer, I have replied to your message and added to you to my grand tour of britain scheduled, hopefully, for next weekend.

[Jamesrl]

 why can't we do this with NaOH? Premix it with methanol and sell it as a liquid to be diluted by the end user?

If I quote countrypaul correctly, you generate 18g of H2O for every 40g of NaOH you add to methanol, add that to any dissolved water in the feed stock and there goes your yield, soap.

[K.H]

I suppose something like a water absorbent material may work but the ASM seems a lot thicker than just methanol mixed with NaOH

[Head Womble]

 why can't we do this with NaOH? Premix it with methanol and sell it as a liquid to be diluted by the end user?

If I quote countrypaul correctly, you generate 18g of H2O for every 40g of NaOH you add to methanol, add that to any dissolved water in the feed stock and there goes your yield, soap.

But adding acetone to the mix should cancal out the water / soap problem, so is ASM still the answer ?