Not seen this with titrated acid wash before.

[Julian]

So I'm thinking if it titrates to require a reasonable quantity of acid and we don't get the gunk, is the wash effective?

[nigelb]

Julian...this may not be acid wash specific. It is rather stange that it should appear so late in your water wash cycles but I have seen something similar. At the end of the production process, after the 7%water wash, I often see this type of anomoly in the bio that I drain from my pipe work. There is often about 3-4lts of bio in the pipes and I never introduce it to the wash tank before it has settled. there is normally 3 diffinative layers...glyc, what you describe in your OP and the bio above.

I plan to produce next weekend and I'll endeavour to take some photo's and also do some soap tests following each wash.

Nige

[Julian]

Julian...this may not be acid wash specific. It is rather stange that it should appear so late in your water wash cycles but I have seen something similar. At the end of the production process, after the 7%water wash, I often see this type of anomoly in the bio that I drain from my pipe work. There is often about 3-4lts of bio in the pipes and I never introduce it to the wash tank before it has settled. there is normally 3 diffinative layers...glyc, what you describe in your OP and the bio above.

I plan to produce next weekend and I'll endeavour to take some photo's and also do some soap tests following each wash.

Nige

Interesting.  In my mind this stuff was headding for a neat little box labeled sodium sulfate as the result of acid washing, now you appear with a big spanner in your bowling hand ... thanks!

I'll try to separate and dry the gunk I've got but not sure where to go from there.  It strikes me we need a full analytical laboratory for the soul use of forum members.

[nigelb]

I'll be in touch next weekend with photos of what come out of my processor when I send it to the wash tank. The downside is I have no means of testing what it is. Stand by.

Nige

[Jamesrl]

The downside is I have no means of testing what it is. Stand by.

Nige

Where's Biohazard when you need him, he'd have drunk it and reported back

[K.H]

The downside is I have no means of testing what it is. Stand by.

Nige

Where's Biohazard when you need him, he'd have drunk it and reported back

Or not

[Jamesrl]

The downside is I have no means of testing what it is. Stand by.

Nige

Where's Biohazard when you need him, he'd have drunk it and reported back

Or not

Whateva, bovvered?

[nigelb]

  It strikes me we need a full analytical laboratory for the soul use of forum members.

Maybe someone with deep enough pockets will provide some money to have it tested! Any offers?

Nige

[Carrington]

Hi all
Sorry haven't been in proper for a few days life's a bit of a struggle at mo. I'm talking to some chemical companies about  something regarding my process which gives me access to their chemists so if I can I will get a diffinative answer on the whole acid wash and post up my finding's. even offer the bashing it got on VOD I still belive in this method as any converted FFA will be washed out by further water washes but I do feel its time to put this to bed so give me a couple of days and I will hopefully have some Answer's.

Paul

[nigelb]

Are you sure it was a bashing Paul and not comments by people with a different point of view?

Nige

[photoman290]

if it is sodium sulphate it should melt at 32 degrees if that any help as it is not pure crystals it should at least do something at 32 degrees. change viscosity or something? maybe depending on what else is in there.

[Julian]

if it is sodium sulphate it should melt at 32 degrees if that any help as it is not pure crystals it should at least do something at 32 degrees. change viscosity or something? maybe depending on what else is in there.

That's very useful, thanks ... I'll have a play if I can isolate it.   I'm assuming its a powder in it's pure form?

[photoman290]

i think  it looks like table salt if its pure form. i have 20 kgs of it outside mixed with glys that paul gave me. its been settling for 6 months so will have a play with it.

[RichardP]

Julian,

That gunk isn't produced specifically in relation to doing an acid wash. If you have a look back at your long HMPE thread on the VOD, I posted some pics of the same stuff that was setting out after I had started pump washing. This was before I started using any vinegar with the wash process.

Maybe the acid stage speeds up it coming out but I don't thing it produces it.

[Julian]

I've filtered some of this stuff now and it's draining/drying in the filter (Jcloth in a funnel).  It seems a bit sticky due to the bio in it.  Once it's drained/ dried as much as possible I'll see if it melts at around the 32°C suggested by photoman.

From what Nige posted earlier, what you've just said and the look of this stuff once it's filtered, I have to say it's looking a lot like the very fine sludge I sometimes drain form my heated/settling tank.

I'll try heating the stuff later today and report back.