Difference between revisions of "Dry washing"

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File:Drywash_tower_solvent_weld.jpg|A tower made out of 110mm drain pipe and stepped solvent weld tails
 
File:Drywash_tower_solvent_weld.jpg|A tower made out of 110mm drain pipe and stepped solvent weld tails
 
File:Drywash_julian.jpg|Another tower with tank connectors for inlet and outlet
 
File:Drywash_julian.jpg|Another tower with tank connectors for inlet and outlet
File:Drywash_stocking.jpg|Using a stocking to contain the drywash medium
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File:Drywash_stocking.jpg|Using tights to contain the drywash medium
 
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[[Category:Biodiesel]]
 
[[Category:Biodiesel]]

Revision as of 10:05, 8 December 2010

Ecopure and hardwood drywash medium

An alternative to Water Washing is dry washing, so called because no water is used in the removal of soaps from the biodiesel.

This is considered a "final polish" stage, after the majority of soap has been allowed to settle out naturally following Demething.

Ion Exchange Resin

Because the ASTM D6751 standard for biodiesel has a greater tolerance for Free Fatty Acid content than soap, an ion exchange resin can be employed to convert any remaining soap in the fuel into Free Fatty Acids.

This is, however, to the detriment of the acid number of the final product.

Hardwood

If the biodiesel is passed through a tower packed with hardwood shavings, the soaps becomes trapped within the course structure of the shavings and sawdust. Any trace Methanol is also absorbed by the medium.

Typically, a 10 litre tower should have biodiesel pumped or gravity fed through it, bottom to top, at a rate of 3 litres per minute. If the fuel is well settled before filtering, 10 litres of medium should be capable of filtering 1000 litres of biodiesel.