I have run into a series of problems at my plant with Crude Super Degummed Canola and am looking for some input. So here are the facts.

FFA = 0.5 - 0.7
Water = <300ppm

Methanol = 27% (use to be 21.7%, doubled 2nd reaction Methanol and SMO to try to correct problem, Therefore we have gone from a 80/20 to a 67/33).
SMO = 1.8 - 2.0%

Trans 1 Reaction: 60 degrees, 1 hour
Settling time = 30 min.

Here is where the main concern comes in: Separation is shotty, typically with animal feedstocks this was fine, we'd stop, send it to reactor, do Trans II and get it after the 2nd reaction to keep yield high. However when we perform this with Canola the Monoglycerides comes in causing a fail on the BG%. When free glycerin is >1.5% it tends to fail.

If we separate out more glycerin, we are taking out Biodiesel as well and are dramatically impacting our yield.

Trans II reaction: 60 degrees, 1h
Trans II settle: 4h (Everything appears okay at this point)

Basically I want to know if adding even more methanol with prevent this reaction reversal from occuring, we are already at very high levels? Is there any other way to correct this problem? After we fail the 2nd reaction, separate and peform a trans 3 reaction the load is fine (because it has had another separation). How much more time should I allow after the 1st trans reaction to correct this, or is there another way?

Anyways, any input or thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Oh yeah, and I'd like to here from other Commerical producers of Canola what you typically get for yield...

Thanks,
Ryan

bump the reaction time to 2 hours at 55C (I am assuming you are quoting in C and not in F). with the titration that low you don't need to do a second stage, do it all single stage. I process exclusively with canola whose titration varies between 2.0 and 2.5 and run it all single stage at 55C for 2 hours. It has passed ASTM (by GC) for free and total glycs using both water washing and resin purification methods.
HTH

Your use of 27% methanol may be contributing to your lack of phase separation.

Methanol and glycerin have a high affinity for each other, and as the methanol concentration increases in your glycerol phase it's specific gravity decreases, hindering phase separation through settling.

Just a thought, based on experiences with glycerin "pre-treatment" that lead to poor phase separation. Your conversion may be ok, but separation is hampered. I don't believe adding more methanol is going to solve your problem.

Just my $0.02

Bob (who used to be from Berthoud)

What is BG% and SMO. I'm not familiar with these acronyms.

Can you describe what you mean when you said "Separation is shotty,"

I am also not familiar with SMO and BG%

What do you mean "Monoglycerides comes in"? What tests have been performed?

Why do you think a reaction reversal has occurred?

Can you explain a little more clearly what your problem is.

What type of reactor do you have?
How big a batch do you do?
Do you use NaOH or KOH?

quote:

Your use of 27% methanol may be contributing to your lack of phase separation.

Particularly since you are using 33% of that in stage two.

Consider a batch with 22-24% and use 80/20. As Legal says, longer run times are good. With long enough run times, this much ME should get you well past ASTM. Or, stick with 27% and do single stage, like Legal says.

quote:

Originally posted by Double D:
What is BG% and SMO. I'm not familiar with these acronyms.

Sodium Methoxide = SMO

Bonded Glycerin % = BG%