I have been brewing for a while and have been water/bubble washing. The waste water issue is an big problem that I need to solve ASAP. Dry washing is obviously the solution but the cost is a equally big problem. Thus, I am looking at more cost efficient solutions. I can't afford the $500+ ea towels currently available and even the water softener soln that legal eagle uses is a little outside my current budget. I've found some plans from Houston Biodiesel that apparently uses 4" PVC pipe. I have read some posts that say that PVC may not work due to swelling of the media - if one left enough head room for media expantion might the material work? I'm considering one of the commercially available media; puriolite, thermax, ecopure, etc. The wood chip thing sounds great but I do not have the time to collect another resource that will likely become as hard to aquire as WVO...todays trash tomorrows gold...hmmm?

Of a lesser issue is waste product glycerin - currently dumping down the drain but not really happy about it - what are others doing?

Thoughts, ideas, advice?

btw, many thanks to Legal Eagle for the off list advice and counseling - he's one cool Canadian!

Thanks, Dana

Chevy Silverado, Duramax 6.6L
3 VW TDIs (wife and friends)

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Mix it with VO sludge and sawdust, pack it in milk cartons and burn it in a woodstove to heat your house.

hmmm? what ratio have you found to work best? You burn it in a wood stove? My furnace is is natural gas but I have thought about investing in a wood burning stove or like.

Careful burning the glycerin as there are toxic emissions - covered elsewhere on this forum.

Meanwhile, could you clarify your exact question regarding the PVC piping?
My takes are: chemical reactivity low, ability to withstand pressure high.

What is your question about PVC?

From the photos that I have seen of cracked PVC pipe used as resin columns, it appears that the cracks were caused by expansion of the resin beads, particularly gel resin. I use PVC as part of my filtration station and I use Thermax resin. Thermax is a macroporous resin and doesn't appear to expand much if any at all.

GCG and Chadz of Arbor Biofuels claim that there may be some sort of chemical reaction between the BD, resin & PVC. I have used 4" columns & 2" columns without problems for about a year now. I think if you stick with the smaller diameters of PVC, you should be good to go. Most of the photos are of 6" and greater diameters and most used gel type resins.

I also have a water filtration tank which is made of Fiberglass Reinforced Poly (FRP) and it works great. You may be able to find a used tank somewhere. I know that my tank said to dispose of the unit after use. Some are used to clean some really nasty water.

Thanks!! I've been searching for FRP tanks or a while with no luck. I thinking I will give the 4" PVC a go with the thermax in one and ecopure in the other in a lead lag config. Did you design your columns yourself or utilize plans?

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Careful burning the glycerin as there are toxic emissions - covered elsewhere on this forum.

not good!

Meanwhile, could you clarify your exact question regarding the PVC piping?
My takes are: chemical reactivity low, ability to withstand pressure high.

What is your question about PVC?

Is PVC a suitable material for an ion exchange column?

quote:

Did you design your columns yourself or utilize plans?

I designed mine to suit me. It's very simple. I gravity feed mine with an overhead reservoir mounted to the wall of my shop. I pump the BD up into the top of the reservoir and fill it up. I have a valve at the bottom of the reservoir that I open just far enough to trickle feed my columns. Everything flows from the bottom of the columns up to the top. You will need some stainless steel mesh screens available from Arbor Biodiesel or from Utah Biodiesel. They recommend using 2 crisscrossed for better effectiveness. Cut them out to contain the resin inside the columns at the top and bottom inlets/outlets. I use clear PVC tubing to run between the reservoir and columns. You will need some hose clamps, PVC cement & the appropriate fittings and you will have a very cheap column. It isn't guaranteed to hold up, but I have about a year on mine so far.

I also use a 5 micron sock filter in the top of my reservoir to catch the big nasties.

Try schedule 80 PVC pipe from your local plumbing supply (not Home Depot).
It has a duty rating of 1230 psi.

Eurocab,

could you post photos?

thanks

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I have used 4" columns & 2" columns without problems for about a year now. I think if you stick with the smaller diameters of PVC, you should be good to go. Most of the photos are of 6" and greater diameters and most used gel type resins.

What media are you using in your PVC columns?

Cheers, dk

Interesting stuff . I'm working with a shoe string budget with other projects calling for my time and money. I'm thinking about a dry wash system also because of disposal problems with the wash water.

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Eurocab,

could you post photos?

Here is a link to some photos posted on a different thread, but you can pretty much see the 2-2" columns. The 4" column was being used at that time for hardwood shavings. I was actually in the process of unloading the shavings when I took these photos. I have since placed it back in service for resin purification.

http://flickr.com/gp/38051917@N02/0Mgsp9

quote:

Interesting stuff . I'm working with a shoe string budget with other projects calling for my time and money. I'm thinking about a dry wash system also because of disposal problems with the wash water.

Also on a tight budget…

Houston Biodiesel has plans for 4" and 2" ion columns. I have purchased the 4” plans and they seem quite straight forward and only $18. Still trying to sort out which media to use. Thermax is a likely choice since it does not have the expansion issue that some of the others do. However, I've heard the sulfuric acid impregnated in the beads may degrade the PVC. Also considering Ecopure or even straight wood chips.

Let us know what you come up with.

Dana,

The Houston plans are outdated and a pain to build. I got a couple of improved spare 4" towers ready to roll that I'll let go for $500. I'm local, so you can come out and pick them up. PM me for details.

Probably a good deal assuming they are steel but don't have $500 so I will stick with the PVC and tweak as necessary.

Cheers,