I'm going to be trying the formula below and have a couple of questions...

1. After processing to desired titration level using the acid/methanol, nothing is drained and the new titration + base (8 for me using 90% purity KOH) is added to the not yet used 40% of methanol and fed in as a normal batch to the oil/acid still in your processor...correct?

2. Just out of curiosity, what happens to the sulfuric acid that was added to the oil? Can it cause any harm to your engine?

Thanks,

Grey



formula from dkenny...
Take the starting titration
subtract the ending titration, usually this is around 3ml.
Take this result multiply by 0.2ml
then multiply the number of liters of oil
this the total amount of H2SO4 to add.

the Acid is added to 60% of the methanol for the batch.

typically this takes 12-24 hrs for the titration to reach 3ml. sometimes 2.5.

example

initial titration 15ml
final 3
15-3 = 12
12 * 0.2 =2.4ml of H2SO4 per liter of oil
this is higher than other methods!!

I would like to have others that have bad oil to try this and see if it works.
the worst I have used titrated at 18KOH. the method work fine.

there is also no draining of water/gly/methanol
between the acid and base stages.

base stage is done based on the titration only.
no adjustments the acid stage. if the titration ends at 3ml then its 3 + your normal base amount.

grey,
1. with oil starting at 30 you must drain after processing. you will not reach a titration of 3 or lower. there's too much acid left.
I have learn this since writing the instructions...

2. since the acid is the first stage to the process..the next stage is a base process. the acid is gone!!!so there is no acid left.

other notes....
yes the process will work...I have helped some who start out a titration of 80!!!
it took 2 acid stages to get it low enough it still worked.

please let me know the resutls
here if possible that way other can see the results



-dkenny

So should I shoot for something like 7 instead of 3?

Also, when I drain, after 10 or 12 hours of acid, how much do you drain? Is it like draining glycerin where you can see the change in color?

And still, since I'm draining, does that mean that I go back to my normal 22% methanol for the regular part of the process?

Finally, do you leave your heating element on during the 10 to 12 hours of acid processing, or just get up to 140 then unplug and run the pump?

Thanks,

Grey

it is neutralized by the lye in the second stage and then the resulting salt is washed out by the water washing process.

dkenny,

Any thoughts on my questions from above?

Grey

sure. yes you might end at 7 instead of 3. drain and recheck..it might be close to 3..

the amount to drain is about 1/2 the amount of the initial methanol. so if you use 7 gallons in the first acid stage then drain out 3.5 gallons..of course recheck the titration after draining and remixing...then you'll know if you need a 2nd acid stage. if the oil start out dry its likely you will not need the 2nd acid stage. i have done oil that titrated at 27 without 2 acid stages. the 80 is just way outside of normal.

otherwise GM is correct the resulting salt is washed out..after the base is done.


make sure the BD passes the 27/3 test before washing. you might find the settling time longer than normal..this is ok.

after draining use the other 10% plus the amount you drained out for the methanol volume.

for heating..normally mine is unplugged but it might cool too much before the base stage. do you have a good venting system setup. maybe with a reflux column? CAN YOU SAFELY HEAT WITH METHANOL IN THE MIX???
-dkenny

Forgive my un-ending questions...I'm just wanting to have a good understanding of what I'm doing.

You say that with a high starting titration (like 30), I would want to drain off half of the methanol that I used to mix in the acid. Why is that? What am I draining off? I it just 50% of what I added, or is some polluted product of a high titration that I want to get rid of? Am I going to drain until the liquid coming out changes appearance like I would when I drain glycerin, or do I just get rid of half of what I put in?

Thanks for sharing the knowledge,

Grey

grey,
no problem with the questions. keep asking.

you start with using 12% of the oil volume for the methanol volume. this is mixed with acid, then the mixture is mix into the oil.

after this mixed for hours or until the titration stops dropping. let settle for 12 hrs then drain.

what you're draining the water( created in the process), methanol and acid. if all went well and you could see the layers inside the tank. you'll find BD floating on top, unreacted oil in the middle then the stuff you're draining out.

the amount is about 1/2 of the initial methanol volume. so if you started with 7 gallons of methanol you'll drain about 3.5 gallons. there is change in what you're draining but it not easy to spot.

also if you recover methanol, keep what you drained until the next time you recover methanol.

-dkenny

grey, if you got oil titrating at 30 you might want to investigate using more meth and then even some more meth after that. you could quite possibly eliminate your habituation for base completely. the amount of meth-methanol can be reused over and over.

quote:

Originally posted by girl mark:
it is neutralized by the lye in the second stage and then the resulting salt is washed out by the water washing process.

This is an interesting statement: does this also mean, then, that using wash methods other than water will be apt to leave the salts in the fuel?

The 'method' seems to be coming clearer now & I've just printed this of to follow for the next batch of my oil which titrates at about 7 (KOH) I'm not too frightened by the sulphuric acid because I've used plenty for various reasons one time or another but with my oil being at 7 is it good enough to add it to the oil and immediately after add the methoxide to the suction side of my pump processor??? As when your'e 100 feet down it's best to know what your'e going to do before you do it ... !!!!! Very nice reading all your'e experienced folk's advice -wish you were next door I could give you some help with the welding or whatever. Thanks & regards Mick

Sorry about the error I said methoxide but meant methanol in the first stage and then of course Methoxide (KOH in the second stage. Thanks & regards mick