I would like to say thanks for all the good info on the board!

Got a few questions about the test batches that I have made this week. I have some peanut oil that titrates out at +1 g/liter with a base catalyst of 3.5g/liter NaOH. But I am reading that most people are useing 5g/liter NaOH as the base + titration. I am using Heat (Yellow Bottle) and Phenal Red in my titration to determine the ph. I also am using an aqueous catalyst solution of 1000G NoAH in .9 liters of water. I also know that with the aqueous solution I am adding water to the process which the more I read the more I am finding out that it is a no no.

I titrated a couple samples and both titrations came out close to each other so I proceed with the test batch. I made two .5 liter test batches using both methods and after the reaction the glycerol has settled and the biodiesel is a little cloudy on both batches. I do see a paper thin layer of white which I think is a soap layer which is to be expected.

I heat the first batch, it happens to be the batch that I used the 3.5g/liter base catalyst + titration, as a test to see if the clear up and it did, you can read a magazine through the mason jar. But as it cools it clouds again, is this normal? Do I have an incomplete reaction? Or do I just need to wash it? I have seen pic’s on other site that shows it crystal clear after the reaction. I will see what the second batch looks like tonight after it has settle for 24 hours. Also is 5g of NaOH per liter is correct for new veggie oil?

I have been looking into Biodiesel for three to four years now but with the sky rocketing price of diesel this is the way to go. A lot of the information that I have printed off the net is three years old and from Dark Star 4 which is now Biodieselgear.com. From what I am reading I feel there is better process to make it. I look forward to your resopnce.

Thanks

Jan,
A lot has changed in the last 3 or 4 years. Crystal clear BD means that it doesn't have any water in it. There has been more of a focus on conversion as a way to judge your fuel.
You should do a little reading here http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/ as there is a lot of information. The instructions for the 3/27 are there as well. You can also read a thread about it here http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9411061471/m/8281092351
Do a 3/27 on both of your samples and you will see why most people have moved to at least 5 grams for a base using NaOH.
Good luck and welcome back to biodiesel.
DD

DD,

You’re right about the 3/27 test. It clearly shows that 5g/liter is the correct amount for the catalyst. The ones with the 3.5g/liter have a lot of oil fall out in them. One of my batches passes the 3/27 test but is cloudy.

As for water in the oil, I am adding water by using the aqueous solution and I didn't attempt to dry it because I wanted to see if I was even close. Looks like I am. My next batches I will dry the oil and not use the aqueous solution.

One question, this still might have to so with the water but after I heat it up to 140F the Biodiesel turns clear and the white layer (soap I think) gets much thinner if not disappear, is that the water?

Thanks
January

quote:

Originally posted by january:
My next batches I will dry the oil and not use the aqueous solution.

You still need to have dry oil but if the aqueous solution is working for you then keep using it. I use it to process my highest titrating oil because it's quicker getting the NaOH to dissolve in the methanol. Some of the people that use the aqueous solution claim to see a slight yield loss. I've never lost enough to notice.

Ken