Hi I have been offered waste methanol and was wondering how pure does the methanol have to be for manufacturing Bio-diesel

what I have been offered has the following makeup
75.1% Methanol
16.8% Water
2.8% IPA
2.2% Toluene
1.6% Methymethoxy Acetate
0.8% THF
0.4% Heptane
0.3% IMS Ethanol

would this be Ok or doe any of the above compounds cause issues
Sorry for what may be a thick question but I am not a chemist

the general understanding is that there can be no more than 1 or 3% water.

No idea what the rest of the items will do.

Tilly SBC/IBA

Depending on the price, it's not useless, but really this sounds like something for an experienced biodieseler rather than a newcomer.

If you could get a few litres to do some tests the results could be interesting. However, the high water content means the methanol mixture as it stands is no good for biodiesel.

At the very least you would need to distill it to separate the water. Then adjust your recipe calculations to take account of the 8% (or so) other solvents. At this stage I would assume they would not take part in the transesterification reaction.

If you want to find out if there is water in alcohol try this. Place a small amount in a sealed bottle with place it in the freezer for a day. Then look for ice crystals. That’s water. You can remove them with a coffee filter if you like but it’s a way to find out.

Did you ever stop to think and forget to start again?

Thankyou for the answers
I will say no to the 15,000 liters then

Thanks
Again
Don

Hey Don, what was the 15,000 liters from?

If you don't want it, I just might be pursuaded to come to Ireland, Oooyyy!

1st, do you have space to store it?

2nd you are talking about a value of $20,000 Canadian.

3rd, does this company have a regular problem with disposal? If so, have they been stockpiling?

4th, what kind of business is it?

For biodiesel production methanol has to be over 95%, I prefer as pure as possible as methanol has an affinity for water, which is why it is used as gas line antifreeze.

If I could get my hands on what you have, I would be taking it, distilling it and laughing all the way to the bank.

You need to find the boiling pts of the other ingrediants, if non are below methanol, no problem, they will stay in the water and you will get pure methanol.

Man, get me a plane ticket, pronto. You aren't thinking big!

Find out how much it costs to put in a container and ship it to Halifax, N.S. I have an idea!

Everybody sighs, oh no, not again