I am looking for something to store methanol in. There isn't much of a biodiesel following here in Japan, so I have to improvise. I have three choices in the 10-20L category. Gas container (metal, heavy, and expensive), kerosene cans (red plastic, like a windsield washer fluid container material), and water cans (clear version of kerosene container). Without a data sheet on the containers, which would be the safest to use?

Hi
I dont keep methanol at home. They are at work in steel drums.
When Im ready to do a batch, I fill 2 of my 3 methox carboys up and keep one 5 gallon kerosene (blue plastic can) just in case.

It sometimes sits for a week with no problems.

HTH.
Brian

When I first started buying methanol it was in smaller quantities. I would take three 5 gallon plastic diesel containers (they are yellow here) and fill them up. Now I purchase by the drum. A lot cheaper that way.

I use 20Lt conatiners to fill and transport my methanol back to the drums I use to fill from. These 20Lt containers are "natural" coloured, althoughthe important thing is the markings under the container and the weight of the "plastic" used.

Flip the container upside down and ther should be a small triangle with a number inside it with some letters above the triangle.

The number inside the triangle should be a 2 and the letters are HDPE. The weight of the plastic should be heavy grade and not flimsy. These will store methanol well, and also can be used as a methoxide mixing conatiner when using the passive method of rocking it back and forth to dicolute the caustic in the alcohol. I use two of these for my methxide mixers.

HTH

US Plastics sells a 5 gallon / 20L carboy that has a valve faucet and is perfect for methoxide mixing and storage.

I use 2 of them for batches and also for the 5% prewash.

Really any HDPE plastic will work, but the carboys from US plastic are your best bet as they will allow for you to more easily add the methoxide to your reactor (Depending on the setup...)

Shaman, what part of Japan are you? I've studied Japanese since 7th grade and have been wondering if there was any biodiesel in Japan.

polypropylene is also suitable for methanol-look for "pp" in the little triangle on the bottom

Kamerosa, I am in Mito, Japan, about 2 hours north of Tokyo. There is BIodiesel, at least a bit. The Kashima Antlers use Biodiesel in their diesel trucks. They collect oil from fans who bring it. The problem I see is that methanol is not readily available. I only have a petrol engine rignt now, so the methanol is used for water methanol injection, and finding methanol is nearly impossible. I have to use winter windshield washer fluid or lighting fluid, whihc is 75% meth and 25 eth. I think that some people actually do it, but I haven't seen anything on any car aside from a vegoil inside sticker on a HIlux Surf. There are ALOT of rules here, and I don't know what would happen if someone was caught making biodisel in the backyard. Kerosene is so cheap here, like 50 yen for kero vs 95 for D that there is really no reason for me to try to make is. Several people have told me to collect veg oil when I was looking at getting a diesel for my present car, but there is really no room to set up anything aside from at the inlaws house, and I don't know how well that would go over. If (when) I get a diesel, it will probably just run on 5% VO and 95% keorsene, since the kero is not dyed.
もし日本語練習したければ一緒でいいですよ