Hey guys. I just made a batch of biodiesel using a varaition of the 90/10 base/base process. It is a much nicer product to work with than the stuff I have been making with a single stage base process, as in easy wash, not too much soap formation and high yield, most importantly. With the other batches, I have usually only had around 40-60% useable fuel after all is said and done, and sometimes a very marginal product at that. I suspect this stuff still might not pass a Warnqvist 3/27 test but it might, and its sure a lot closer than before..progress. Just thought I'd give this forum some action and tell everone if anyone is interested. If anyone wishes to try to repeat this here's what I did exactly:
20% ethanol by volume, 90% in stage 1
Base 7g NaOH/liter plus titration 90% in stage 1
Reacted batch for around an hour at 110-120*F in the appleseed then forced separation with very warm bathwater/water softener salt around 4 gallons of hot water and a couple scoops of salt around 7% of the volume of the oil. I mixed the water in for about 15 minutes then let the glycerine settle out for around a couple hours. After draining the glycerine/water byproduct, I added the remaining 10% of ethanol and NaOH and reacted the batch for a further hour or so and let the glycerine settle out overnight. I'll try to do a 3/27 test if I can ever get this stuff dry. I don't think its the fuel quality, its been a very marginal day for drying fuel and I got a lot of it and a late start, hopefully today... I don't know how much the 1-3 gallons of water biodiesel emulsion of known failing fuel at the bottom of my standpipe tank and mixed in with the 40 gallons or so of unknown new fuel will effect the 3/27 test results. I'll check it with both ethanol and methanol and report back.

The batch turned out pretty well. Very easy wash, not nearly as much soap formation with the 2- stage base method as with my previous batches. It still failed a 3/27 test with methanol pretty miserably, with a whole layer of something dropping out and separating from the methanol. I also used some ethanol E98 to test with a 3/27 version of that and it still failed but with less droput. Who knows how valid 3/27 is for ethyl esters or how bad this fuel really is? It does burn well, flows well etc. I'll cintinue to fine tune the process and keep everyone posted.