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How are you going to mix the brew? That is what needs to determine how you add the methoxide. To get the best results the methoxide needs to be added slowly immediately ahead of the mixing pump. It is estimated that 70 to 80% of the reaction takes place when the pump impeller "thrashes" the methoxide into the oil. You will not get this kind of reaction with a simple stir motor. You would need something along the lines of a fast turning prop to fold and turn the oil over.
Accepted processing time is 2 hours at 135 degrees F. Some have experimented and say that the process is done in one hour. The extra hour is peace of mind to me, and I would rather let it mix for an extra hour than waste time and money to heat it up, add more chemicals and do it all over again. If you use KOH you will see the glycerine start to fall out immediately after you shut the mixing off. It is almost completely settled out in a couple hours. You can drain it at that time, but you loose some bio that is carried by the heavier glycerin into the bottom and needs time to float out to the top. I time mine so it goes to settle about the time I am ready to let it set overnight. If you are going to use NaOH, overnight settling is necessary.
To dispose of the glycerine, find a soap maker that will use it, check with your local waste water treatment plant to see if they have an aerobic digester to feed it to (microbes think it is a Snickers bar), or landfill it.
20 to 22% is accepted by the BD brewing community. There are those that insist that 13% will do the deed. I use 22% methanol and 9gr per liter KOH plus titration, both at the high side of the accepted amounts, and get fuel that flies thru 27/3 tests the first time, every time. I also recover methanol from my glyc, so extra is not an issue. Your methods can only be established by you, because you will find (gasp) that many of those that propose off the wall methods are full of unsubstanciated crap. "Gee, I thought that should work."
Get used to brewing using conventional tried and true methods and then tweak things until they are optimal.
Norman
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97 F250 CC PS Tymar intake, 3" downpipe, 4" exhaust, turbo muffler installed backwards, 299,000 miles, running B100 when possible. "NEW 90 F450
Last edited by StorminNorman : 03-06-2008 at 10:53 PM.
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