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guydewdney
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« on: March 30, 2010, 04:44:58 PM » |
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I have some commercially bought bio in a white IBC.
It has sat in the field over the autumn and winter (my car doesnt like bio - nor does the tractor aparently) waiting for a use.
I brought it down last week, and mixed it with my 100 to 200 litres of Red diesel - making 300 litres total.
It has sat for 4 or so days, untouched, in the IBC on a stand. I opened the tap, and 'tapioca' came out. 25 odd litres later - still 'tapioca'
any ideas what it is? I expect some sediment -but this is a bit much. I was thinking to crudely filter it with an old bed sheet / pillow case to get rid of the worst lumps - is this a good idea or a waste of a pillowcase?
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Amy
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« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2010, 04:58:34 PM » |
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What was the origin of it?
Has there been a chemical reaction or is it due to frost/water ?
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mespilus
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« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2010, 07:25:57 PM » |
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First thoughts:
Were you happy with the commercial source?
Any evidence of soaps?
(Shake 500mml biodiesel with 500ml of tap water
in a 2L carbonated drinks bottle:
any cloudiness shows soaps are present)
How full was the IBC?
Biodiesel made from u(sed) c(ooking) o(il)
that was mainly soya can oxidise/polymerise
when it has a lot of headspace.
Biodiesel made from uco has a nonlinear
viscosity response to external temperature.
Some biodiesel which is clearly a liquid at say 5C
when subjected to say -10C for a couple of consecutive
nights followed by barely zero days,
may need to be kept at 10C for a day or so to 'melt'.
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Now in the HS2 blight zone
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Amy
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« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2010, 07:32:56 PM » |
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Yeah, thats about the same as I thought but without the science  |
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Twenty4Seven
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« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2010, 08:06:00 PM » |
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Sounds very much like high melting point esters. Bio made from used cooking oil could contain animals fats and/or higher melting vegetable oils like palm oil. Both will produce biodiesel with similar low temperature characteristics. Biodiesel with HMPEs exhibits a sort of temperature hysteresis - you have to heat the bio to well above the freezing point to get it all to melt completely. When (if) the warm weather arrives, chances are it will be fine.
Nick
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2kW PV
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guydewdney
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« Reply #5 on: March 30, 2010, 08:34:22 PM » |
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Yes - afaik its UCO.
200 ish litres in a 1000 litre container. Left out over winter, at temps well below 0 - if not -5
It hasnt been that warm since. I'll try the shake water / bottle trick and see what happens.
Should I try warming it gently? I have some "welly warmers" which are tiny 50 watt heaters about the size of a sausage...... (dont ask....)
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mespilus
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« Reply #6 on: March 30, 2010, 08:48:29 PM » |
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I would be tempted to wait for the climate to warm
your bio/red mixture.
50W is neither here nor there,
compared to solar gain on a sunny day,
even if the source is 'free' waterwheel electricity,
and the sludge may scald as it is heated.
and each time you open up the top hatch on the IBC
you let some more oxygen in, (if it is oxidisation
we are dealing with).
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welshboy
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« Reply #7 on: March 30, 2010, 08:49:35 PM » |
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Why not try a bit in a can/saucepan heated on the stove/cooker to see if it is just a temperature thing
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guydewdney
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« Reply #8 on: March 30, 2010, 08:59:08 PM » |
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hmm - ill try that welshboyo....  |
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Twenty4Seven
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« Reply #9 on: March 30, 2010, 09:34:52 PM » |
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Bio and cherry on the stove? Easy does it.......  |
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2kW PV
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guydewdney
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« Reply #10 on: March 30, 2010, 09:40:46 PM » |
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Induction hob - dont get hot.... |
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welshboy
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« Reply #11 on: March 31, 2010, 08:09:11 AM » |
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I have every faith in you guy to watch over it and dip your finger in - if it has not cleared by the time it is blood heat forget it.
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welshboy
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« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2010, 09:23:02 AM » |
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Guy- It must have warmed up by now or that induction hob is very slow !
Don't keep us in suspense -what happened ?
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guydewdney
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« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2010, 03:44:42 PM » |
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busy!
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guydewdney
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« Reply #14 on: May 10, 2010, 09:08:07 PM » |
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tried heating it - it did mostly go away. In the end - we filtered off the worst of the goo - we think that the bio has reacted with the red dye and partially removed the red dye from the fuel - weird. Simple old sock style filtering has removed the goo - and whats left seems fine. Runs next door's John Deere tractor just fine  Got the contract for the local pub's oil. Going to have a go at 50-50 white diesel / veg for the car. Anyone done this? Was thinking of fully pumped / filtered setup, with valves so one doesnt too filthy (yeah - right) what filter levels from minging to clean shoudl I go through? 200/50/5/1? 1000/500/250/100/50/20/10/5/1? what? 300 litres / month at a guess - increasing rapidly! |
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