I'm using a 4'X8' heat exchanger from an old steam boiler in an insulated box with a thermopane window, on the roof of my shop, and a smaller heat exchanger in the 500 gallon tank. I plan on using a 50/50 mix of glycerol and water for the transfer liquid.

I also plan on installing a valve set so I can transfer the heated fluid to heat the shop when I'm not using the tank.

I tried a small test last summer with a hundred foot coil of black plastic pipe on the roof of my shop, and developed 185 deg temps with a 4 gal/min flow.

 

185 degrees is pretty impressive. My partner was thinking about doing something like that himself...

 

That'd be something fun to build. I've got enough on my plate with switching to dry washing as it is though.

 

Forgot one simple question. How long does it take you to demeth your fuel? Im just looking for a roundabout number, trying to decide how to build the new setup.

 

Depends on how big your tank is.......

My old tank was about 40 gallons and took a couple of hours to finish.

 

I am thinking about 3 hrs or so. I need to make myself a more efficient condenser. It take awhile to heat up to 185 degrees, then I let it run until it slows to a drip from a steady stream.

 

That's about what I was expecting. What's the least amount of time needed to wait after the reaction to drain off the glycerine? It'd be pretty handy if I could do all that in one day, especially since the fuel would still be somewhat warm.

 

I always wait a minium of 12 hours before draining the glycerol. I've tried lower times, but always had more fall out later, so I wait the 12 hours now.

 

I've usually waited overnight, but browsing through some forums I saw people waiting just 4 hours to drain. I'll stick with the overnight and design the setup around that.

 

Do the same thing with the Magnesol. Let it settle overnight at a minimum and the filters won't have to be cleaned near as often...

 

I know it would be more expensive but can you use magnesol to rid all the methanol out of the batch? I thought i read somewhere you can spread the used magnesol outside. If you sun dry it good you can reuse it. false claim?

If you did not demeth first, how much magnesol would use use pricewise
and
How much magnesol do you use pricewise if you demeth first

 

Without removing the methanol, about ten cents/gallon. Remove the methanol first, about 5 cents/gallon. The main reason I use it is because it removes any soap suspended in the bio and any water or methanol.

Magnesol should not be reused even if dried.......

 

What are your thoughts on using woodchips for dry washing?