I am beginning to build an appleseed type processor and collect oil. Going to get methanol and KOH today. Havent decided on whether to build or buy a settling tank yet, but that is not my main question:

I think I understand the basics of recovering the methanol; essentially using a 'still to do so.
Can someone tell me the ideal temperature to heat the raw product to do so? And, if I remember my basic science, wouldn't creating a vacuum over the raw product assist in pulling the methanol vapors into the cooling apparatus?

Thanks for any info some of you bio-processors are willing to share!

 

we heat ours up to 180-190 in the distillation process. We dont use vacume, but I've seen a system that does, I don't see to much of a benefit from it.