Excuse the long post. Our WVO that we get gets put in a 200 micron filtered 55 gallon plastic barrell that we use as a settling tank before it goes into the reactor. There is a drain as far down in the tank as we could get it, with the outlet to the reactor at about the 15-20 gallon level. the theory was that the water would settle to the bottom, and be drained out leaving less water going into the reactor. After settling out for about a week (take longer when it's cold), the water went to the bottom, however there is also a cream (emulsion?) that formed a layer above the water. Some was in the oil that we got, and some wouldn't go through the filter. Drained about 5 gallons of this out. Is this flour or an emulsion? (It comes from a German Restaurant that uses Canola oil) The question we have is if this stuff goes into the reactor (a GL eco-processor) will it settle in the glycerine, or do we run the risk of it getting in the bio and eventually our engines? Will heating the oil in the settling tank make a difference? thanks.

 

could just be hydrogenated oil... alot of the oil I use does this even in summer. With temperature change more and more becomes the thick creamy stuff.

When I heat mine to 110 or so it all goes dark and liquidy.
Of course I can't see your oil, so don't take this as fact.... I'd pull some and heat it, see what it does, or even pull a gallon og the pure creamy stuff and make a mini batch of bioD and see how it goes.

 

Creamy stuff in my oil normally indicated water that hadn't seperated out all the way, or sometimes it could be hydrogenated oil. I would heat it up to about 125, turn heater off and let sit 30 min, then see what it looks like, water will still be creamy and hydrogenated oil will turn dark like other oils.

 

I was going to say water too. Need to boil it out, just heat it a bit and wait for it to clear up. Leave it hot for a good while cover it and let the oil settle. It will clean up the oil and get rid of the water.

 

going to take a liter or so of it and heat it up to see if it clears up.

 

you may also try pulling out a small amount and heating it in a frying pan. If it has water it will pop, if it is oil will clear up. Just a thought.

Mike

 

yes, will try and get something done in the next few days. Have about 2 barrells now and need to get on it.