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Step 6Methoxide Mixing and Introduction To the WVO
This is the most dangerous part of making the fuel.
Measure out 20% of the total volume of oil worth of methanol into a carboy with a vent. (1 gallon of methanol per 5 gallons of oil and so on.)
Be wearing eye protection, chemical resistant gloves, and a respirator at this point.
Measure out the calculated amount of catalyst and put it in/on a coffee filter or something that you can dump quickly. Dump the catalyst into the carboy and immediately screw on the same lid or same kind of lid as shown in the previous step, the one with a ball valve on it.
Shake vigorously and crack the valve open away from you and other people. It will hiss. Shake it up some more, to be sure you get things dissolved all the way. You may need to vent it once or twice more to release the pressure.
Hook this up the same way you did the carboy with the oil. Make sure it's all very tight and secure, you don't want this stuff leaking. leave the intake valve closed for now. Open the valve on the carboy and remove the vent cap so there is a slight bit of air coming into the carboy as some of the liquid trickles down the hose.
Open all the valves in the circuit on the processor and start the pump again so the oil is circulating. Leave the element on.
Now very very slowly crack the intake valve so the methoxide is introduced very very slowly. If you introduce it too quickly it will make soap. Not what we're shooting for here. Tilt the carboy to make sure all the methoxide drains out. Close the intake valve.
Double check the pressure vent on the processor. chemical reactions are happening and the pressure needs somewhere to go.
Let this go for about an hour before you consolidate it all in the tank. Let it sit with the element on for the next 12-14 hours.
Measure out 20% of the total volume of oil worth of methanol into a carboy with a vent. (1 gallon of methanol per 5 gallons of oil and so on.)
Be wearing eye protection, chemical resistant gloves, and a respirator at this point.
Measure out the calculated amount of catalyst and put it in/on a coffee filter or something that you can dump quickly. Dump the catalyst into the carboy and immediately screw on the same lid or same kind of lid as shown in the previous step, the one with a ball valve on it.
Shake vigorously and crack the valve open away from you and other people. It will hiss. Shake it up some more, to be sure you get things dissolved all the way. You may need to vent it once or twice more to release the pressure.
Hook this up the same way you did the carboy with the oil. Make sure it's all very tight and secure, you don't want this stuff leaking. leave the intake valve closed for now. Open the valve on the carboy and remove the vent cap so there is a slight bit of air coming into the carboy as some of the liquid trickles down the hose.
Open all the valves in the circuit on the processor and start the pump again so the oil is circulating. Leave the element on.
Now very very slowly crack the intake valve so the methoxide is introduced very very slowly. If you introduce it too quickly it will make soap. Not what we're shooting for here. Tilt the carboy to make sure all the methoxide drains out. Close the intake valve.
Double check the pressure vent on the processor. chemical reactions are happening and the pressure needs somewhere to go.
Let this go for about an hour before you consolidate it all in the tank. Let it sit with the element on for the next 12-14 hours.
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