How to turn plastic waste into diesel fuel cheaply

[MangiPNG]

Hi everyone, I finally built my setup but the copper gaskets I made up didn't hold up with a simple hydro-test. I don't know what the problem is? Any ideas to help fix this problem?

[wheels]

Hi everyone, I finally built my setup but the copper gaskets I made up didn't hold up with a simple hydro-test. I don't know what the problem is? Any ideas to help fix this problem?

Could you post a picture? My Crystal Ball is foggy

[Excalibur]

Hi everyone, I finally built my setup but the copper gaskets I made up didn't hold up with a simple hydro-test. I don't know what the problem is? Any ideas to help fix this problem?

Please post up some pics so we can understand why. Your description doesn't give much to go by.

By the way, I'm moving away from copper and brass in all hot parts of the plant, down to and including the diesel tank. I'm hoping this will reduce fuel oxidation.

[Col]

oxidation

I cannot find the file but I recall reading somewhere that diesel can be stabilised using a UV light. This was not related to veg / bio fuels, it was targeted at reducing oxidation in bulk diesel tanks. Hopefully something so simple can help?!

[Excalibur]

According to rendered extract from Chemistry of Gum Formation by Cracked Gasoline book, potential gum gets formed by exposure to heat, light or air. Sulfuric acid treatment removes preformed gum. Inhibitors though added in small amounts are sufficient to delay gum formation for several months.

I suggest that diesel be stored cool and restrict light and air as much as is reasonably possible. I think I'm going to change the color of my tanks to off-white to reduce temperature.

Col, I hope that UV light info turns up at some stage. It could be a valuable piece of the puzzle.

[wheels]

I cannot find the file but I recall reading somewhere that diesel can be stabilised using a UV light. This was not related to veg / bio fuels, it was targeted at reducing oxidation in bulk diesel tanks. Hopefully something so simple can help?!

I suspect the UV light is for killing Algae and Bacteria growth. UV won't stop oxidation. If light can cause fuel to oxidise, as excalibur has suggested, then it is possible UV could also cause oxidation.
Although I am not so sure light actually causes oxidation specifically. Only in that I can not think of a chemical reaction where light would or could react and cause a Hydrocarbon to gain an Oxygen Atom. I could be wrong on that though.
The other way around happens of course, where the rapid oxidation of the hydrocarbon (combustion) produces heat and thus light.
It could perhaps be a process where oxides darken from reaction to light, causing the fuel to darken. Just like colloidal Silver will darken when exposed to light and produce a black liquid.

[jonathan]

gasoline oxidation

Gasoline - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

if you go to website under stability you find this....i dont know if it is true..


Quality gasoline should be stable almost indefinitely if stored properly[citation needed]. Such storage should be in an airtight container (to prevent oxidation or water vapors mixing) that can withstand the vapor pressure of the gasoline without venting ( to prevent the loss of the more volatile fractions) at a stable cool temperature (to reduce the excess pressure from liquid expansion, and to reduce the rate of any decomposition reactions). When gasoline is not stored correctly, gums and solids may be created, which can corrode system components and accumulate on wetted surfaces, resulting in a condition called "stale fuel". Gasoline containing ethanol is especially subject to absorbing atmospheric moisture, then forming gums, solids, or two phases (a hydrocarbon phase floating on top of a water-alcohol phase).

The presence of these degradation products in fuel tank, lines, carburetor or fuel injection components makes it harder to start the engine, or causes reduced engine performance. On resumption of regular engine use, the buildup is often eventually cleaned out by the flow of fresh gasoline. The addition of a fuel stabilizer to gasoline can extend the life of fuel that is not or cannot be stored properly. Some typical fuel stabilizers are proprietary mixtures containing mineral spirits, isopropyl alcohol, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene,or other additives. Fuel stabilizer is commonly used for small engines, such as lawnmower and tractor engines, especially when their use is seasonal (low to no use for one or more seasons of the year). Users have been advised to keep gasoline containers more than half full and properly capped to reduce air exposure, to avoid storage at high temperatures, to run an engine for ten minutes to circulate the stabilizer through all components prior to storage, and to run the engine at intervals to purge stale fuel from the carburetor.

[Col]

diesel oxidation, UV light

Sorry for the red herring. I found that article I mentioned, I read it so long ago I was foggy on the details. Exposing the diesel to UV light was just to sterilise the fuel of bacteria / algae etc. No use for our purposes.

[wheels]

Sorry for the red herring. I found that article I mentioned, I read it so long ago I was foggy on the details. Exposing the diesel to UV light was just to sterilise the fuel of bacteria / algae etc. No use for our purposes.

[Col]

sight lenses

Hi Excalibur
How are your borosilicate sight lenses holding up? I am about to order 4 for my plant.
Which O-rings proved best? Silicon, Viton or Nitrile. I would guess Viton?
Thanks
Col

[Excalibur]

Col, yes they are so good to have. All the O-rings I bought have held up at the temperatures I'm subjecting them to. As you may have read, I'm not stripping all the heat from the condensate stream so I can maintain the diesel tank temperature, currently targeting 60°C. At a guess the o-rings might see 120°C but probably less as the glass is perhaps 50mm away from the actual diesel stream. Best plan periodic cleaning as splash does dirty the glass. Recently I planned to trial external LED diffused light to illuminate the port and it was looking good but my refractory burnt out and I haven't rebuilt yet.

[wheels]

Hi Excalibur
How are your borosilicate sight lenses holding up? I am about to order 4 for my plant.
Which O-rings proved best? Silicon, Viton or Nitrile. I would guess Viton?
Thanks
Col

Warning!!! DO NOT use them in the Retort!!! Just in case you are considering that Col, the Retort will be far too hot for any kind of Seal to withstand. I do not know of any material that would provide a seal against glass, that would also withstand that kind of temperature and contact with the nasties inside the Retort without melting.

[Col]

Thanks Excalibur and Wheels.
Ex-if you lit it up with LEDs are you thinking you would light it up from the front and not need a rear window or light it up through the rear window (you would be looking directly into the LEDs). Another option would be to locate the rear window on the side instead and light it up from there.

[Col]

moisture / water in diesel fuel

As you may have read, I'm not stripping all the heat from the condensate stream so I can maintain the diesel tank temperature, currently targeting 60°C.

Excalibur - on your blog you show a photo of the sight glasses with moisture on them. You mention you thought it was due to water in the feedstock. If you are targeting 60C in your diesel catchment tank are you confident there is no water in your resulting diesel fuel? I would have thought targeting 110-120C in this condenser would send all the water downstream to the next condenser resulting in good, dry diesel fuel. You would lose anything with a boiling point lower than or around 100C, and I think you are trying to keep some of that are you? to offset a relatively higher retort / reflux temp, allowing more heavier molecules through. More light and more heavy chains combining to your desired viscosity?

[Excalibur]

I lit it up from the rear window with heavily diffused LED. It was looking real good, no glare but I never got the chance to test it.

There was water in the diesel, I know because I drained it off. Higher would evap more of the water but it's a compromise. More light fractions are lost too. So, yes Col you are spot on correct, it's about maximizing the diesel make.