biodieselpictures.com

[JohnO]

I discovered the evidence of aliens in one of my old WVO totes, or else an interesting form of polymerization. It is a thick translucent film, just strong enough to handle, with about the consistency of a partially cooked omelet. It was on top of the thin layer of WVO residue in the bottom of an “empty” tote I haven’t used in at least 3 years. I was starting to finally wash it out and saw, floating on top, what looked just like a sheet of heavy plastic wrap. When the water layer rose within reach, I pulled it out. For the photos I spread it on a scrap of plywood and used a garden hose to gently spread it out. It is coated with a slimy soapy emulsion, not originally in the tote. The soapy water I used to fill the tote was from another tote I’d cleaned by filling with water and adding several pounds of NaOH, a week ago. The water/lye mix converted the residual oil and guck to soap that rinses out. I thought it might work to clean out another tote, and thus I discovered this stuff.

The original oil in this tote was partially hydrogenated soy, with some residual food fat, from my favorite Tavern oil source. It usually titrates less than 5 KOH. This tote was used to store the raw used oil during winter, when I could not otherwise process it. The raw WVO got strained through a coarse screen when I got it home, then boiled dry (heated to 250F) in a cauldron, then pumped into the tote where it would solidify until spring. I changed my process 3 years ago, and this tote has sat “empty”, until now. The oil itself may have been a year old before the tote was drained, making it potentially 4 years old.

Total volume of oil residue in the tote amounted to perhaps a gallon. It was that part that would not drain, forming a thin, broad pool about a quarter inch deep. It has sat behind the barn (north side, where it’s shady) covered but not sealed. Summer highs reach about 118F. Winter lows reach about -30 or so. Humidity is low year-round (we average 8 inches precipitation a year here). Oil in thin films oxidizes more readily than deep oil, and this layer was definitely thin. It also had quite a lot of air exposure, though no other catalyzing agents remained in contact with it. The film has no obvious smell now, other than a strong odor of soap.

On the other hand, I may have discovered the preferred nesting conditions for aliens. I’ll let you know if I find any. This might explain a few missing chickens.

addendum: my wife pointed out that this tote had been used for a couple years to collect and store winter oil, and that during those years it was never completely emptied. The floating layer of polymerized oil could have been growing during that time, making the potential time to grow as long as 6 or 7 years. I always drained oil from the bottom and added it to the top at one corner (it's got a fitting there). That would have left most of the top surface undisturbed for years.