Technically, unwashed biodiesel is basic not acidic. The caustic soda used in biodiesel production causes alkalinity. (high pH numbers).
Biodiesel should be washed before use to preserve integrity of the vehicle it is used in.
I use the Iowa Bubble wash method. Explanation copied and pasted below. <hr>
Bubble washing -
The bubble washing technique was developed at the University of Idaho and is the most economical way of washing biodiesel after processing.
The pumps use only a few watts of electricity (your mixing motor may use 250 to 300 watts) and you need only use 50 to 75% ratio of water to biodiesel to wash, as opposed to three or four times the volume of water in the more usual mixing wash method.
You will need various items from an aquarium shop - they are not expensive and you can tailor the size to match the size of your washing tank.
You will need a pump - some of them come complete with a filter, which can be used for something else. They all have a mains power cable and air line. Few have switches incorporated, as they are designed for continuous running - a plus point. They are quiet - another plus point - but they do vibrate with a low hum - 50 or 60 cycles per second, depending on your supply.
You will also need an air stone. The small ones are the best, as they form many small bubbles, but some of the plastic inlet tubes (especially blue ones, for some reason) tend to be melted by the biodiesel. Some are about six inches long, with clear plastic inlets. You may choose to run with a bigger pump and two stones, using a T piece in the air line - the more bubbles the better.
All you do is plug in and leave running for two to three days, checking the pH of the biodiesel periodically. Ideally, it should end up about 7. 5 - neutral.
What happens is this - as each bubble is formed at the air stone, it rises through the water layer to the interface. As it passes through into the biodiesel, it carries with it a film of water. This washes the biodiesel as it passes through. When the bubble reaches the surface of the biodiesel it bursts, releasing a droplet of water which falls through the biodiesel, washing again. Clever!
The water and biodiesel are not mixed as intimately as when using the mixer method, which is why it is a much slower process. The pump may be attached to the side of the washing tank - the vibrations help the separation. It does tend to amplify the noise, though, from a happy family point of view.
<hr>Happy motoring!
Bryan
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