Biodiesel as a parts washer solvent?

[Zeitgeist]

I'm in the process of converting my 20 gallon HF parts washer from a 'dunk n' spray' to a separate 30 gallon tank and pump with several levels of filtration. I've been using HF's biodegradable solvent, but would like to try using straight B100, since the price is roughly the same. Has anyone tried or heard of this before? Does B100's solvent properties break down over time, or turn rancid and ineffective?

Also, I'd like to heat the solvent, so does anyone have any suggestions for how to do this cheaply AND safely?

TIA

[TomJ]

Originally Posted by Zeitgeist

I'm in the process of converting my 20 gallon HF parts washer from a 'dunk n' spray' to a separate 30 gallon tank and pump with several levels of filtration. I've been using HF's biodegradable solvent, but would like to try using straight B100, since the price is roughly the same. Has anyone tried or heard of this before? Does B100's solvent properties break down over time, or turn rancid and ineffective?

Also, I'd like to heat the solvent, so does anyone have any suggestions for how to do this cheaply AND safely?

TIA

Yeah, I've used it for solvent. Here's the problems; it eats any paint away then pollutes the parts washer with paint. It will turn rancid after a relatively short time (only due to oxidation as the B100 I have in jugs stays good for months.) And it will eat the pump and hoses for the washer (any rubber/nitrile in the system.)

You can heat it as much as you can stand, you're not going to reach the flash point if you can still stick you hands in it (gloved or not.) I would watch for methanol fumes though if it is not FULLY washed B100.

I use it for a machining coolant, smells good, non-toxic, cools exceptionally well (wonders machinining SST), but it's taking the paint off the mill where it has splashed.

[Zeitgeist]

Funny, that HF solvent has already eaten most of the paint off of the wash tank, and did so from day one--very annoying. This is in part why I decided to add filters and a separate tank. I hope to minimize the tank's exposure to air, so maybe it won't go rancid quite so fast. I might try a small ten gallon batch to see how it holds up, then re-evaluate after some time elapses.