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Lye Saponification Formula:
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The Lye Saponification formula calculates the amount of lye needed for soap making based on the saponification value of oils, oil weight, and lye purity. It ensures proper saponification while maintaining safety margins.
The calculator uses the Lye Saponification formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the precise amount of lye needed to saponify a given quantity of oil, accounting for the specific saponification value and lye purity.
Details: Accurate lye calculation is crucial for successful soap making, ensuring complete saponification while avoiding excess lye that can cause skin irritation or insufficient lye that results in oily soap.
Tips: Enter SAP value in mg KOH/g, oil weight in grams, and lye purity percentage. All values must be positive numbers with purity between 0-100%.
Q1: What is SAP value in soap making?
A: SAP value (Saponification Value) indicates the amount of lye needed to saponify a specific oil or fat, measured in mg of KOH per gram of oil.
Q2: Why is lye purity important in calculation?
A: Lye purity affects the actual amount of active sodium hydroxide available for saponification. Lower purity requires more lye to achieve the same saponification effect.
Q3: What is a typical SAP value range?
A: SAP values typically range from 175-200 mg KOH/g for most common soap-making oils, though specific values vary by oil type.
Q4: Should I include a safety margin?
A: Many soap makers use a 5-10% lye discount (superfatting) to ensure all lye is consumed and create a more moisturizing soap.
Q5: Can this calculator be used for both NaOH and KOH?
A: This formula is primarily for NaOH (sodium hydroxide). For KOH (potassium hydroxide) calculations, different conversion factors apply.