Presented by the

National Biodiesel Board

Biodiesel  Technical  Training  Course  

 BIO  2A  

Biodiesel  Fuel  Quality  &  BQ-­‐9000  

 

•  Provide  instruc.on  on  diesel  fuel  proper.es  •  Provide  instruc.on  on  biodiesel  fuel  proper.es  •  Provide  instruc.on  on  how  these  proper.es  affect  fuel  

quality  and  fuel  filtra.on  •  Provide  informa.on  on  the  BQ-­‐9000  program  •  Provide  background  on  biodiesel  fuel  aBributes

Learning  Objec.ves  

•  Be  able  to  iden.fy  key  ASTM  diesel  fuel  quality  parameters  •  Be  able  to  iden.fy  key  ASTM  biodiesel  fuel  quality  

parameters    •  Be  able  to  describe  how  these  proper.es  affect  fuel  quality  

and  fuel  filtra.on  •  Be  able  to  explain  the  importance  of  biodiesel  fuel  quality  

and  the  BQ-­‐9000  program    •  Be  able  to  discern  issues  between  normal  diesel  problems  

and  poor  quality  biodiesel  imposters  or  out-­‐of-­‐spec  biodiesel  when  they  hit  the  shop

Learning  Outcomes  

Biodiesel Defined

•  Biodiesel,  n.  -­‐-­‐  a  fuel  comprised  of  mono-­‐alkyl  esters  of  long  chain  faBy  acids  derived  from  vegetable  oils  or  animal  fats,  mee?ng  ASTM  D  6751,  designated  B100.  

 

•  Biodiesel  Blend,  n.  -­‐-­‐  a  blend  of  biodiesel  fuel  with  petroleum-­‐based  diesel  fuel  designated  BXX,  where  XX  is  the  volume  percent  of  biodiesel.  •  This  .ght  defini.on  was  needed  in  order  to  secure  vehicle,  engine  and  fuel  injec.on  equipment  company  support  for  biodiesel,  as  well  as  to  secure  ASTM  specs  

ASTM  Standards  for  Biodiesel  •  ASTM  D6751  is  the  approved  standard  for  B100  for  blending  up  to  B20,  in  effect  since  2001  –  Performance-­‐based  standard:  Feedstock  and  Process  Neutral  –  48  states  have  now  legisla.vely  adopted  the  ASTM  D6751  specifica.ons  for  biodiesel    

•  D975  –  Covers  petrodiesel  and  blends  up  to  5%  biodiesel  maximum  for  on/off  road  engines    

•  D7467  –  Covers  blends  containing  6%  to  20%  biodiesel  for  on/off  road  engines    

•  D396  -­‐  Covers  Bioheat  /  Hea.ng  oil  applica.ons  

 

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Biodiesel  Specifica.ons  

ASTM  D6751  Specifica.on    

           

ASTM  D7467  Specifica.on    

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Cri.cal  Quality  Specifica.ons  

Test  Criteria   Specifica.on   Why  it’s  important  

Free  Glycerin     Max  0.020%  mass   Injector  coking    

Total  Glycerin     Max  0.240%  mass   Injector  coking,  filter  plugging  

Flash  Point    [Methanol]   Min  130  °C    [Max  0.2%  methanol]  

Shipping/handling  safety,  injector  life  

Acid  Number     Max  0.50  mg  KOH/g   Long  term  storage,  fuel  system  fouling  

Water  &  Sediment     Max  0.050%  volume   Fuel  system  contamina.on  

Visual  Appearance   Max  2   Indicates  moisture  or  impuri.es  

Oxida.ve  Stability   Min  3.0  hr   Long  term  storage,  fuel  filter  clogging  

Sulfur   Max  15  ppm   EPA  regulated  specifica.on  

Cold  Soak  Filtra.on   Max  200/360  sec    (summer/winter)  

Filter  plugging,  control  minor  components  

Cloud  Point     Report  °C     Cold  weather  storage  /handling  

Cer.ficate  of  Analysis  

BQ-­‐9000  Status    Biodiesel  Industry’s  equivalent  to  an  ISO  9000  program  for  biodiesel  produc.on  &  distribu.on  

companies  as  well  as  tes.ng  labs  

  NBB  implemented  BQ-­‐9000  as  a  means  to  help  ins.ll  confidence  in  biodiesel  with  users  and  equipment  companies    

  There  are  three  BQ-­‐9000  designa.ons:  –  Producer  (make  it  to  spec)  –  Marketer  (buy  spec,  keep  it  in  spec,  blend  it  right)  –  Cer.fied  Laboratories  (test  it  to  ensure  it  is  in  spec)  

     Over 81% of biodiesel produced in the US is by BQ-9000 accredited companies.    

  Many  OEMs  are  now  either  requiring  or  strongly  encouraging  BQ-­‐9000  

Fuel  Proper.es  

Energy  Content  

•  Hea.ng  value  of  the  fuel  

•  Not  specified  by  ASTM  •  Typically  expressed  as  BTUs/gallon  

•  B20  1.8%  less  BTU  •  B100  7.7%  

       No.  2  D            130,000  BTUs/gallon  

     Gasoline          114,200  BTUs/gallon             Biodiesel  (B100)    120,000  BTUs/gallon  

Enhanced  Lubricity  

Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel

0100200300400500600700800

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

Biodiesel Blend (%)

HFR

R W

SD (m

icro

n)

•  Equipment  benefits  –  Superior  lubricity  –  B2  has  up  to  66%  more  

lubricity  than  #2  Diesel  

•  EPA  required  sulfur  reduc.on  in  diesel  

•  No  overdosing  concerns  

Low  temperature  Opera.on  

•  Cloud  Point,  Low  Temperature  Flow  Test,  and  Pour  Point  are  used  to  monitor  a  fuels  operability  in  cold  condi.ons.      

•  Cloud  Point  is  the  measurement  of  the  temperature  in  which  wax  crystals  begin  to  form.  

•  Cold  Filter  Plug  Point,  gives  and  indica.on  of  the  temperature  a  fuel  will  plug  a  filter.  

•  Pour  Point,  the  temperature  when  a  fuel  will  s.ll  flow,  but  will  not  be  operable  in  an  engine.    

 

Biodiesel  Pump  Labeling  

No  Label  Required:    Fuel  blends  containing  no  more  than  five  percent  biodiesel  

and  no  more  than  5  percent  biomass-­‐based  diesel  and  that  meet  ASTM  D975.  

 Labels  Required:    Fuel  blends  containing  more  than  five  but  no  more  than  20  

percent  biodiesel  or  biomass-­‐based  diesel.    Fuel  blends  containing  more  than  20  percent  biodiesel  or  

biomass-­‐based  diesel.      Separate  Labels  for  Biodiesel  (Blue  Labels)  and    

 Biomass-­‐Based  Diesel  (Orange  Labels)  

Exposure  to  Air  

•  Enters  through  vent  pipes  and  contains  large  amounts  of  moisture.  

•  Generally  displaces  the  fuel  as  tank  is  emp.ed.  

•  It  is  not  prac.cal  to  keep  air  from  entering  the  tank.  

•  Will  increase  the  oxida.on  of  fuel.  

•  Do  not  store  fuels  for  long  periods  of  .me  

•  Consider  desiccant  dryers.  

Microbial  Growth  

•  Microbes are bacteria or fungus that live and propagate in fuel at the fuel/water interface.  • Water needed to live—no water, no bugs.  •  Hydrocarbons in petrodiesel or biodiesel provide the food

and the water provides the oxygen.  •  This environment is needed for living, growth, and

reproduction.  •  The filters with microbial contamination often had an odor

different from the normal fuel smell.

Biodiesel  Fuel  Stability  

•  The  biodiesel  specifica.on  contains  parameters  for  insuring  adequate  fuel  stability  for  normal  applica.ons  

•  The  shelf  life  of  biodiesel  blends  is  recommended  by  NBB  as  6  months    

•  Stability  addi.ves  available  on  the  open  market  

Thermal  &  Oxida.ve  Stability  

•  Chemical  degrada.on  occurs  with  contact  with  oxygen  for  long  periods  or  at  high  temperatures.  

•  Oxida.on  of  diesel  fuel  can  form  insolubles  and  peroxides    

•  Peroxides  increase  deposits  and  gumming  on  fuel  pumps  and  injec.on  systems  

•  Filter  plugging  will  also  occur  •  ASTM  D975  now  specifies  a  

stability  parameter  

Steps  to  Maintaining  Fuel  

•  Store Fuel in Clean, Dry Dark Environment  •  Keep Tank Topped off to eliminate head space  •  Monitor hoses, fill/vapor caps, gaskets for leaks  •  Storage in on-site tanks should be limited to less

than 6 months.  •  Once a year send your fuel to lab to be tested for

microbial contamination

 •  Purchase  fuel  from  known  quality  producer  •  On-­‐site  and  in-­‐process  analysis  is  essen.al  •  Watch  for  residual  contamina.on  •  Correct  product  handling  and  storage  procedures  is  

essen.al  •  Final  product  must  meet  the  current  revision  of  ASTM  

D  6751    

 

In  Summary  

                           

•  Tradi.onally,  biodiesel  is  made  from  fats  and  oils  that  are  a  minor  by-­‐product  of  producing  food  

•  The  finished  proper.es  are  largely  based  on  the  beginning  fat  or  oil  that  is  available,  none  of  which  has  been  op.mized  for  fuel  use  

•  There  are  promising  technologies  that  can  increase  oils/fats  without  u.lizing  any  addi.onal  farmland    

•  It  is  possible  to  select  faBy  acid  profile  for  op.mized  biodiesel:  –  B100  with  -­‐20F  cloud  points  or  lower  –  B100  with  superior  stability  vs.  most  petrodiesel  

 

Op.mized  Biodiesel  

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Fuel  Quality  Informa.on  

•  The  Na.onal  Renewable  Energy  Laboratory  (NREL)  Biodiesel  Use  &  Handling  Guidelines  at:  hBp://www.nrel.gov/vehiclesandfuels/pdfs/43672.pdf    

 •  www.biodiesel.org  

•  hBp://www.bq-­‐9000.org/    

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Biodiesel  Resources  

 www.biodiesel.org  • Biodiesel  Training  Toolkit    • News  Releases  &  Informa.on  Resources  

• Technical  Library,  Spec  Sheets  &  Videos  • OEM  Warranty  Posi.ons  on  Biodiesel  

•   U.S.  Diesel  Vehicle  List  

 www.BQ-­‐9000.org    • Lis.ng  of  BQ-­‐9000  Cer.fied  Companies  

 www.biotrucker.com  • Lis.ng  of  BioTrucker  retail  sites    

 www.biodieselautomo?ve.org  • Dedicated to information exchange for biodiesel & diesel technicians

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Thank You! Questions…?    

     Rachel  Burton    OEM  Diesel  Technician  Training    Program    wrenchwench@blast.com    Tel:  919-­‐444-­‐3495      

   

       Call  NBB  at  1-­‐800-­‐841-­‐5849  Visit  www.biodiesel.org  

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