5.0 Biodiesel

Name : Nurul Afifah Binti Mohd YusoffStudent ID : 2013275464Class : EH110 5BLecturer’s Name : Miss NorKamruzita Binti Saadon

5.2 Fuel Properties and Biodiesel Standards

INTRODUCTION • Palm olein from vegetable oil has gained

attention as a new renewable energy source to substitute fossil diesel.

• This work examines the technical potential of biodiesel produced from palm olein as gas turbine fule in Malaysia.

• The studies which cover an investigation into the physical and chemical properties of blended palm olein/diesel oils.

Physical Properties of Palm Olein• The physical characteristics of blended palm Olein/diesel fuels are

different from crude palm oil or diesel fuel.• Viscosity is a critical property of any liquid fuel particularly for gas

turbine combustion.• High viscosity of the fuel affects the fuel atomisation behaviour of

the burner and could results in poor ignition characteristics, smokes and lower combustion efficiency or increase the formation of carbon.

What is Biodiesel ?• Fuel composed of mono-alkyl esters of long chain

fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animals fats

• Biodiesel is made through a chemical process called trans-esterification, whereby the glycerin is separated from the fat or vegetable oil.

Biodiesel Advantage

Reduction of Greenhouse gas

emissionNon-toxicity Biodegradability

Safer to handleCan be produced virtually from any type of oil for fat

5.3 Quality Control Of Palm Diesel

QUALITY CONTROL• Biodiesel users should always ensure that the biodiesel used in

their fuel blends meets the latest ASTM D6751 specification. • ASTM D6751 is based on the physical and chemical properties

needed for safe and satisfactory diesel engine operation. • This specification ensures the quality of biodiesel.• An added level of quality assurance is available from

producers who are BQ-9000 accredited.• The BQ-9000 program ensures that producers are meeting

ASTM D6751 and following industry standard quality protocols including storage, sampling, testing, blending, shipping, distribution, and fuel management practices.

• Biodiesel is best stored in tanks that do not have any residual water, sediments or other contaminants. Heat and sunlight can accelerate oxidation; therefore storage in clear totes is not advisable.

• Biodiesel made from feedstock high in saturated fats, i.e. Palm Oil or Tallow, tends to oxidize slower, and consequently has higher storage stability.

• Exposure to oxygen reduces the storage life of biodiesel fuels.

Storing Biodiesel Fuels

• When storing biodiesel for longer periods, the use of nitrogen blankets and anti-oxidants and/or stability additives is suggested.

• Since the acid level and viscosity can increase as biodiesel ages in storage, users can also perform acid number and viscosity tests before using biodiesel fuels that have been stored for lengthy periods.

Storing Biodiesel Fuels

Cold Weather Performance

The potential for cold flow problems in biodiesel

fuels can be moderated by dilution via blending with

conventional diesel, which also makes the use of cold

flow additives practical.

Thus, a B5 fuel will generally have very few cold flow

issues beyond that normally experienced with

conventional diesel fuel.

When using B20 in below freezing temperatures, cold flow performance

can be managed by i) using cold-flow additives

ii) ensuring that the conventional diesel used in the blend is a ‘winter

diesel’ that has a sufficiently low cloud point, i.e. some winter diesel

blends achieve very low cloud points by including No. 1 diesel.

However, at biodiesel levels above 20%, managing cold flow performance

can be a more significant challenge and may require engine block or fuel

filter heaters.

Cold Weather Performance

5.4 Methods for analysis of blends of palm methyl ester and petroleum

diesel

INTRODUCTION

• The quality of biodiesel, diesel fuel and its blends must comply with

certain parameters as stipulated in the standard specifications before

and after blending for quality assurance.

• With the setting up setting up of a quality control laboratory for fuel

analyses in MPOB, it is able to perform various analytical testing for

biodiesel, diesel fuel and its blends in accordance with international

standard methods such as the ASTM,EN and ISO.

DETERMINATION OF SULPHATED ASH CONTENT OF BIODIESEL AND DIESEL FUEL

• Ash-forming materials especially the unremoved catalyst used in biodiesel production can cause engine deposits and contribute to wear and tear at the fuel injector, fuel pump, piston and ring.

• Thus, there is a need to limit the sulphated ash content in the biodiesel sample.

• Currently, a maximum of 0.02 mass % is stipulated in the biodiesel specification.

• In this test, the sample is ignited and burned until only ash and carbon remain.

• After cooling, the residue is treated with sulphuric acid and heated at 775 oC in a furnace until oxidation of carbon is completed.

• The ash is then cooled, treated with sulphuric acid and heated to constant weight at 775 oC

• The weight of the ash that remained represents the suplhated ash content.

DETERMINATION OF SULPHATED ASH CONTENT OF BIODIESEL AND DIESEL FUEL

• This test is to determine the content of undissolved substances in the fuel.

• The maximum limit of total contamination for biodiesel is 24 mg kg -

1 .• In this test, the sample is filtered at 40

oC through a membrane filter having a pore size of 0.8 µm at a pressure of 2-5 kPa, and the residue retained on the filter is washed with n-heptane.

• The increase in the weight of the filter represents the total contamination in a biodiesel sample.

DETERMINATION OF TOTAL CONTAMINATION OF BIODIESEL

DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF DIESEL FUEL

• This test is to mainly verify the ability of a fuel to dissipate charge that has been generated during operation such as pumping and filtration.

• If the conductivity is sufficiently high, charges dissipate fast enough to prevent accumulation and this will reduce the hazard in storing the fuel in a fuel tank.

• The minimum limit of electrical conductivity of a diesel fuel specified in the Malaysian Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel is 50 pS/m.

• In this test, the liquid sample is placed in a measuring vessel to a level sufficient to cover the electrodes of the conductivity meter.

• A voltage is applied across the electrodes and the resulting current is expressed as the electrical conductivity value.

DETERMINATION OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY OF DIESEL FUEL

REFERENCES

• http://www.slideshare.net/ieeepkhi/combustion-studies-by-dr-ahmed-presentation?qid=d36cbf92-4dcc-400a-aa51-789bd4603e48&v=qf1&b=&from_search=4

• http://www.slideshare.net/casagou/joamina-comparative-study-cics-2012?qid=73189a84-efa6-4422-99a8-34c512bbc89a&v=qf1&b=&from_search=1

• http://palmoilis.mpob.gov.my/publications/TOT/TS-112-114.pdf

• http://www.crimsonrenewable.com/usage.php