1. GE Power & Water
Water & Process Technologies
Fuel Quality Impacts of Increased
Biofuels Requirements
Robert Carpenter
Refining, Fuels & Transportation: Working Together Towards a Sustainable Future
March 23, 2011

2. Biofuels are here to stay!
Biofuels are here to stay?!?
2
Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012
Source: Discovery Channel

3. Mandated volumes driving growth
US RFS2 … 36 Bln gals by 2022
That’s 25% of gasoline volumes
EU RED … 10% volume by 2020
“Whatever the economic picture,
it is clear that renewable fuels
are here to stay and that
legislative mandates will secure
their future production.”
Robin Hunt, Infineum
Source: GE Global Research
3
Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

4. Our options?

5. “…those of us who work in and came to love this
business at traditional oil companies have to consider
that ethanol and some form of advanced renewable
fuel is no longer a temporary part of the oil business.”
Douglas Haugh, EVP & CIO, Mansfield Oil Company
5
Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

6. Mix variable biofuels into fuel pool
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

7. All biofuels have quality issues

8. Ethanol loves water
Hygroscopic
Phase separation
Increased corrosion
Water is the main cause of ethanol quality issues
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

9. Variability of biodiesel feedstocks
9
Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

10. End up with variety of problems
Cold weather handling
Stability
Microbiological growth

11. Biodiesel has cold flow issues
Variables
Glycerol content
Free fatty acids
Metals
Saturation
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

12. Biodiesel stability … operability concern
Factors
Feedstock saturation
Air exposure
Inverse to CFPP
Polar B100 vs non-polar ULSD
Causes
Gums, sediment
Filter plugging
Injector deposits
Increased viscosity
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

13. Microbes love biodiesel
Collects as sludge/slime
Blocks filters and fuel lines
13
Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

14. How to overcome

15. Know your supplier
Sourcing
Quality standards
(BQ9000, RFA)
Inspections
Industry reputation
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

16. Good hygiene fixes most problems
Robust
housekeeping Remove free water
Clean tanks & pipelines
Check for biological activity
Monitor & Inspect
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

17. Additives are part of the solution
Additive
program Corrosion inhibitors
Dual-phase biocides
Cold flow improvers
Stability improvers
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

18. A complete program is the best route
Problem
diagnosis
Predictive Fuels Best
modeling
Specialist practices
Additives
as tools
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Robert Carpenter – Hart’s Fuels Conference
3/29/2012

19. GE Power & Water
Water & Process Technologies
Fuel Quality Impacts of Increased
Biofuels Requirements
Robert Carpenter
Refining, Fuels & Transportation: Working Together Towards a Sustainable Future
March 23, 2011