1. Biodiesel
Technical
Training
Course
BIO
2A
Biodiesel
Fuel
Quality
&
BQ-­‐9000
Presented
by the
National Biodiesel Board

2. Learning
Objec.ves
• 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

3. Learning
Outcomes
• 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

4. 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

5. Biodiesel
Specifica.ons
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
5

6. ASTM
D6751
Specifica.on

7.
ASTM
D7467
Specifica.on

8. Cri.cal
Quality
Specifica.ons
Test
Criteria
Specifica.on
Why
it’s
important
Max
0.020%
mass
Free
Glycerin
Injector
coking
Max
0.240%
mass
Total
Glycerin
Injector
coking,
filter
plugging
Min
130
°C
[Max
0.2%
Flash
Point
[Methanol]
methanol]
Shipping/handling
safety,
injector
life
Max
0.50
mg
KOH/g
Acid
Number
Long
term
storage,
fuel
system
fouling
Max
0.050%
volume
Water
&
Sediment
Fuel
system
contamina.on
Max
2
Visual
Appearance
Indicates
moisture
or
impuri.es
Min
3.0
hr
Oxida.ve
Stability
Long
term
storage,
fuel
filter
clogging
Max
15
ppm
Sulfur
EPA
regulated
specifica.on
Max
200/360
sec
(summer/
Cold
Soak
Filtra.on
winter)
Filter
plugging,
control
minor
components
Report
°C
Cloud
Point
Cold
weather
storage
/handling
8

9. Cer.ficate
of
Analysis

10. 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

11. Fuel
Proper.es

12. Energy
Content
• Hea.ng
value
of
the

No.
2
D
fuel
130,000
BTUs/gallon
• Not
specified
by
ASTM
• Typically
expressed
as
BTUs/gallon

Gasoline
• B20
1.8%
less
BTU
114,200
BTUs/gallon
• B100
7.7%

Biodiesel
(B100)
120,000
BTUs/gallon

13. Enhanced
Lubricity
Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel
• Equipment
benefits
800
– Superior
lubricity
HFRR WSD (micron)
700
600
500
– B2
has
up
to
66%
more
400 lubricity
than
#2
Diesel
300
200 • EPA
required
sulfur
reduc.on
100
0
in
diesel
0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0
• No
overdosing
concerns
Biodiesel Blend (%)

14. 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.

15. 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)

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

21. In
Summary
• 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

22.
Op.mized
Biodiesel
• Tradi.onally,
biodiesel
is
made
from
fats
a
nd
oils
that
are
a
minor
by-­‐product
of
producing
food
• The
finished
proper.es
are
largely
based
o
n
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
22

23. 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/
23

24. 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
24
• Dedicated to information exchange for biodiesel & diesel
technicians

25. Thank You!
Questions…?
Rachel
Burton
Call
NBB
at
1-­‐800-­‐841-­‐5849
OEM
Diesel
Technician
Training
Visit
www.biodiesel.org
Program
wrenchwench@blast.com
Tel:
919-­‐444-­‐3495
25