By Andrew Pressman This publication addresses questions that farmers and ranchers may have about using biodiesel in diesel
and Mike Morris engines. Biodiesel can be substituted for petroleum-based diesel fuel in virtually any standard unmodi-
NCAT Energy fied diesel engine. However, biodiesel has chemical properties that require somewhat different use and
Specialists handling. While most biodiesel users experience few if any problems, consumers can take precautions
September 2007 to avoid potential problems associated with poor quality fuel.
2007 NCAT
Contents
Introduction .................... 1
Biodiesel, Ethanol,
Vegetable Oil: Whats
the Dierence? ............... 2
Blending and
Storage .............................. 3
Issues and Concerns ..... 4
A
you may notice a slight decrease in horse-
nyone using Outdoor tanks should be located in
power, torque, or fuel economy. At B20 or
B100 should cool shaded areas if possible.
less, you probably wont be able to tell the
know how difference.
to change the fuel Caution: If you are storing large amounts of
fuel, or selling it commercially, you will need A cetane number is an indicator of diesel fuel
filter and should to take many additional precautions and meet quality, measuring the readiness of fuel to
carry a spare fuel local laws and code requirements. ignite when injected into the engine. Biodie-
filter or two. sels cetane number is higher than that of
standard diesel fuel, and this advantage may
partly compensate for its lower BTU content.
Issue #1: Solvent Eects Because biodiesel ignites more readily in
and Filter Clogging diesel engines than petrodiesel, some author-
ities recommend setting the injection timing
According to researchers at the University
back by two to three degrees from top-dead
of Idaho, filter plugging is the most common
center. This will sometimes cause the engine
problem experienced by biodiesel users.(4)
to run quieter, although it may also slightly
Biodiesel has excellent solvent properties reduce your power.(9)
and can be used as a cleaning agent and
paint remover. (It can remove the paint on Issue #3: Cold Weather
the side of your car or tractor, if you splash
it around while fi lling the tank.) In fact, it
Performance
can even dissolve concrete.(4) All diesel fuel, including petroleum-based
fuel, begins to gel at cold temperatures.
Petroleum diesel often leaves a deposit in The temperature at which a cloud of wax
the bottom of fuel lines, tanks, and deliv- crystals forms in the fuel is known as the
ery systems. Biodiesel can loosen and dis- cloud point. The cold filter plugging point
solve these sediments, as well as rust and is the lowest temperature at which fuel can
other materials. This causes fuel fi lters to be drawn through a metal screen fi lter.(10)
become cloggedsometimes in a matter of The pour point is the temperature below
hours after switching to B100. Symptoms of which a fuel will not pour.
fi lter clogging include a sudden power loss
In general, biodiesel gels at somewhat higher
or engine shuddering.
temperatures than conventional #2 diesel.
Older vehicles have more accumulated When wax crystals begin to form in biodie-
deposits, and are especially prone to fi lter sel, the entire fuel tends to cloud at the same
clogging. Ideally, you should clean an old time. In contrast, petroleum diesel is made
Page 4 ATTRA Biodiesel Use, Handling, and Fuel Quality
up of many different compounds that gel at since they will work on the petroleum-based
different temperatures. When some of these portion of the fuel.
begin to crystallize, others remain liquid to a
much lower temperature. Issue #4: Softening Fuel Lines
The cloud point for standard #2 diesel fuel Using a high-percentage biodiesel blend or
is around 5F. The cloud point for biodiesel B100 can cause certain types of elastomers
depends on the feedstock and the amount and natural rubber compounds to bubble,
of free fatty acids in the fuel. The cloud bleed, soften, and degrade over time. Virtu-
point for soy diesel is around 32F (4), ally all diesel vehicles made since the early
compared to cloud points around 20F for 1990s use components that are compatible
canola and 12F for rapeseed.(11) Biodie- with B100.(4) But some older fuel hoses will
sel made from used cooking grease or ani- need to be replaced.
mal fats will tend to cloud at higher tem-
peratures than biodiesel made from virgin Equipment changes are rarely if ever
oils. Biodiesel from the most highly satu- necessary with blends of B20 or lower.(8)
rated feedstocks may gel at temperatures as Besides rubber, other vulnerable materials
high as 50-55F. identified by the National Biodiesel Board
Low-percentage biodiesel blends generally include polypropylene, polyvinyl, and Tygon.
have cold weather properties similar to pet- Although there have been a few reports of
rodiesel. The cloud point of B20 may be degraded injection pump seals, by far the most
3-10F higher than #2 petrodiesel.(8) common problem you are likely to encounter
is with rubber fuel lines. If you have an older
Simple cold weather precautions include vehicle, you should inspect your fuel lines
using engine block or fuel filter heaters frequently after you begin using biodiesel.
and parking vehicles in or near a build-
ing. Fuel additives can also inhibit crystal The good news is that these problems are
growth and gelling in standard diesel fuel. likely to appear gradually, if they appear
Anecdotal reports suggest that few if any at all. Hoses will begin to soften and (even-
of these products work well on B100. They tually) weep. You are unlikely to experience
may be effective on blended fuel, however, a catastrophic failure.
Case Study: vehicles, gradually expanding his usage seemed as if he needed to change l-
Phil Foster Ranches as he became comfortable with the ters more often than normal. Maybe
fuels performance. He also asked his the fuel was a tad o ... Well probably
Phil Foster began using biodiesel on his
supplier lots of questions about test- never know for sure.
organic vegetable farm near San Juan
ing, standards, and feedstocks.
Bautista, California in 2004. He saw the Fuel economy may have decreased
use of non-petroleum fuels as consis- By 2006, biodiesel made up 81 percent slightly, in the range of three to ve
tent with his philosophy as an organic of the roughly 20,000 gallons of diesel percent. There have also been a few
vegetable farmer. He liked the idea that fuel consumed annually by the farms cold mornings (18 - 20 F) when the
any fuel spills would be biodegradable tractors, pickups, and delivery trucks.
vehicles running on B100 would not
and far less toxic than standard diesel. Most of the farms diesel vehicles are
start. Switching temporarily to B30 dur-
He was attracted by the air quality now running B100, although with some
ing cold weather has solved this prob-
and health advantages for his family of his older equipment Phil has been
and his workers. And he liked the idea reluctant to go above B30. lem, and all vehicles have started ne
of purchasing fuel made from agricul- on B30.
Overall, Phil comments that After four
tural products, preferably ones grown Phil recently bought a new truck, which
years of using biodiesel, weve had
locally or regionally. he plans to run on B30 for the rst six to
very good results. He did experience
Phil didnt have the time or inclination some lter plugging when switching twelve months - enough time for any
to make his own fuel, so he began pur- to biodiesel, and he now changes his problems to show up. Once hes con-
chasing biodiesel from a local retailer. lters at every service. He also went dent in the vehicles performance, hell
Initially, he tried B100 in some of his through a period recently where it switch it over to B100.
I
your engine oil more frequently. nesota Department of Commerce conrmed
n 2001, ASTM that some biodiesel producers had shipped
approved a biodiesel that did not meet ASTM D6751
Issue #6: Microbial Growth specication for free and total glycerin.(12)
standard specif- Water can sometimes drip through vents Theres no room for poor-quality biodie-
ically for biodiesel, and collect at the bottom of fuel tanks. sel in the marketplace, said Steve Howell,
ASTM D6751. Certain varieties of algae, yeast, and fungi technical director with the National Biodiesel
can grow at the interface of the fuel and Board. Although investigations have indi-
water.(4) In order to prevent microbial cated that other factors unrelated to biodie-
sel may have led to at least some of the l-
growth, you should drain any water from ter-plugging reports in Minnesota, theres
the bottom of your fuel tank on a regular no question that o-specication biodiesel
basis. Certain biocides can also be added can have a severe reaction in cold weather,
to control microbial growth, but the dead even in low blends.(13)
microbes may plug fi lters. All Minnesota biodiesel producers subse-
quently had to prove that their fuel met
ASTM specications.(12) After imple-
ASTM Standards menting additional quality measures,
The American Society for Testing and the Department of Commerce rearmed
Materials (ASTM) is the industry organiza- the ruling that diesel fuel was required to
tion that defines legal fuel standards: mini- contain two percent biodiesel meeting
mum values that a fuel must meet to operate ASTM D6751 specications.
safely in a compression ignition engine. Minnesotas experience showed that even
a low-percentage of o-spec biodiesel
All diesel engines sold in the U.S. are man- as low as two percent!can cause perfor-
ufactured to meet ASTM D975, the legal mance problems .
standard for petrodiesel. In 2001, ASTM
Photo: www.biodieselcommunity.org
ity, off-spec fuel in perspective: The vast
majority of biodiesel consumers experience
no fuel-related problems whatsoever. There
is also (unfortunately) off-spec gasoline and
diesel fuel in the marketplace too.
To reduce your chances of buying off-spec
biodiesel, get to know your dealer and ask
questions. How long have they been in busi-
pHLip test results, showing fuel quality problems.
ness? What feedstocks are used? What are
the cold weather characteristics of the fuel?
How frequently is the fuel tested for ASTM
compliance? Are your manufacturer and While most of these are mainly of interest
marketer BQ-9000 accredited? to biodiesel fuel makers, some are within
the capability of technically minded fuel
Dont assume that bigger companies are consumers, too.
necessarily better. Many small producers
take pride in making excellent fuel, and Conclusion
some large producers have been known to
make bad batches. Biodiesel users should take some basic pre-
cautions to avoid performance problems:
Perform regular maintenance, check
Do-It-Yourself Fuel fuel fi lters frequently, and change
Quality Testing them as necessary.
You can mail a sample of fuel to a labora- Understand biodiesels cold weather
tory for comprehensive ASTM testing, but properties and take appropriate
the price tag is likely to be a hefty $800 precautions.
to $1,000 or more. Fortunately, there are
some inexpensive alternatives for consum- Be aware of biodiesels incompat-
ers and fuel makers. ibility with certain materials and
replace any incompatible parts,
Dr. Randall von Wedel has developed a sim- especially rubber fuel lines.
ple testing kit called the pHLip (pronounced Regularly drain water from the
fl ip) Test. You fi ll a vial with B100 to bottom of fuel tanks, to prevent
the indicated level, then fl ip the sample 10 microbial growth.
times and wait 10 minutes for the fuel to
float to the top. Through visual inspection Use stored biodiesel within about
you can identify a variety of fuel quality six months.
problems, including old, poorly washed, or Make sure that fuel meets ASTM
oxidized fuel. The kits are NOT a substitute D6751.
for ASTM testing and standards, but cost Incorporate biodiesel into farming
only around $5 per test and allow quick in- operations gradually. Start slowly
the-field testing. For more information, visit and expand your use of the fuel as
www.phliptest.com. you gain confidence.
Several simple fuel quality tests are also Make sure your biodiesel comes
described on the Journey to Forever site, at from a reputable source. Get to
http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_vehicle. know your fuel provider and ask
html. These include the wash test, repro- questions about feedstocks and
cessing test, methanol test, and others. quality testing.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 9
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Board. Retrieved May 10, 2007. www.biodie-
1. Pahl, Greg. 2005. Biodiesel: Growing a New sel.org/pdf _ files/fuelfactsheets/Cold%20Flow.pdf
Energy Economy. White River Junction, VT: 11. Brown, Jack and Jim Davis. January 31, 2007.
Chelsea Green Publishing Company. Agronomics of Oil Seed Crops in the Pacific
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Biodiesel Magazine, October. Retrieved May
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QualityandPerformanceGuide.pdf ties. National Biodiesel Board. Retrieved May
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fuelfactsheets/standards-and-warranties.shtm
Use Guidelines. Golden, CO: National Renew-
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Page 12 ATTRA