Biodiesel issues with Kerosene

Biodiesel ISSUES

Minnesota forced to temporarily suspend B-5 mandate.

Preliminary biodiesel laboratory testing results are encouraging.

As more state mandates for biodiesel come into effect and expand, more issues begin to surface. It has been well known that all diesel fuels are not the same. It has also been well known and documented that diesel fuel additives for winterization and premium performance react differently to various diesel fuels. Throw in the fact now that there are multiple sources being used to make different types of biodiesel and problems were bound to escalate.

Originally, bio sources were relatively consistent. Soy based bio was the most abundantly available and most widely used and accepted source for blending when properly processed. Usage began slowly and only small amounts of bio were used for blending.

A push to become a “Greener” society and government tax breaks that lowered costs encouraged wider availability and acceptance to biodiesel. Other sources for bio production were brought into use because of feedstock costs, innovation and availability. Everything from palm oil to fryer grease, animal fat (tallow) and jatropha oil to pond scum (algae) were used for the bio content. Greater bio content usage necessitated a wider range of diesel fuels for blending and new chemical additives to adequately treat the bio blended fuels. Thrown all together it became a possible recipe for disaster.

The state of Minnesota is a prime example of operability issues that have developed. Minnesota has led the nation in the use of biodiesel. In the fall of 2005, Minnesota mandated that all diesel fuel sold in the state have 2% bio content. Then, in the fall of 2009, it increased the statewide mandate to 5% bio content (B-5) in the diesel fuel.

It gets cold in Minnesota. Kerosene (K-1) in ever increasing amounts has been used for years to lower the diesel fuel cloud point and pour point so that it can be used in the coldest extremes. Then in the winter of 2009-10, problems of great proportions became evident. It was found that in some cases when K-1 was added to the B-5 diesel fuel, the 5% bio content fell out of solution and settled to the bottom of vehicle fuel tanks and bulk fuel storage tanks. This resulted in plugged fuel filters and fuel delivery systems since the fuel draw lines and tank dispersing lines pull from the bottom. Minnesota was forced to temporarily suspend the B-5 mandate.

Extensive testing continues to identify the true cause of the problem and new remedies and solutions to this problem and other possible issues are being developed. Preliminary results are showing that various sources of bio content take significantly more chemistry than others to keep the bio suspended in Kerosene (K-1). Amalgamated, Inc is at the forefront of this research and will continue to be an industry leader in the development of chemistry combinations to solve these issues.

Our current lab testing indicates all of the prior year’s operability issues can be successfully resolved with Amalgamated, Inc offers proprietary custom formulated biodiesel additives including tallow and palm oil B-5 biodiesel fuels. Contact us for the latest technological developments.

 

Biodiesel and Biodiesel Blends.

Biodiesel Issues Spring 2010 update.