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Biodiesel (i.e., mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils and animal fats) is a renewable diesel fuel providing life-cycle greenhouse gas emission reductions relative to petroleum-derived diesel. With the expectation that there would be widespread use of biodiesel as a substitute for ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD), there have been many studies looking into the effects of biodiesel on engine and aftertreatment, particularly its compatibility to the current aftertreatment technologies. The objective of this study was to generate experimental data to measure the effectiveness of a current technology diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC) to oxidize soy-based biodiesel at various blend levels with ULSD. Biodiesel blends from 0 to 100% were evaluated on an engine using a conventional DOC.

The project objective was to generate experimental data to evaluate the impact of metals doped B20 on DPF ash loading and performance compared to that of conventional petrodiesel. Accelerated ash loading was conducted on two DPFs – one exposed to regular diesel fuel and the other to B20 containing metal dopants equivalent to 4 ppm B100 total metals (currently total metals are limited to 10 ppm in ASTM D6751, the standard for B100). Periodic performance evaluations were conducted on the DPFs at 10 g/L ash loading intervals. After the evaluations at 30 g/L, the DPF was cleaned with a commercial DPF cleaning machine and another round of DPF evaluations were conducted. A comparison of the effect of ash loading with the two fuels and DPF cleaning is presented. The metals doped B20 fuel resulted in ash that was similar to that deposited when exposed to ULSD (lube oil ash) and exhibited similar ash cleaning removal efficiency.

This project’s objective was to generate experimental data to evaluate the impact of metals doped B20 on diesel particle filter (DPF) ash loading and performance compared to that of conventional petrodiesel. The effect of metals doped B20 vs. conventional diesel on a DPF was quantified in a laboratory controlled accelerated ash loading study. The ash loading was conducted on two DPFs – one using ULSD fuel and the other on B20 containing metals dopants equivalent to 4 ppm B100 total metals. Engine oil consumption and B20 metals levels were accelerated by a factor of 5, with DPFs loaded to 30 g/L of ash. Details of the ash loading experiment and on-engine DPF performance evaluations are presented in the companion paper (Part I). The DPFs were cleaned, and ash samples were taken from the cleaned material. X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) were conducted on the ash samples.

A literature evaluation of potential oxidative and thermal stability test methods for biodiesel and biodiesel blends with petrodiesel, as well as the known effects of stability related issues on performance in the field, has been completed. The advantages and disadvantages of the selected potential test methods were compiled to form a basis for further consideration and rating of the test methods. The literature search and rankings were peer reviewed by experts in the oleochemical, petroleum diesel, and diesel engine manufacturing fields. Based on the peer-reviewed rankings, limited bench scale testing was performed on selected test methods and various modifications to determine their applicability to biodiesel and biodiesel blends. For various reasons, none of the methods (as written) appeared to be reliable indicators of performance with biodiesel or its blends.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a summary of the US activity regarding the development of biodiesel specifications and to provide an update of the latest status and activity in the US. An ASTM Biodiesel Task Force was formed in 1994 to develop a US standard for biodiesel. Several iterations of the standard have occurred between biodiesel producers, engine manufacturers, and researchers and good agreement has been reached. The National Biodiesel Board and US biodiesel suppliers have adopted specifications based on the ASTM work. Recent approval was granted for the development of a provisional ASTM biodiesel standard which would be published by ASTM while additional data and approvals for a full ASTM standard (further field data test method precision and bias information and approval of the GC method for free and total glycerine) are occurring. Background - Biodiesel, a renewable diesel fuel substitute or blending stock, is currently being commercialized in the US.

Biodiesel, the mono alkyl ester of long chain fatty acids derived from renewable lipid resources was evaluated for use as a blending agent with heavy alkylates and low sulfur petroleum diesel fuel. The engine selected for testing was a 1992 L10E Cummins diesel engine. The regulated EPA exhaust emissions of the engine were evaluated before and after retarding the injection timing of the engine by 3°. EPA exhaust emissions were also evaluated after increasing the concentration of biodiesel and heavy alkylate while reducing the low sulfur diesel fuel used when fueling the engine. In general, the engine performed well and power changed very little during the testing. All EPA regulated exhaust emissions were reduced below that observed when fueling with baseline low sulfur diesel fuel as a result of timing changes and/or fueling with heavy alkylate blends.