New Technology Makes Biofuel From Any Renewable Oil but New ULSD is Causing Issues...

[M.D. Holloway]

Article from an associate...

New Technology Makes Biofuel From Any Renewable Oil

By Anita LaFond, News Editor, Manufacturing.net
Manufacturing.Net - February 13, 2007

Diversified Energy Corp., an alternative and renewable energy company, announced Tuesday an exclusive licensing agreement with North Carolina State University for Centia, a “100 percent green” biofuels technology that produces high performance fuels from any renewable oil.

According to the company, Centia meets President Bush’s vision to reduce U.S. petroleum consumption by 20 percent and to increase the renewable fuels standard to 35 billion gallons per year by 2017.

When compared to other biofuel processes like biodiesel and ethanol, Centia is said to provide up to a 50 percent reduction in external energy required in the process and offers a “100 percent green” biofuel product containing no fossil fuel components.

Because Centia uses any renewable lipid-based oil compound (such as soybean, canola, animal fats, algae), it is not dependent on the price or availability of any one supply source.

Centia will initially being used to produce commercial and military jet fuel and a cold-weather biodiesel additive, both of which are challenging and complex hydrocarbon fuels and have received little attention by the biofuels industry.

North Carolina State University has been working on the development of Centia over the past ten years.

Diversified Energy, headquartered in Gilbert, Ariz., has been supporting the university in systems integration, scaleup, and the overall commercialization of the technology.


and another article addressing a bigger issue...



from the Wall Street Journal
Clean Diesel Fuel Has School Buses Out Sick With Cold
By ROBERT GUY MATTHEWS February 8, 2007; Page B1

Some school districts are blaming a recent federal mandate to switch to a less-polluting diesel fuel for a spate of school-bus breakdowns that left thousands of kids stranded and shivering in the extreme cold this week.

On Monday, when temperatures dipped below zero in East Allen County, Ind., 36 of the county's 155 school buses started up fine but soon conked out because the new fuel, thickening in the cold, clogged fuel filters. That same day, 30 miles outside of Pittsburgh, Hempfield area schools had the same problem with 26 of their 80 buses. Districts in Kansas and New England reported similar problems.

"The problem doesn't lie with the individual schools," says Lynda Kuchler, transportation director for the East Allen County Schools. "The problem is with the fuel."


In October, the Bush administration required diesel users, including buses and trucks, to begin switching to ultralow-sulfur fuel to reduce air pollution. The new diesel has 15 parts per million of sulfur, compared with about 500 parts per million for the diesel it's replacing.

The problem comes during the refining process used to attain the ultralow-sulfur ratio. That affects the naturally occurring wax in diesel in such a way that it can cause the fuel to turn from liquid to gel more readily in cold temperatures. Gelled fuel clogs the fuel filters and starves the engine, causing it to stop.

Environmental Protection Agency officials say there is nothing wrong with the fuel. But it may have to be treated with special additives. Or engine warmers -- equipment that keeps the engine warm, usually using electricity -- may have to be used, they said.

Margo Oge, director of the EPA's office of transportation and air quality, said all diesel fuels gel in subzero temperatures. Both refiners and users have been adding kerosene or other additives to diesel fuel for decades in such weather to prevent it from thickening. "The only difference is when you add kerosene now, it must be ultralow-sulfur diesel kerosene," Ms. Oge said.

The ultralow diesel rollout is the biggest change to fuel standards since the country began removing lead from gasoline in the 1970s. Ms. Oge said that while the changeover is going smoothly, part of the problem appears to be confusion over the additives. Some school authorities said they weren't clear that special additives or ultraclean kerosene had to be added. Ms. Oge also said some of the refiners may not have used the proper mix of additives or ultraclean kerosene in fuel provided to the school systems.

Patrick Carnicella, transportation director for Westmoreland County schools just outside Pittsburgh, said bus problems caused schools to close Monday and Tuesday, reopening after he figured out the problem. He calculated that the additives cost about 37 cents a gallon, on top of the $1.93 a gallon the school system pays for the ultralow diesel.

[turbo6bar]

37 cents a gallon for the anti-gel addictive? damn, what a price to pay for low emissions. What the heck do refineries in northern Europe do to make the fuel stable at lower temps?

Lube, has anyone developed a reliable biodiesel anti-gel additive? I curently run a 25% biodiesel mix, but at 0 degrees, the mix turns to gel. 100% bio is fine at 32 degrees, but overnight temps are getting down in the 20s now, which pushes me into questionable territory.
jurgen

[VINMAN]

I run Power Service or Howes diesel lube in my Dodge. Both have anti gel additives in it. Also the PS has a cetane boost in it. I notice a bifg difference running without it. The biggest problem it seems with the low sulfur, is the lack of lubrication for the injector and lift pumps.

[notfarnow]

Lubemaster has a biodiesel additive that is supposed to work well. I meant to get a sample to test it on the straight canola I run.

My canola tank stays liquid to ~14*F. Any biodiesel sample I've had gels at that temp, even at a 25% blend. I just got lined up with a new source for oil, my 3 samples stayed liquid to 5*F.

[M.D. Holloway]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
37 cents a gallon for the anti-gel addictive? damn, what a price to pay for low emissions. What the heck do refineries in northern Europe do to make the fuel stable at lower temps?

Lube, has anyone developed a reliable biodiesel anti-gel additive? I curently run a 25% biodiesel mix, but at 0 degrees, the mix turns to gel. 100% bio is fine at 32 degrees, but overnight temps are getting down in the 20s now, which pushes me into questionable territory.
jurgen

To date, no one has anything that can lower the B100 gel point. He have been able to lower B20 about 15 to 20 degrees depending on the lipid type. The guy that is spending an additonal 37 cents is being ripped off ten fold!

[VINMAN]

So Mike, are you saying that its a waste to put any kind of additive in diesel , or just biodiesel?

[M.D. Holloway]

No, not a waste. In fact, with the new ULSD it is required - that stuff is dry as hell. The biodiesel is actually a better fuel in terms of lubricity and cetane but gels at a higher temperature and is very susceptible to biological infestation. Both fuels are problematic and if you mix them who knows?

The cost of treating fuel should not be more than 6 cents per gallon. Anymore than that is ass rape.

[nota]

I thought diesel was mostly kerosene, with some lube oil added
what else is in it???

btw anyone see boston legal last nite
capt jerk was sell human fat lipo-ed out as fuel
and was busted as bio-waste

[notfarnow]

Fact: ULSD tastes better than the old diesel. Made that discovery on Sunday night.

[M.D. Holloway]

'Some petroleum products have similar, but not identical, specifications and physical properties. For example, No. 2 fuel oil and No. 2-GT gas turbine fuel are similar to No. 2-D diesel fuel. And No. 1-GT gas turbine fuel oil, Jet A Aviation Turbine Fuel, and kerosine, the product specifically sold for use in lamps and stoves, are similar to No. 1-D diesel fuel.5

The specifications for each product are developed to ensure that it is suitable for the intended use. The fuel properties needed to keep a lamp burning are not nearly so stringent as those required to keep a jet aircraft aloft. Products with similar physical properties should not be used interchangeably without a complete understanding of the requirements of the intended use.'

Kerosene:
Boiling point: 150°C
Melting point: -20°C
Relative density (water = 1): 0.8
Solubility in water: insoluble
Relative vapour density (air = 1): 4.5
Flash point: 37-65°C
Auto-ignition temperature: 220°C
Explosive limits, vol% in air: 0.7-5

Diesel Fuel
Boiling point: 160 - 325°C
Melting point: 15 to -30°C
Relative density (water = 1): 0.81 to 0.94
Solubility in water: insoluble
Relative vapour density (air = 1): 2.12 - 26mmHg
Flash point: 38-65°C
Auto-ignition temperature: 177 - 329°C
Explosive limits, vol% in air: 0.7-5

They are different but not by much. Often folks blend kerosene into diesel fuel to lower the gel point - typically called a winter grade.

[M.D. Holloway]

Also, cetane (C16H34) is the reference diesel fuel against which all diesel fuels samples are compared. Diesel fuel as well as many other fuels is a combination of dozens of hydrocarbon chemicals.

[M.D. Holloway]

This table shows the degree of variation - throw ULSD and biodiesels into the mix and it is anyones guess.

[turbo6bar]

Spiking diesel with bio has certainly made the E300D Mercedes run much smoother. I think it's the increased cetane.

[notfarnow]

Originally posted by turbo6bar
Spiking diesel with bio has certainly made the E300D Mercedes run much smoother. I think it's the increased cetane.

What year E300D do you have? I'm hoping to pick one up this year, but have heard about reliability issues and am getting cold feet. Surely they can't be worse than VWs

[turbo6bar]

95 model. This is the last year for the 124 chassis, which I believe ran back to 87 and perhaps 86. It does occasionally have issues, but so far, nothing major in 150k+ miles. I have experience with an older model 240D and 300D, and I would say the 124 chassis is a good refinement, but with greater complexity.

Like Porsches, good maintenance is important. A well-maintained Mercedes is good for several hundred thousand miles/km.

[TimT]

are you saying that its a waste to put any kind of additive in diesel , or just biodiesel

FYI the owners manual for my 2003 Ford 6.0 Powerstroke Diesel recommends using anti-gel and cetane boosters.

Of course they recommend Motorcraft products, but I use Power service, Howes, or Lucas which I buy at truck stops on my frequent trips up and down I-95.

I also run my truck on Bio as often as I can.. I worked up in Vermont for a few months last year and had easy access to B100..

The truck never ran better than when using B100. Unfortunately here on Long Island there is very limited oppurtunity for buying Bio.

So far the truck likes ULSD