Presented by the

National Biodiesel Board

Biodiesel  Technical  Training  Course  

 BIO  2B:  Biodiesel  

Vehicle  Maintenance  

Learning  Objec-ves  

 •  Provide  access  to  industry  experts  for  more  detailed  ques-ons  and  answers  about  biodiesel  

•  Introduce  the  Na-onal  Biodiesel  Board’s  Diesel  Technician  Training  program  and  the  program  resources  to  the  audience  

•  Provide  technical  instruc-on  on  biodiesel’s  impact  towards  engine  and  vehicle  maintenance  &  troubleshoo-ng  

•  Provide  instruc-on  on  diesel,  biodiesel  fuel  and  fuel  filtra-on  

 

2  

Learning  Outcomes     •  Be  able  to  discern  issues  between  normal  diesel  problems  and  poor  quality  biodiesel  imposters  or  out-­‐of-­‐spec  biodiesel  when  they  hit  the  shop  

•  Be  able  to  properly  diagnose  and  make  recommenda-ons  regarding  biodiesel  use  and  vehicle  maintenance  

•  Be  able  to  describe  how  fuel  proper-es  affect  fuel  quality  and  fuel  filtra-on  

 

3  

Today’s  Topics  

•  Vehicle  maintenance   Fuel  System     Air  Intake   Lubrica-on  Oil     Star-ng  &  Charging,  Computer  controls  

 Cooling,  &  Vacuum  systems  

 Exhaust  &  Emissions  Controls  

•  Troubleshoo-ng   Out-­‐of-­‐spec  fuel     Handling  &  Use   Performance     Fuel  filter  contaminants  

 Key  Resources  

Biodiesel  Delivers  Important  Diesel  Proper-es  

•  Auto-­‐igni-on  =  Cetane  Number  over  50  •  BTU  Content  =  Similar  to  #1,  less  than  #2  •  Viscosity  =  Values  in  diesel  fuel  range  •  Cloud  Point  =  Current  biodiesel  higher  than  #2  •  Lubricity  =  Naturally  high  in  lubricity  •  Sulfur  =  Naturally  less  than  15  ppm  •  Cleanliness  =  ASTM  specs  same  as  petrodiesel    •  Stability  =  Spec  set  for  6  month  min.  shelf  life    •  Emissions  significantly  less  for  PM,  HC,  CO  

Engine  to  Fuel  

Ultra-low Sulfur Diesel

0100200300400500600700800

0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0

Biodiesel Blend (%)

HFR

R W

SD (m

icro

n)

•  Equipment  benefits  –  Superior  lubricity  –  B2  has  up  to  66%  more  lubricity  than  #2  Diesel  

•  No  overdosing  concerns  

Biodiesel  only  contacts  the  fuel  system  so  use  should  not  affect  bearings,  turbo,  oil/water  pumps,  and  other  wear-­‐related  parts.  

Fuel  System  

•  Material  compa-bility  is  key  for  blends  above  B20  •  Repair  Fuel  leaks  to  prevent  impact  to  other  systems!    From  the  fuel  sending  unit  in  tank  to  injectors    primary  &  secondary  fuel  filters    Fuel  lines  (sending  &  return)    High  pressure  or      low  pressure  injectors    O-­‐rings    Transfer  &  injec-on  pumps    

 Solvency  &  Stability  

 B20  &  Under  •  Monitor  filters,  less  than  2%  need  to  be  changed  •  Mild  cleaning  effect  •  Storage  tanks  may  need  to  be  cleaned,  or  keep  extra  filters  on  

hand  at  start  up  •  Housekeeping  protocols  for  generic  diesel  equally  important  

prior  to  blending  •  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    

 Fuel  Filter:Service  Intervals  

•  Ford:  Special  Opera-ng  Condi-ons  •  Cummins  and  John  Deere:  “half the

standard interval for the next two fuel filter changes… Afterwards, revert to the intervals specified in O & M manual.”

•  Refer to OEM recommendations

Lubrica-on  System  

•  Change  oil  as  recommended  by  Engine  manufacturer  

•  Use  OEM  recommended  engine  oil  •  API,  CI  ra-ng  •  Regular  oil  analysis  maintenance  program  •  Inspect  dips-ck  for  biodiesel  smell  

Lube  Oil  Contamina-on  

•  Current  ongoing  research,  SAE  CI  Engine  Performance  with  Alterna-ve  Fuels,  2008  

•  A  concern  of  engine  manufacturers.  •  Same  mechanism  for  the  oil  dilu-on  for  heavier  frac-ons  of  

diesel  fuel  as  for  biodiesel.  •  Due  to  high  boiling  point  of  biodiesel,  the  fuel  is  slower  to  

vaporize  ager  injec-on  into  the  cylinder.  •  Remaining  compounds  will  be  deposited  on  the  cylinder  wall  

where  they  can  be  pulled  into  the  crankcase  by  the  normal  scraping  ac-on  of  the  piston's  oil  control  rings.    

•  Light  Duty  issue,  2009+  

Cold weather can cloud and even gel any diesel fuel, including biodiesel. Users of a B20 with #2 diesel will usually experience an increase of the cold flow properties (cold filter plugging point, cloud point, pour point) approximately 2 to 10° Fahrenheit. Similar precautions employed for petroleum diesel are needed for fueling with 20 percent blends. •  blending with #1 diesel (kerosene) •  using fuel heaters and parking indoors •  and using a cold-flow improvement additive

Cold  Weather  Performance    

   B20  has  been  used      successfully  in  climates        below  -­‐20ºF  

Lower  Emissions  

  U.S.  biodiesel  reduces  lifecycle  carbon  emissions  by  over  50%  compared  to  petrodiesel,  qualifying  it  as  an  Advanced  Biofuel  under  RFS-­‐2  and  making  it  the  best  carbon  reduc-on  tool  of  any  liquid  fuel  commercially  available.    

Emission  Type   B20   B2    Total  Unburned  Hydrocarbons   -­‐20%   -­‐2.2%  

 Carbon  Monoxide   -­‐12%   -­‐1.3%  

 ParHculate  MaIer   -­‐12%   -­‐1.3%  

 Oxides  of  Nitrogen  (NOX)   +/-­‐2%   +/-­‐.2%  

Diesel  Emission  Reduc-ons  

Fuel technology

Combustion technology

Aftertreatment technology

Fuel system technology

Better understanding of combustion

Alternate Fuels (Biodiesel) Low sulfur De-Nox

SCR

DOC

PM trap

Rate control High pressure Multi-injection

EGR technology Others

Control technology

Technology Pathway

DPF:    Balance  Point  Temp  -­‐    Regenera-on  Rate  Results  

BPT ULSD 360ºC B20 320ºC B100 250ºC

• BPT is 40ºC lower for B20 • Soot is more easily burned off of filter • B20: lower temperature duty cycle OK

• Regeneration rate increases with increasing biodiesel content

• Even at 5%, biodiesel PM measurably oxidizes more quickly

Biodiesel  and  Agertreatment  Systems  

  Biodiesel  is  compa-ble  with  Diesel  Par-culate  Filters,  and  has  some  dis-nct  advantages:  •  Lowers  regenera-on  

temperatures  •  Less  engine  out  par-culate  

mamer  •  May  provide  increased  

performance  and  decreased  maintenance  vs.  ULSD  alone  

•  May  provide  increased  fuel  economy  

 

  Regenera-on  mode  is  important  •  Most  US  heavy  duty  

applica-ons  use  exhaust  stream  fuel  injec-on  which  is  compa-ble  with  B20,  perhaps  higher  blends  

•  Some  light  duty  OEMs  recommend  max  B5  at  present  

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Are  you  Smoking?  

•  Black  smoke:  injectors,  air  inlet  restric-on,  engine  -ming,  internal  engine  -ming,  injec-on  pump  failure  

•  Blue  Smoke:    insufficient  fuel,  contaminated  fuel,    High  or  low  oil  consump-on,  air  in  the  fuel  

•  White  smoke:  bad  glow  plugs,  plugged  return  fuel  line,  insufficient  fuel  supply,  low  compression,  air  in  fuel,  injector  or  pump  problem,  engine  -ming  

•  White  smoke  can  be  normal  in  cold  weather  before  engine  warms  

 

SCR  Performance  

B20  vs.  Diesel:    In  the  shop  

•  With  in-­‐spec  B20  and  lower,  the  issues  you  can  expect  to  see  in  your  shop  are  the  same  as  you  will  see  with  petrodiesel  

•  Except:  –  Expect  to  see  fewer  lubricity  related  issues  –  Expect  to  see  fewer  problems  with  ager-­‐treatment  –  Filter  related  issues  may  be  related  to  cleaning  effect  upon  first  use,  or  are  likely  normal  diesel  issues  or  out  of  spec  or  imposter  biodiesel  

–  Less  black  smoke  from  exhaust!    

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Fuel  Filter  TroubleshooHng:  Petrodiesel  &  Biodiesel    

What  does  a  Fuel  Filter  catch?      

Off-spec fuel

Rust

Paraffin Wax

Exposure  to  Air:  Fuel  Storage  

•  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  in  par-ally  empty  tanks  without  stabilizers.  

•  Consider  desiccant  dryers.  

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.

Water  Contamina-on  

•  ULSD reaches water saturation at approximately 200-300 ppm. More settles to the bottom.  

•  NREL B20 survey data: same water saturation level as petrodiesel. More settle to the bottom  

•  B100 can hold more water, up to 1200 ppm  

•  Still very small—0.12%, on the same order as gasoline can hold water. Un-dissolved water settles to the bottom like it does in petrodiesel tanks.  

•  While higher than petrodiesel, biodiesel is not water loving (i.e. hygroscopic) like ethanol is. Most people do not understand this fact.

Water  in  Fuel  is  a  Problem  

All  non-­‐dissolved  water  can  cause  problems:  •  Serves  as  growth  medium  for  organisms  that  plug  filters  

•  Concentrates  acids  and  ionic  species  that  cause  corrosion  and  deposits  

•  Freezes  at  cold  temperatures  and  reduces  fuel  flow    

•  Reacts  with  some  addiHves  to  form  precipitates  and  deposits  

•  Plugs  injector  nozzles  at  extreme  condiHons  •  Reduces  fuel  lubricity  when  in  emulsified  form  

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

Inje

cto

r L

ife

(%

)

25

100

200

400

500

750

1000

5000

10000

Amount of Water in Fuel (ppm)

Effect of Water on Injector Life

Fuel-­‐Water  Removal  More  Difficult  in  Future  

•  ULSD  addiHve  package  lowers  interfacial  tension  making  removal  more  difficult  

•  Biodiesels  have  lower  interfacial  tension  and  hold  more  water,  again  adversely  impacHng  removal  –  FWS  more  challenging  as  biodiesel  percentage  in  blends  increase  

•  Solvency  of  biodiesel  blends  makes  coated  cellulose  media  opHon  less  effecHve  

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

0 10 20 30 40

interfacial surface tension, dynes/cm

time

wei

ghte

d ef

ficie

ncy,

%

original or clay treated fueladditized

more additized

ULSD

BiodieselB20 50

Sediment/Rust  build-­‐up    

•  Some of the filters had solid sediment within the folds and solid particles in the filter casing.  

•  Sediment present in the fuel or rust particles from within the engine can collect over time and plug the filter even when there are not necessarily problems with the fuel.  

Paraffin  Wax    

•  High level of paraffin material could be from the way ULSD is processed.  

•  When the temperature of the fuel is at or below its cloud point, paraffin material will precipitate out and collect on the bottom of the tank.  

•  When warmed to room temperature the paraffin wax will turn back into liquid.  

•  Paraffin build-up does not come from biodiesel fuel.

Fuel  Stability  

•  Chemical  degrada-on  occurs  with  contact  with  oxygen  for  long  periods  or  at  high  temperatures.  

•  Oxida-on  of  fuel  can  form  insolubles  and  peroxides    

•  Peroxides  increase  deposits  and  gumming  on  fuel  pumps  and  injec-on  systems  

•  Filter  plugging  will  also  occur  •  Filters with a black and shiny surface

but no microbial growth odor or gel or sediment indicate they may be plugged by oxidation build-up.  

•  This may be a black “asphaltene” petrodiesel type material collecting on the filter.  

•  ASTM  D975  now  specifies  a  stability  parameter  

Monoglyceride  Build-­‐up  

•  The next filter tested positive for high concentrations of saturated monoglyceride material—an out of spec or ‘imposter’ biodiesel.  

•  Monoglyceride is one substance that can precipitate out of fuel if not within spec  

•  Monoglycerides do not turn back into a liquid at room temperature  

•  Can be distinguished from diesel by its brownish, butterscotch pudding type of appearance

Troubleshoo-ng    &  Maintenance  Checklist  

  Microbial Growth – Exposure to air and water  

  Icing of Filter – Excess water in tank  

  Oxidation – Hot fuel return to fuel tank  

  Monoglyceride Build Up – Off specification  

  Paraffin Wax – Temperature at or below cloud point

  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

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.biodieselautomoHve.org  • Dedicated to information exchange for biodiesel & diesel technicians

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Rachel  Burton  NBB  Diesel  Technician  Training    Program  wrenchwench@blast.com  Tel:  919-­‐444-­‐3495    Call  NBB  at  1-­‐800-­‐841-­‐5849  Visit  www.biodiesel.org