Oil yields and characteristics

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Quality standard for rapeseed oil fuel
Cetane Numbers
National standards for biodiesel
-- standards and the homebrewer
-- standard testing
Fuel properties of fats and oils
Fuel properties of esters
Fats and oils -- resources

Quality Standard for Rapeseed Oil

Quality Standard for Rapeseed Oil as a Fuel (RK-Qualitätsstandard)

Properties /Contents Unit Limiting Value Testing Method

min. max.

Characteristic properties for Rapeseed 0il

Density (15ºC) kg/m³ 900 930 DIN EN ISO 3675
DIN EN ISO 12185

Flash Point
by P.-M. ºC 220 - DIN EN 22719

Calorific Value kJ/kg 35000 - DIN 51900-3

Kinematic Viscosity (40ºC) mm²/S - 38 DIN EN ISO 3104

Low Temperature Behaviour - - - Rotational Viscometer (testing conditions will be developed)

Cetane Number - - - Testing method will be reviewed

Carbon Residue Mass-% - 0.40 DIN EN ISO 10370

Iodine Number g/100 g 100 120 DIN 53241-1

Sulphur Content mg/kg - 20 ASTM D5453-93

Variable properties

Contamination mg/kg - 25 DIN EN 12662

Acid Value mg KOH/g - 2.0 DIN EN ISO 660

Oxidation Stability (110ºC) h 5.0 - IS0 6886

Phosphorus Content mg/kg - 15 ASTM D3231-99

Ash Content Mass-% - 0.01 DIN EN ISO 6245

Water Content Mass-% - 0.075 pr EN ISO 12937

Abteilung Technologie nachwachsender Rohstoffe
Arbeitsgruppe Pflanzenöle
Department of Technology, regenerating raw materials
Working Group On Vegetable Oils
Dr. Bernhard Widmann

LTV-Work-Session on Decentral Vegetable Oil Production, Weihenstephan
http://dec2.tec.agrar.tu-muenchen.de/pflanzoel/rkstandard_e.html

See also: Vegetable oil standard: comments by Elsbett Technology

Comparison of properties of diesel, canola oil and commercial US biodiesel

. Diesel Canola Oil Biodiesel

Density kgL-¹ @ 15.5 deg C 0.84 0.92 0.88

Calorific value MJL-¹ 38.3 36.9 33-40

Viscosity mm²s-¹ @ 20 deg C 4-5 70 4-6

Viscosity mm²s-¹ @ 40 deg C 4-5 37 4-6

Viscosity mm²s-¹ @ 70 deg C - 10 -

Cetane number 45 40-50 45-65

From "Waste Vegetable Oil as a Diesel Replacement Fuel" by Phillip Calais, Environmental Science, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia, and A.R. (Tony) Clark, Western Australian Renewable Fuels Association Inc.
http://www.shortcircuit.com.au/warfa/paper/paper.htm

1. Sims, R. Yields, Costs and Availability of Natural Oils/Fats as Diesel Fuel Substitutes, Report No LF2021 for the Liquid Fuels Trust Board, Wellington (NZ) 1982
2. Environment Australia (National Heritage Trust) (2000b). Setting National Fuel Quality Standards – Paper 2 - Proposed Standards for Fuel Parameters (Petrol and Diesel), Canberra
3. Beer, T., Grant, T., Brown, R., Edwards, J., Nelson, P., Watson, H., Williams, D. (2000) Life-Cycle Emission Analysis of Alternative Fuels for Heavy Vehicles. CSIRO, Australia

Cetane numbers

Cetane numbers rate the ignition properties of diesel fuels, just as octane numbers determine the quality and value of gasoline (petrol). It's a measure of a fuel's willingness to ignite when it's compressed. The higher the cetane number, the more efficient the fuel. Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than petrodiesel because of its oxygen content.

From the Lubrizol Corporation:
http://www.lubrizol.com/DieselEngines/default.asp

Ignition Quality or Cetane Number -- This factor influences ease of starting, duration of white smoking after start-up, drivability before warm-up and intensity of diesel knock at idle. Studies have correlated ignition quality with all regulated emissions. As ignition delay is reduced, the combustion process starts earlier and emissions (primarily carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons) are reduced.

Ignition delay is measured by the Cetane Number (CN) test (ASTM D 613), which uses a single-cylinder, variable compression ratio engine analogous to the Octane Number engine. In this case, the ignition delay of the test fuel is measured at a fixed compression ratio. This result is compared with the results from standard reference fuels consisting of blends of n-cetane and heptamethylnonane.

Diesel engines vary widely in their cetane requirements, and there is no commonly recognized way to measure this value. In general, the lower an engine's operating speed, the lower the CN of the fuel it can use. Large marine engines can tolerate fuels with CNs as low as 20, while some manufacturers of high-speed passenger car diesel engines specify 55 CN fuel.

National standards for biodiesel

Comparison of different national standards for biodiesel

- Europe Austria Czech Republic France Germany Italy Sweden USA Australia

Standard /
Specification EN 14214 ON C1191 CSN 65 6507 Journal Officiel DIN V 51606 UNI 10Ω635 SS 155436 ASTM D-6751
Fuel Standard (Biodiesel) Determination

Date 2003 July 1997 Sep 1998 Sep 1997 Sep 1997 April 1997 Nov 1996 Jan
2002 Sept 2003

Application FAME FAME RME VOME FAME VOME VOME FAMAE -

Density
15°C g/cm 0.86 -0.90 0.85 - 0.89 0.87 - 0.89 0.87 - 0.90 0.875 - 0.90 0.86 -0.90 0.87 - 0.90 - 860 to 890 kg/m3

Viscos. 40°C mm²/s 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 3.5-5.0 1.9-6.0 3.5-5.0

Distillat.
95% °C - - - <360 - <360 - 90% @ 360°C
<360

Flashpoint °C >120 >100 >110 >100 >110 >100 >100 >130 (150 av.)
>120

CFPP °C
(cold filter plugging point) *country specific 0/-15 -5 - 0/-10/-20 - -5 - -

Pour point °C - - - <-10 - <0/
<-15 - - -

Sulfur
% mass <10 mg/kg <0.02 <0.02 - <0.01 <0.01 <0.001 <0.05 50 mg/kg (max)
10 mg/kg (max) (from 1 Feb 2006)

CCR 100%
% mass - <0.05 <0.05 - <0.05 - - - -

10% dist. resid.
% mass <0.3 - - <0.3 - <0.5 - - -

Sulfated ash
% mass <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 - <0.03 - - <0.02 <0.02

(Oxid) Ash
% mass - - - - - <0.01 <0.01 - -

Water mg/kg <500 - <500 <200 <300 <700 <300 <0.05% vol. (water & sediment) <0.05% vol
(water & sediment)

Total contam. mg/kg <24 - <24 - <20 - <20 - <24

Cu-Corros. 3h/50°C 1 - 1 - 1 - - <No.3 <10 mg/kg sulfur Class 1 (max)
>10 mg/kg sulfur No. 3 (max)

Oxidation stability hrs;110°C 6 hours min - - - - - - - 6 hours min

Cetane No. >51 >49 >48 >49 >49 - >48 >47 >51

Neutral. No.
(Acid value) mgKOH/g <0.5 <0.8 <0.5 <0.5 <0.5 <0.5 <0.6 <0.8 <0.8

Methanol
% mass <0.20 <0.20 - <0.1 <0.3 <0.2 <0.2 - <0.2

Ester content
% mass >96.5 - - >96.5 - >98 >98 - >96.5

Monoglyceride.
% mass <0.8 - - <0.8 <0.8 <0.8 <0.8 - -

Diglyceride
% mass <0.2 - - <0.2 <0.4 <0.2 <0.1 - -

Triglyceride
% mass <0.2 - - <0.2 <0.4 <0.1 <0.1 - -

Free glycerol
% mass <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02 <0.05 <0.02 <0.02 <0.02

Total glycerol
% mass <0.25 <0.24 <0.24 <0.25 <0.25 - - <0.24 <0.25

Iodine No. <120 <120 - <115 <115 - <125 - -

Linolenic acid ME %mass <12 - - - - - - - -

C18:3 and high. unsat.acids
% mass - <15 - - - - - - -

C(x:4) & greater unsaturated esters % mass <1 - - - - - - - -

Phosphor
mg/kg <10 <20 <20 <10 <10 <10 <10 <0.001% mass <10

Ramsbottom carbon residue, % mass - - - - - - - 0.10 -

Carbon residue - - - - - - - <0.050% by mass <0.30% mass (10% distillation residue)
<0.050% mass (100% distillation sample)

Gp I metals (Na,K) mg/kg <5 - - - - - - - <5

Gp II metals (Ca,Mg) mg/kg <5 - - - - - - - <5

Alkalinity mg/kg
- - <10 <5 <5 - <10 - -

RME: Rapeseed oil methyl ester
FAME: Fatty acid methyl ester
VOME: Vegetable oil methyl ester
FAMAE: Fatty acid mono alkyl ester

US standard -- D6751-02 Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel (B100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels. Download from the ASTM site, costs $30 (pdf):
http://www.astm.org/cgi-bin/SoftCart.exe/STORE/
filtrexx40.cgi?U+mystore+mofc8213+-L+D6751+/usr6/
htdocs/astm.org/DATABASE.CART/PAGES/D6751.htm

EU standard -- DIN EN 14214, Publication date:2003-11 Automotive fuels - Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) for diesel engines - Requirements and test methods. Order from Beuth Verlag GmbH ("search" for "EN 14214")
http://www.beuth.de/index_en.php

Australian standard:
http://www.deh.gov.au/atmosphere/biodiesel/index.html

Standards and the homebrewer:
"Most of the standards can be met simply by preparing and washing the fuel well," says Todd Swearingen of Appal Energy.

Standard testing:
Biodiesel fuel testing for the US ASTM D-6751 standard:

Analytical Testing Services, Inc.
http://wetestit.com/

Harris Testing Laboratories, Inc.
http://www.harristestinglab.com/quote/d6751.htm

Fuel properties of fats and oils

Fuel-related properties and iodine values of various fats and oils

Oil or Fat Iodine Value CN HG (kJ/kg) Viscosity (mm 2/s) CP (deg C) PP (deg C) FP (deg C)

Babassu 10-18 38 - - - - -

Castor 82-88 ? 39500 297 (38 C) - -31.7 260

Coconut 6-12 - - - - - -

Corn 103-140 37.6 39500 34.9 (38 C) -1.1 -40.0 277

Cottonseed 90-119 41.8 39468 33.5 (38 C) 1.7 -15.0 234

Crambe 93 44.6 40482 53.6 (38 C) 10.0 -12.2 274

Linseed 168-204 34.6 39307 27.2 (38 C) 1.7 -15.0 241

Olive 75-94 - - - - - -

Palm 35-61 42 - - - - -

Peanut 80-106 41.8 39782 39.6 (38 C) 12.8 -6.7 271

Rapeseed 94-120 37.6 39709 37.0 (38 C) -3.9 -31.7 246

Safflower 126-152 41.3 39519 31.3 (38 C) 18.3 -6.7 260

High-oleic safflower 90-100 49.1 39516 41.2 (38 C) -12.2 -20.6 293

Sesame 104-120 40.2 39349 35.5 (38 C) -3.9 -9.4 260

Soybean 117-143 37.9 39623 32.6 (38 C) -3.9 -12.2 254

Sunflower 110-143 37.1 39575 37.1 (38 C) 7.2 -15.0 274

Tallow 35-48 - 40054 51.15 (40 C) - - 201

No. 2 DF - 47 45343 2.7 (38 C) -15.0 -33.0 52

CN = cetane number; CP = cloud point, PP = pour point, FP = flash point.
Iodine values combined from Applewhite, T.H., in Kirk-Othmer, Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology; Third Ed.; John-Wiley & Sons: New York, NY, 1980, Vol. 9; pp. 795-811; and Gunstone, F.D.; Harwood, J.L.; Padley, F.B. Lipid Handbook; Second Ed.; Chapman & Hall: London, 1994.
Fuel properties from Goering, C.E.; Schwab, A.W.; Daugherty, M.J.; Pryde, E.H.; Heakin, A.J. Trans. ASAE 1982, 25, 1472-1477 & 1483.
All tallow values from Ali, Y.; Hanna, M.A.; Cuppett, S.L. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 1995, 72, 1557-1564 (no CN given, calcd. cetane index 40.15).

(From: Biodiesel: The Use of Vegetable Oils and Their Derivatives as Alternative Diesel Fuels, G. Knothe, R.O. Dunn, and M.O. Bagby, in Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass, Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society. Download full-text article:
Acrobat file, 912kb
MS Word file, 212kb

Fuel properties of esters

Fuel-related physical properties of esters of oils and fats

Ester CN HG
(kJ/kg) Viscosity
(mm2/s) CP
(deg C) PP
(deg C) FP ¹
(deg C)

Methyl

Cottonseed ² 51.2 - 6.8 (21deg ) - -4 110

Rapeseed ³ 54.4 40449 6.7 (40deg ) -2 -9 84

Safflower ⁴ 49.8 40060 - - -6 180

Soybean ⁵ 46.2 39800 4.08 (40deg ) 2 -1 171

Sunflower ⁶ 46.6 39800 4.22 (40deg ) 0 -4 -

Tallow ⁷ - 39949 4.11 (40deg ) 12 9 96

Ethyl

Palm ⁸ 56.2 39070 4.5 (37.8deg ) 8 6 19

Soybean ⁵ 48.2 40000 4.41 (40deg ) 1 -4 174

Tallow ⁹ - - - 15 12 -

CN = cetane number; CP = cloud point, PP = pour point, FP = flash point.
1. Some flash points are very low. These may be typographical errors in the references or the materials may have contained residual alcohols.
2. Geyer, S.M.; Jacobus, M.J.; Lestz, S.S. Trans. ASAE 1984, 27, 375-381.
3. Peterson, C.L.; Korus, R.A; Mora, P.G.; Madsen, J.P. Trans. ASAE, 1987, 30, 28-35.
4. Isiigür, A.; Karaosmanolu, F.; Aksoy, H.A.; Hamdallahpur, F.; Gülder, Ö.L. Appl. Biochem. Biotechnol. 1994, 45-46, 93-102.
5. Bagby, M.O. In Proc. 9th Int. Conf. Jojoba Uses, 3rd Int. Conf. New Industr. Crops Prod.; Princen, L.H., Rossi, C., Eds.; Assoc. Advancem. Industr. Crops. publ. 1996; pp. 220-224.
6. Kaufman, K.R.; Ziejewski, M. Trans. ASAE 1984, 27, 1626-1633.
7. Ali, Y.; Hanna, M.A.; Cuppett, S.L. J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 1995, 72, 1557-1564.
8. Avella, F.; Galtieri, A.; Fiumara, A. Riv. Combust. 1992, 46, 181-188.
9. Nelson, L.A.; Foglia, T.A.; Dunn, R.O.; Marmer, W.N. submitted for publication.

-- From: Biodiesel: The Use of Vegetable Oils and Their Derivatives as Alternative Diesel Fuels, G. Knothe, R.O. Dunn, and M.O. Bagby, in Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass. Washington, D.C.: American Chemical Society. Download full-text article:
Acrobat file, 912kb
MS Word file, 212kb

See also: Fats and oils -- resources

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En español -- Biocombustibles, biodiesel
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Biodiesel
Make your own biodiesel
Mike Pelly's recipe
Two-stage biodiesel process
FOOLPROOF biodiesel process
Biodiesel processors
Biodiesel in Hong Kong
Nitrogen Oxide emissions
Glycerine
Biodiesel resources on the Web
Do diesels have a future?
Vegetable oil yields and characteristics
Washing
Biodiesel and your vehicle
Food or fuel?
Straight vegetable oil as diesel fuel

Ethanol
Ethanol resources on the Web
Is ethanol energy-efficient?