One of the most basic things we do when we make Biodiesel is obtain the oil to make it with. Whether it's new oil from the store for a demo batch or collecting waste oil from several restaurants, it's something that just has to be done. Unfortunately, it can also be one of the messier parts of making Biodiesel. With that said, below are a few tips that might make it a little easier and hopefully cleaner.

Seven Oil Collection Tips & Tricks

1. Always Test The Oil Before Committing To It

 
New Videos
With the creation of our Utah Biodiesel YouTube Channel, we are starting to put up more video content on a regular basis. Here's the latest crop of videos we've recently published.

SpringPro T76 Dry Wash Towers Overview
Mark Roberts, CEO of Springboard Biodiesel, kicks off this video with an introduction of the new SpringPro T76 Dry Wash Tower. He explains how it works and the advantages that dry washing brings to the making Biodiesel and how the T76 Dry Wash System excels at dry washing.

How Dry Washing Biodiesel With Ion Exchange Resin Works
Daniel Bowen of Springboard Biodiesel discusses how Biodiesel can be cleansed using Biodiesel Ion Exchange Resins such as Thermax.

How To Test Biodiesel For Soap Content
Daniel Bowen of Springboard Biodiesel shows how to test Biodiesel for soap content using our new Soap Test Kit.

Using A SafTest Biodiesel Analyzer To Test For Total Glycerin
Virginia Gordon, founder of a cool product called the SafTest Analyzer, demonstrates what the SafTest Analyzer is, how it works, and shows examples of how to test Biodiesel for Total Glycerin. The SafTest Biodiesel Analyzer can test for Total & Free Glycerin as well as for Free Fatty Acid levels in Biodiesel and feedstock. With how accurate the system is, it's being used at several Biodiesel production facilities and universities for analyzing Biodiesel in place of using Gas Chromatography.

There's More Coming!
We have several more video's coming so be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel today to be notified as we get them published!

Have you ever wondered how good your fuel really is? Do you wonder if it's good enough to sell? Well, there is a way to find out. It's called ASTM Testing and it's the gold standard that is used by the IRS and by the EPA in the United States to determine if Biodiesel really is up to the commercial standard.

To have your fuel ASTM Tested is extremely easy! Several labs across the United States are set up to perform these tests according to the EPA and IRS requirements. To have your fuel tested, you simply send in a specified amount of fuel to the lab you choose, they run a series of tests, and then they typically email, mail, or fax you back the results.

To make it easy for our customers to have their fuel tested, we partnered with a lab out of Vancouver, Washington called Fuel Only. They offer a wide variety of tests and usually have results ready within 72 hours.

There are 15 unique tests that make up the Biodiesel ASTM Standard and most labs will allow you to perform all of these tests at the same time or just a few of them depending on your preference. The tests performed on Biodiesel are laid out in the ASTM D 6751-08 standard. We have summarized each one of these tests below.

ASTM D6584-Total & Free Glycerin Total 0.24% Free 0.02%
This test is by far the most important one. It's a measurement of how much glycerin is left in the finished product. Too much glycerin indicates the reaction didn't go well or that the fuel wasn't properly washed.

ASTM D445-Viscosity @ 40 deg. C Limit 1.9-6.0 cst
This is an indicator of how viscous the Biodiesel is. If it's too thick it won't flow right in the fuel system. It's very rare that Biodiesel ever fails this test. If it does, it's usually an indication that there's still a lot of oil in the fuel or some other contaminant.

ASDM D664-Acid Number Limit 0.50 mg KOH/gm
This indicates how acidic the fuel is (similar to what a titration measures, only much more accurate). If fuel is acidic it's an indication of high free fatty acid levels or other acidic contaminants still present in the fuel. Highly acidic fuel can corrode fuel injection components.

ASTM D1160-Distillation Temperature Limit 360 Deg F Max
This is a test that measures what components "boil off" as a sample is heated. Biodiesel has a known boiling point. If during distillation the sample exceeds that point excessively, it's a good indication that there may still be oil in the sample. If it all distills off too low, then other contaminants may also be present.

ASTM D613 Cetane Number - 47 Minimum
This test relates to how well the sample will ignite. Biodiesel purposely put this number higher than diesel in the specification to brag about how good Biodiesel is. It's extremely rare that this test fails, if it does, it means your sample probably isn't Biodiesel or has high levels of contaminants in it.

ASTM D2500 - Report To Customer - No Limit
This indicates at what temperature a sample of Biodiesel clouds up. It gives an indication of when Biodiesel will begin to gel. Granted, clouding & gelling are two different things, but this test will give you a good ball park figure.

ASTM D93 - Flash Point Limit 93 Deg C Minimum
This test indicates at what point a sample of Biodiesel will ignite in the presence of a flame as the temperature of the sample is raised. If it ignites before 93 Degrees Celcius (approx. 200 Deg. F), it indicates the presence of a highly combustible material in the fuel (usually methanol). This also impacts how the Biodiesel may be shipped. If its flash point is too low, the transport vehicle must be marked as flammable and hazardous. If this test is failed, it usually means you haven't removed all the methanol from the Biodiesel (ie. The Biodiesel wasn't properly washed all the way).

ASTM D5453 - Sulfur Content - S15 - <=15PPM, S500 - <=500 PPM

This test is looking for the presence of sulfur in Biodiesel. Onroad Biodiesel can only have 15 parts per million (0.0015%) of sulfur. Biodiesel for off-road use can only have up to 500 parts per million (0.05%). This is a mandate by the EPA. Fail this test and you can't sell the Biodiesel in the US. This also applies to diesel fuel too. It's rare for Biodiesel to fail this test unless there are contaminants in the fuel.

ASTM D4951 - Phosphorus <= 0.001% , Sodium & Potassium <=0.005%, Calcium & Magnesium <=0.005%
This one is actually 3 tests combined and is done by spectrochemical analysis. The limits for Calcium & Magnesium combined are a max of 5 ppm, Sodium & Potassium have a max of 5 ppm. Phosphorus is 1 ppm. If you fail this test it's an indication that the fuel wasn't properly washed. It's also a good indication that there's still soap in the fuel too. I've seen some customers fail this simply because the water they were using to wash with had some of these components in it. This is also the test that is extrapolated out to identify the 41 PPM limit of soap in NaOH reacted Biodiesel and 66 PPM limit of soap in KOH reacted Biodiesel when testing fuel for soap content.

ASTM D2709 - Sediment & Water - Max 500 PPM (0.05%)
This indicates the presence of free water and sediment in Biodiesel. The test is performed by spinning a sample of Biodiesel in a centrifuge at high speed. Water obviously will cause problems in fuel systems and sediment can plug filters and leave deposits. There some speculation that this test may be removed in the near future for ASTM D6304, which is Water Testing by Karl Fisher because the Karl Fisher is a more accurate representation of all water in the fuel. If you fail this test, you most likely haven't dried or filtered your fuel enough.

ASTM D874 - Sulfated Ash - Max of 200 PPM (0.02%)
In this test a sample of fuel is burned and the ash residue is measured. If the ash levels are too high (ie. sulfated ash) then the sample fails. It's usually an indication that there are contaminants in the fuel since Biodiesel will burn completely.

ASTM D4530 - Carbon Residue - Max 500 PPM (0.05%)
Carbon residue in fuel can lead to carbon deposits in the engine. Too much can cause engine problems down the road.

ASTM D130 - Copper Strip Corrosion Rating - #3 Maximum
This tests the corrosive nature of the Biodiesel sample. If it's too high, then it can corrode internal engine components. It usually indicates contaminants in the fuel.

EN14112 - Oxidation Stability - 3 Hours Minimum
The fuel is tested to see how quickly it oxidizes. If it oxidizes too quickly this means the fuel can go bad too fast while in storage. Several variables will impact this measure such as the type of oil that's used, however there are several additives on the market that can help improve oxidative stability. Even adding Vitamin E to Biodiesel in small amounts can help.

ASTM D6217 - Cold Soak Filter Ability Max 360 or 200 seconds
The fuel sample is chilled to a certain temperature, then brought back up to ambient room temperature. The fuel is then passed through a small micron screen. The time the fuel takes to pass through the screen is then measured. This measurement indicates how well the fuel will do in cold weather at gelling up. The standard is 360 seconds for fuel used in temperatures -12 Deg Celcius (about 10 Deg. F) and above. It should take less than 200 seconds for fuel that will be used in temperatures below -12 Deg C. There's an excellent description of how this test is performed here: http://dexterbiodiesel.com/ASTMColdSoakInformation/tabid/57/Default.aspx

And there you have it! All the tests they perform in the full ASTM D6751-08 Biodiesel test panel! If your Biodiesel can pass all of these tests,  then you've conquered the first step it takes to sell Biodiesel commercially in the United States. Europe and other countries have their own quality specifications, but for the most part they're very similar to the US standard.

Bently Biofuels also has an excellent write-up of the different tests performed and what they may indicate. We highly recommend it.
That page can be found here: http://www.biodieseltesting.com/tests.php

If you'd like to learn more about the ASTM test packages we offer for testing your fuel, visit our ASTM Testing page at:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/biodieseltesting.php

Biodiesel has long been lauded for it's environmental friendliness. Because it's so good for the environment and because it helps to reduce dependence on foreign oil, the United States Federal Government has created several tax incentives for producing, selling, and using Biodiesel.

Many of these incentives are available to small scale producers and can be obtained fairly easily. Others require quite a bit of paperwork and some even require registering your fuel production with the Environmental Protection Agency and joining the National Biodiesel Board before the tax incentives can be utilized.

Here's a brief summary of some of the incentives we're aware of. At the end of this article we also provide a link to a page on our website where we've started to collect information about the different incentives.

Before starting, it's important to remember that a good tax professional should always be consulted before attempting to take advantage of any tax incentives. The information we provide below is for informational use only and does not constitute legal advice for tax purposes.

So, now that the Legal stuff is out of the way...here's a summary of what we've learned.

Alternative Fuel Refueling Infrastructure Tax Credit
This credit gives those that qualify up to 50% of the cost of the price of equipment back as a tax credit. For example, if you're a business and you purchased a BioPro 380 which retails for $12,995, you could possibly receive a tax credit of nearly $6500.00! Restrictions include that the equipment must have the ability to "refuel a vehicle" as part of it (the BioPro's have a fuel filler pump integrated into them; which is why they can qualify). For personal use, you can get up to $2,000 back in the form of a tax credit for similar equipment. The tax form to use is Tax Form 8911

Biodiesel Income Tax Credit
"A taxpayer that delivers pure, unblended biodiesel (B100) into the tank of a vehicle or uses B100 as an on-road fuel in their trade or business may be eligible for an incentive in the amount of $1.00 per gallon of biodiesel, agri-biodiesel, or renewable diesel." - US DOT Alternative Fuels Website

The fuel must be purchased from a Biodiesel producer that's registered with the EPA and a certificate that the fuel meets the ASTM standard for Biodiesel may also be required to claim this tax credit.

Biodiesel Mixture Excise Tax Credit
"A biodiesel blender that is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) may be eligible for a tax incentive in the amount of $1.00 per gallon of pure biodiesel, agri-biodiesel, or renewable diesel blended with petroleum diesel to produce a mixture containing at least 0.1% diesel fuel. Only blenders that have produced and sold or used the qualified biodiesel mixture as a fuel in their trade or business are eligible for the tax credit."
- US DOT Alternative Fuels Website

There are also several states that provide tax incentives for Biodiesel as well. Details on specific incentives for each state can be found here:
http://www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/incentives_laws.html

There also are additional tax credits available through something called RIN's. We're still learning about these and don't have full details yet.

We'd like to express special thanks to Jason Burroughs of DieselGreen Fuels in Texas. His incredible knowledge of the Biodiesel tax credits and how they can be applied is incredible! You can read more about his company here: http://dieselgreenfuels.com/

Jason also writes for the Biodiesel Smarter blog and frequently shares updates on legislative issues surrounding Biodiesel. Check out the latest fun at the blog here: http://biodieselsmarter.com/blog/

If you'd like to see more information about tax incentives for Biodiesel, be sure to visit our Biodiesel Tax Incentives page below:
http://www.utahbiodieselsupply.com/taxincentives.php

GM has announced that their new Duramax 6.6 liter diesel engine will be capable of handling up to 20% blends of Biodiesel (B20) in the fuel.

Read more about this exciting announcement here.

According to the article..."Along with the upgrades to the lines, seals, and fittings required for the B20 fuel comes a switch away from post-injection of diesel fuel in the cylinder, in favor of injecting diesel fuel directly into the exhaust in order to purge the soot that collects in the diesel-particulate filter. This eliminates the problem of cylinder-wall wetting that can lead to oil dilution, which is exacerbated by biodiesel's higher boiling point. This approach also works better with the selective catalytic reduction (SCR, urea-injection) NOx catalyst system that will come standard with the Duramax."

In English, this means that the DPF issue that we detailed a few issues ago and that has been causing so many Biodieselers to have nightmares is now a thing of the past with this engine.

 
This is a HUGE win for Biodiesel after the 2007 DPF Emissions fiasco! What it means is that the auto makers are starting to realize that Biodiesel will play a role in the United States and that consumers are demanding that the engines be capable of handling Biodiesel.

Granted, GM is claiming that the engines are only going to be warranted to handle up to 20% Biodiesel (B20), but I fully expect that the engines will be capable of handling much higher Biodiesel blends without any problems. The Duramax engines prior to the 2007 mandated DPF could handle Biodiesel just fine (as long as it was clean), so with the DPF mess out of the way, these engines should be able to burn the good stuff (Biodiesel in high blends) without any problem.

With GM's announcement of this exciting news, we fully expect other diesel engine manufacturers to follow suit; especially Ford and Chrysler. Hopefully we'll see a time in the not-to-distant future when all new vehicles sold with diesel engines in the United States will be warranted for use with high blends of Biodiesel.

We're thrilled to see GM moving in the right direction toward full Biodiesel compatibility and look forward to seeing similar announcements from additional diesel engine manufacturers in the near future.

To keep updated on the DPF emission issues, be sure to visit the following link on a regular basis. Click here to see the link