Effects of low grade fuel






The Information Below is taken directly from a paper produced by:

Dr. Jens Haupt and Dieter Bockey, Bio-Diesel Quality Management Work Group (AGQM, registered association)
In a paper Titled:


Running vehicles successfully on bio-diesel

Product quality requirements for FAME

While the document is expressely refering to the biodisel standards much of the information is relevant to
Using a fuel that has properties outside of the rape seed oil DIN 51605 standard, and may serve as an explanation
to why the standard exists.

"Effects of inadequate quality

Following the pressure of rising petroleum prices, the market has shown a broad acceptance
of alternative fuels not governed by any standards. Although poor quality fuels have resulted
in considerable damage, experimentation in this area continues. This is facilitated by the fact
that damage caused directly or indirectly by deficient or inadequate fuels only becomes
evident after long periods of usage. By this stage, the correlation between the damage and
its source is no longer apparent to users.
Table 3 displays selected standard parameters for bio-diesel to show how transgressions of
limiting values affect vehicle components."

Table 3: Effects of limit transgression in the case of bio-diesel


Property (DIN EN 14214)

Effect/Comment

Kinematic viscosity at 40 °C

 

Fuel conveyance problems (fuel pump, injection pump).

 

Flash point

 

A flash point of less than 100°C renders the product hazardous.

 

CFPP (filtration limit)

 

Machine standstill through crystallization of fuel in the pipes and

the fuel filter at low temperature.

 

Residual coke

 

Coke deposits on the injection pump and piston rings.

Problematic in the case of FAME with a high content of multiple

bonds or glycerine/glycerides.

 

Ash content

 

Damage to exhaust-gas re-treatment systems.

 

Water content

 

Corrosion problems, turbidity of DK/FAME mixtures (resulting in

separation of the water phase in the worst case).

 

Total contamination

 

Machine standstill through filter backfill, potential consequential

damage to the injection pump as a result of insufficient

lubrication / cooling by circulating fuel.

 

Oxidation stability (induction

period)

 

Filter backfill, precipitation of polymers in diesel / bio-diesel

mixtures throughout the fuel supply system.

 

Acid number

 

Corrosion problems.

 

Glycerine and glycerides

 

Coke deposition on the injection pump and piston rings; possible

reason for increased coke residue.

 

 

Iodine number

Indicates unfavourable fatty acid properties, deviations can affect

oxidation stability and CFPP.

 

Alkaline content (Na + K)

Alkaline earth content (Ca + Mg)

 

Machine standstill through filter backfill; possible reason for

increased ash content.