What is the Best Biodiesel Testing Equipment?

There is certainly no single best piece of biodiesel testing equipment. However, different countries have different standards for their biodiesel and thus, good biodiesel testing equipment should be able to conform to all of these different standards. International standards are published by the American Society for Testing and Materials International branch. These standards include specifications for Biodiesel Fuel Blend stock for middle distillate fuels, specifications for diesel fuel oils, specifications for fuel oils and specification for biodiesel blends with diesel fuel oil bases.

Three different types of biodiesel are included in these tests, rapeseed methyl ester, vegetable methyl ester (these are purely vegetable products) and fat methyl ester (these are made from vegetable and animal products).

The standards set are in place to measure and assure of many factors in the fuel. These factors of the fuel processing are: the removal of glycerin, removal of the catalyst used, removal of the alcohol, the absence of free fatty acids, the acid value, the complete reaction of the biodiesel, the cloud point, the cold filter plugging point and the low sulfur content of the fuel. Other tests that need to be performed are gas chromatography tests. These verify that the biodiesel fuel meets the standards set. There are other tests that can be performed to get more comprehensive results, but they are usually unnecessary. Fuel that meets the quality standards is non-toxic.

Biodiesel to diesel fuel blends can exist from six percent to up to twenty percent. The American Society for Testing and Materials have set the standard for B20 (the twenty percent blend) and the acceptance of such in the commercial arena will be likely to jumpstart the industry. Automakers have been testing B20 in their diesel engines due to the knowledge that their customers will be filling up with the same kind of fuel on the road. Companies like Chrysler have approved B20 for their Dodge Ram diesel pickups for use in fleets. General Motors has accepted five percent biodiesel blends in all its vehicles, and allows the use of B20 in special equipment for government fleets in a few of their vehicles. The American Society for Testing and Materials International also has made huge changes to the specifications for B5 and B100 (100% biodiesel). Testing equipment should reflect these changes and their effects. The Federal Trade Commission requires pumps with biodiesel to carry a blue label. Biomass diesel blends will have an orange label.