Solutions for Biodiesel

The Challenge: Biodiesel Cold Flow Properties

Biodiesel fuels have different low temperature performance, depending on the crop source from which they are derived. Biodiesel consists of a mix of long-chain fatty acid esters (usually fatty acid methyl esters, or FAMEs) which differ in carbon chain length and degree of saturation. Individually, each component of this mix has a melting point somewhere between –35°C and +45°C – a very wide range. Biodiesel derived from different sources (such as soy, palm, tallow, etc.) contains different relative levels of these components, which accounts for its differing cold flow properties. The greatest influence on cold flow properties comes from the relative quantities of the lower melting point (mainly unsaturated and lower molecular weight saturated) components compared to the higher melting point (mainly higher molecular weight saturated) components. As the cold flow properties of most biodiesel fuels are inferior to those of fossil diesel, there is a need to improve these properties so they meet the
performance standards of current fuel specifications.

The Solution: VISCOPLEX^® CFIs

VISCOPLEX^® Cold Flow Improvers have broad applicability and show benefits in many tests and many biodiesel types. In particular, they can:

• Improve the Cold Filter Plugging Point (CFPP) of biodiesel B100 from different sources, such as Soy Methyl Ester (SME), Rapeseed Methyl Ester
  (RME), or Palm Methyl Ester (PME), enabling:
  • increased value for product sold against a CFPP target
  • expanded sales of biodiesel in colder periods or regions than previously possible without a VISCOPLEX^® CFI
  • improved biodiesel low temperature handling properties while minimizing sedimentation and solidification
• Allow blends of FAMEs with good and poor low temperature performance to meet the required
  specifications
• Improve the CFPP of blends of biodiesel (SME, RME, PME) with fossil diesel, thereby extending the range of blend ratios (B5, B10, etc) that meet the required fuel specifications