Biodiesel Performance:

Some Examples of Fleet use

&
Field Durability Studies

National Biodiesel Board Diesel Technician Training Program

 Today’s Topics

 B20 Fleet Evaluation Team

 NREL/NBB B20 Bus Fleet Evaluation

 USPS Biodiesel

 B20 Cummins 1000 hr. Durability Test

 Health Effects in Keene, NH

 North Carolina Dept. of Transportation

Many detailed B20 Studies have
been performed and published
• US Postal Service, St. Louis Bus System
• Denver Regional Transit Bus System
• Las Vegas Valley Water District
• Clark County, NV School District
• Connecticut DOT; Keene, NH; NC DOT;
Cedar Rapids, IA Buses, etc. etc. etc.
Biodiesel and Engine Manufacturers
• After the first passage of ASTM D6751 in
2001, even though engine manufacturers
voted positive at ASTM most were not yet
willing to put their name behind B20
• National Biodiesel Board set forth on
intensive effort to work with OEM’s to
address any issues and concerns
• B20 Fleet Evaluation Team Formed
B20 Fleet Evaluation Team
• Develop fact based informed position on B20
• Most major diesel engine and fuel injection
companies participated in this process
• B20 Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
• Detailed identification of everything that can go
wrong when using B20
• Rank: Severity, Occurrence, Detection modes
• Develop RIN: Risk Identification Number
• Develop plan to address high RIN areas
 B20 Fleet Evaluation Members

• Bosch • International
• Case New Holland • John Deere
• Caterpillar • National Biodiesel Board
• Cummins • National Renewable
• DaimlerChrysler Energy Lab
• Delphi Diesel Systems
• Parker - Racor
• Department of Defense
• Siemens Diesel Systems
• Engine Manufacturers • Stanadyne Corp
Association • Volkswagen AG
• Ford Motor Co • Volvo Truck
• General Motors • Fleetguard
B20 FMEA Results
• Most potential ‘problems’ are eliminated if the
B100 meets D6751 prior to blending
• More info is needed on after-treatment
• More info is needed on stability/shelf life
• More info is needed from field (materials
compatibility, un-anticipated issues)
• Provide user advise to help trouble-free use
 B20 FET - Technical Guidance and
Recommendations

• Biodiesel is the pure, or 100 percent, biodiesel fuel. It is

referred to as B100 or “neat” biodiesel.

• A biodiesel blend is pure biodiesel blended with petrodiesel.

Biodiesel blends are referred to as BXX. The XX indicates the
amount of biodiesel in the blend (i.e., a B20 blend is 20
percent by volume biodiesel and 80 percent by volume
petrodiesel ).

• Ensure the biodiesel meets the ASTM specification for pure

biodiesel (ASTM D 6751) before blending with petrodiesel.
Purchase biodiesel and biodiesel blends only from
companies that have been registered under the BQ-9000
fuel quality program.
 B20 FET - Technical Guidance and
Recommendations
• Ensure the B20 blend meets properties for ASTM D 975,
Standard Specification for Diesel Fuel Oils or the ASTM
specification for B20 once it is approved.

• Ensure your B20 supplier provides a homogenous product.

Avoid long term storage of B20 to prevent degradation.
Biodiesel should be used within six months.

• Prior to transitioning to B20, it is recommended that tanks

be cleaned and free from sediment and water. Check for
water and drain regularly if needed. Monitor for microbial
growth and treat with biocides as recommended by the
biocide manufacturer. See the NREL Biodiesel Storage and
Handling Guidelines for further information.
 B20 FET - Technical Guidance and
Recommendations
• Fuel filters on the vehicles and in the delivery system
may need to be changed more frequently upon initial
B20 use. Biodiesel and biodiesel blends have excellent
cleaning properties. The use of B20 can dissolve
sediments in the fuel system and result in the need to
change filters more frequently when first using
biodiesel until the whole system has been cleaned of
the deposits left by the petrodiesel.

• Be aware of B20’s cold weather properties and take

appropriate precautions. When operating in winter
climates, use winter blended diesel fuel. If B20 is to be
used in winter months, make sure the B20 cloud point
is adequate for the geographical region and time of
year the fuel will be used.
 B20 FET - Technical Guidance and
Recommendations

• Perform regularly scheduled maintenance as dictated by

the engine operation and maintenance manual. If using
B20 in seasonal operations where fuel is not used within 6
months, consider storage enhancing additives or flushing
with diesel fuel prior to storage.

• These recommendations on use of B20 are preliminary and

are not provided to extend or supplant warranty limitation
provided by an individual engine or equipment supplier.
Use of B20 blends is solely at the discretion and risk of the
customer and any harm effect caused by the use of B20
are not the responsibility of the engine or equipment
maker.
Handling & Usage
Department of
Energy (DOE)
B100 & Blends

Material Compatibility

Engine Performance

Diesel and Biodiesel

Emissions
Fleet Management
Experiences
Cold weather can cloud and even gel any
diesel fuel, including biodiesel.

Users of a B20 with #2 diesel will usually

experience an increase of the cold flow
properties (cold filter plugging point, cloud
point, pour point) approximately 2 to 10°
Fahrenheit.

Similar precautions employed for petroleum

diesel are needed for fueling with 20 percent
blends.

• blending with #1 diesel (kerosene)

• using fuel heaters and parking indoors
• and using a cold-flow improvement additive
User B20 Results Summary
 Similar fuel economy
 Similar maintenance costs

 Some initial filter clogging—’cleaning the system’

 Some cold weather filter clogging

 Usually due to in-adequate blending or handling,

‘normal diesel issues, poor quality biodiesel or imposter
biodiesel
 Following established guidelines give trouble free use
 Positive driver and user experience—smell, smoke
1000 Hour Durability B20
 The objective was to operate the engine for 1000 hr
using B20 biodiesel fuel, and do a comparative
analysis with engines that have operated under the
same type of conditions using #2D diesel fuel.
ce
an

ed

ed
rm

yz

ed
d

st
ke

al
rfo

st

te
an

te
c
pe

he

s
s

on
es
lc

on
e

si
pl
in

Accelerated, high-load
oi

si

is
am
En d eng

is

em
be

em

durability cycle
ls
lu
ie d

ne
oi
rif oa

ne

ne

gi
be
gi

gi
ve ull l

En
Lu

En
F

hr

0 25 50 125 1000
 Test Engine

q Cummins prototype 2007 ISL

q Six cylinder 8.9 liter
q Rated power of 330 BHP
q Peak torque of 1150 ft•lb at 1300 rpm
q Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC)
q Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF)
q Post injection (in-cylinder) for active regeneration
q Variable geometry turbocharger
q Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) with cooler
q Cummins fuel injection system
Test Cycles
q Durability Testing
Accelerated High Idle
High-load Peak
Power
Low Idle

Transient cycle
Varying load and speed Peak
Torque
Cycle repeated for 1000 hr >70% of durability
cycle at full load
q Emissions Testing
Federal Test Procedure (FTP)
One cold start transient FTP test
Three hot start transient FTP test
One SET Ramped Modal Cycle
Durability & Emission Results
q Approximately 17,000 gallons of B20 biodiesel fuel was used during
the durability test.
q Test went well and was successful. There were no biodiesel related
failures during the test, and no reported significant changes in
performance of the engine.
q Engine performance was essentially the same when tested at 125 &
1000 hr of accumulated durability operation.
q Emission results indicate that THC, CO, and PM levels were not
significantly different between the B20 and ULSD.
The emission-grade B20 test resulted in ≈6% higher NOx (within
expected range)
q Fuel consumption was observed to be ≈3% higher than the 2007
certified ULSD test (within expected range).
 Overhead
Components
Top of cylinder head No Bottom of cylinder head
sludge deposits Deposits comparable to #2D

Results are typical for this type of

test with #2D diesel fuel

Intake Valves Exhaust Valves

Power Transfer Components
Component Comments
Cranckshaft Gear Meets rebuild spec
Cam Gear Meets rebuild spec
Cam Bushing Meets rebuild spec
Fuel Pump Gear Meets rebuild spec
Cranckshaft Meets rebuild spec
Lower & Upper Normal wear
Bearings During teardown, the crankshaft was found
Connecting Rod Meets rebuild spec to be in very good condition, and results
were comparable to #2D diesel fuel test.
Connecting Rod Meets rebuild spec
Bushing
 Power Cylinder
Components Crosshatch visible in all six cylinders.

Component Comments

Piston Normal light wear and Minor staining

deposits.
Cylinder Normal light wear.
Liners
Top rings Normal uniform face wear. Ring Grooves
Anti-Thrust Side
Top and bottom side look Cylinder 1

typical.
Middle rings Normal face wear. Top
and bottom sides OK, and
light carboning. Top Piston
Piston Bowl Front
Oil rings Looked good. Very little Cylinder 1

wear.
Results comparable to #2D diesel fuel test.
Cooling and Lube
Components
Cylinder 1 Top
Component Comments Cylinder 6 Bottom

Oil pump No issues

Oil cooler head No issues

Oil cooler cover No issues

Oil pressure No issues Bottom (Oil) Piston Rings

regulator/bypass
Piston cooling No problems due to There were no failures found on the
nozzles B20. cooling and lube components. The
wear and deposits found on the parts
Oil Pan Normal were normal and consistent with
Oil suction tube Gasket showed findings found on parts that ran with #2
good imprint of seal diesel fuel in similar tests.

Turbo coolant/oil Normal

lines
Air Handling Components
Component Comments

Exhaust Manifold No issues.

EGR Cooler No cracks, light

coating of soot on inlet
and outlet tubes. No
soot in inlet diffuser.
Findings good overall.

EGR Valve Looked good. Normal

soot accumulation.

EGR gaskets, hoses, No issues found due to Carbon deposit layer was generated on the
tubes, shield, running with B20. passage and inside parts of the EGR valve,
mounting plate, but thickness was very thin and condition was
crossover dry which is normal for this durability test.
Aftertreatment Components
Component Comments
Diesel Oxidation Looked good. No face plugging.
Catalyst (DOC) Blockages found appeared like debris and substrate material.
Debris was analyzed under Electron Dispersive Spectroscopy
(EDS), and all debris found is expected in a typical DOC after
1000 hr of operation, whether fueled with ULSD or biodiesel.
Diesel Inlet face showed signs of ash build up, but similar to diesel
Particulate Filter fuel for this type of test.
(DPF) Outlet looked good with no signs of soot.
No failure found.
Inlet and outlet Looked good.
section

Gaskets Looked good.

Fuel System Pictures
Stage 1 Plunger Needle Plunger Needle – Top View

No marks
on needle
surface or
the edge.

Some slight staining.

Plunger Orifice
not clogged with oil
sludge or deposits Stage 2 Plunger Needle
has some wear, but
normal for this type of
aggressive test.
 Fuel System
Components
Rail and fuel Rail – No abnormal wear.
lines End Fitting – No unusual wear.
HP Fuel Lines – No visible structural deterioration or cracks
observed.
Mechanical No unusual wear, deterioration or sludge buildup observed on
Dump Valve plungers, plunger seats or orifice.
(MDV) 1) Stage One Plunger – No wear visible on the needle surface or
the edge. Some slight staining seen on plunger base.
2) Stage Two Plunger – Some wear, but normal. Plunger orifice
not clogged with oil sludge or deposits.
Injectors Injector performance test and photos indicate that the injectors were
consistent with injectors that ran with #2D diesel fuel.
Soft Lines No visible damage to any section of the internal wall of the used fuel
tubes indicating that the tubing liner material is resistant to the B20
temperatures and pressures during the engine performance test.
Overall There were no signs of severe or aggressive corrosion pitting damage
on any of the surfaces.
 Summary
 A Cummins 2007 prototype 8.9 liter ISL diesel engine equipped with DOC, DPF,
VGT, and EGR with cooler was operated successfully at SwRI using a high-load
accelerated durability cycle for 1000 hr with a B20 blend of soy-based biodiesel
and ULSD.

 During the durability testing, no biodiesel related failures occurred.

 Engine performance was essentially the same when tested at 125 and 1000 hr of
accumulated durability operation. Emissions measurements indicate the HC, CO,
and PM were not significantly different between the B20 and ULSD tests, and NOx
increased with B20 fuel. Fuel consumption also increased with B20 fuel.

 A thorough engine teardown evaluation of the overhead, power transfer, cylinder,

cooling, lube, air handling, gaskets, aftertreatment, and fuel system parts was
performed.

 There were no failures found on the engine components that were directly
attributable to running biodiesel B20.

 The wear and deposits found were normal and consistent with findings from parts
that ran with #2 diesel fuel in similar tests.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
 QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (LZW) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
NCDOT emissions studies

• A characterization study by NCDOT and NCSU using on-board

diagnostic equipment on 8 dump trucks found an average decrease
in NO of about 10% with B20 versus petroleum diesel.
http://www.ncdot.org/doh/preconstruct/tpb/research/download/2004-1
8FinalReport.pdf
• A new DOT study is being conducted by NCSU’s Dr Chris Frey to
analyze emissions from construction equipment Study will utilize the
Montana Portable On-Board Real Time Emissions Recording System”
manufactured by Clean Air Technologies International, Inc. and
evaluate B20 and low sulfer diesel emission on graders, loaders and
back hoes. Final results expected July 2007
 Who Uses Biodiesel in NC?
 State Agencies - NC Department of Transportation (DOT), the
NC Zoo
 Military-Camp Lejuene Marine Corps Base
 Airport -RDU International Airport
 Private Business - moving and construction companies
 Hospital - Pitt County Memorial Hospital
 Public School Busses - Durham & Gaston County Schools
 Universities - UNC-CH, Duke, and NC State
 Local governments – over a dozen municipalities
 Service stations 16 public stations selling B10-B99
blends w 3 more expected to open in coming weeks!
 B20 Fleet Resources

www.biodiesel.org
• Technical Library
• Biodiesel Bulletin
• Educational Videos Available
• Informational Resources
• Technical Resources
• On-line Database & Spec Sheets

• B20 Fleet Guide:

http://www.biodiesel.org/buyingbiodiesel/