Test methods for the determination of biodiesel stability

Abstract

Biodiesel, which is defined as mono alkyl esters derived from renewable resources such as vegetable oils and animal fats through transesterification, is an alternative fuel for diesel engines. One of the major drawbacks associated with practical applications is its relatively poor stability compared with petroleum-based diesel. Stabilization of biodiesel is a complex issue including oxidation stability, thermal stability and storage stability. During deterioration of biodiesel, changes of many chemical and physical properties take place and can be monitored by analytical methods. In order to find the relationship between fuel properties and stability during use, several studies have been carried out in this decade, which impelled the establishment of standard analytical methods and special specifications. However, there is still no effective method to determine the storage stability and thermal stability of biodiesel that can cover all oxidation characteristics. In this review, we introduce the methods for stability determination and present comparisons between them. The aim of this article is to present the development and implementation of the stability test method in research and application fields.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.