Instability Reactions and Recycled Soybean-Derived Biodiesel Fuel Liquids

Abstract

It has been suggested that renewable energy sources be considered as replacements or diluents for middle distillate ground transportation fuels. It is vital for the operational considerations of these fuels to investigate the many positives and negatives that this use could prompt. In proposing such a replacement, considerations must be given to the many problems that could arise. Problems to be studied include fuel storage stability, fuel solubility, and oxidative stability. Unlike newly manufactured soy oils, it was found that this recycled soy oil was not stable in fuels. The question was, what in the recycled oil led to the observed fuel degradation.

Keywords:

• diesel fuel
• methylated fatty acids
• recycled vegetable oils
• soybean oil

Notes

^a Traces of other unidentified methyl esters.

^a The numbers are expressed as the relative area percent from this extract.