Contact Heather or Brent @ 402-829-9877

More information can be found at the National Biodiesel Board Site

 http://www.biodiesel.org/news/RFS/default.shtm

Sign-Up Form Link

http://www.biodiesel.org/news/RFS/form.shtm

Midwest Laboratories put together a critical package for biodiesel
clients to help clients produce a quality product by passing the
hardest requirements of ASTM D 6751 .This new critical package, (Flash
Point, Acid Number, Total Glycerin, Free Glycerin, Oxidation Stability
and NEW - Cold Soak Filtration) includes the Cold Soak Filtration. This
new test has required a number of biodiesel producers to reevaluate
steps in their process. The Cold Soak Filtration Test will officially
be enforced in April, 2009 as a part of ASTM D 6751. At Midwest
Laboratories, our role is to help inform clients about this test up
front so it can be addressed sooner rather than later.

In the past, substandard biodiesel would often precipitate material out of solution when exposed to cold temperatures. If this happens with biofuel used in an engine, it can lead to extensive damage. Therefore, legislators required the cold soak filtration test to prevent such substandard product from being available to consumers.

The standards are established by an organization known as the ASTM, American Society for Testing and Materials. For years, the ASTM has set the standards for the fuel source to be allowed in the marketplace.

But what is the cold soak filtration test, exactly? It measures the seconds it takes for cold soaked biodiesel to pass through two 0.8 micron filters. It also measures the particulate matter remaining on the filter.

This ensures that end users will not have clogged engine filters or worse problems when using biodiesel in cold temperatures.

To ensure that the fuels you are manufacturing meet the newest regulations, it is important to subject them to biodiesel testing.

Midwest Labs offers biodiesel testing including the cold soak filtration test. Maintaining high quality standards is the key to customer satisfaction.

One proposition of interest was to invest in research making ethanol from agricultural waste, which is a realistic biofuel of our future.

Methane gas is a natural byproduct of landfills all over our country. Power plants are starting to use this energy source to make the electricity to power your home and business.

There are also newly developing biofuels from algae and cellulosic ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol is most interesting because it uses plant matter that might normally be considered agricultural waste … corn stalks, straw, various grasses and woody plant material.

The featured guest, Tim Searchinger of Princeton University, said, “The simplest explanation is that when we divert our corn or soybeans to fuel, if people around the world are going to continue to eat the same amount that they’re already eating, you have to replace that food somewhere else.”

This of course forces humans to convert more natural forests and grasslands into agricultural fields which results in more carbon dioxide production.

Of the Renewable Fuels Association, Matt Hartwig, agreed that ethanol is not the perfect answer, but “it is evolving and becoming better.”

And Alex Farrell of Berkley sees light at the end of the tunnel … he counters with the very real prospect of using biofuels made from landfill materials, waste, or grasses.

All agree that the biodiesel industry is continuing to evolve, and with it is the need for stringent biodiesel fuel testing.

For additional information on biodiesel testing, please contact bpohlman@midwestlabs.com.

The ASTM guidelines place maximum and/or minimum limits on 4 biodiesel characteristics: 

1) Flash Point.  The flash point is the lowest temperature for which combustion is possible.  If too low, then inadvertent combustion may occur which is of course a safety hazard.  Producers should always test biodiesel fuel for the flash point to ensure the safety of distributors, retailers and consumers.

2) Contamination.  Water and sediment does not present a safety concern, these contaminant materials can have has undesirable mechanical effects: clog filters, reduce ignition performance, and have a negative impact upon the fuel pump. 

The ASTM specifications refer to the amount of water dissolved; not to the water coexisting in bulk form within a tank. 

3) Microbes.  Water included in the blend may also stimulate the growth of microbes, especially in warmer temperatures.  The microbes produce deposits that can aid the clogging of the water upon filters. 

4) Glycerin.  Glycerin is a natural byproduct of biodiesel production. A large glycerin content in the final product can indicate that the manufacturing process used to transform oils and fats into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) was incomplete.   High glycerin content can likely result in the clogged filters and in the contamination of injectors.

For biodiesel fuel testing, kits and information is offered by Midwest Laboratories in accordance with ASTM 6751 for B100 - Biodiesel.  Midwest Labs works with clients to develop testing packages that suit your specific needs.

For additional information, please contact bpohlman@midwestlabs.com

Key to BQ-9000 certification is compliance with the ASTM D6751 specification for B100. The ASTM D6751 sets limits on a number of properties of biodiesel fuel:

• the combined mass concentration of calcium and magnesium
• the closed cup flashpoint
• the combined volume concentration of water and sediment
• and many more properties.

In order to meet the biodiesel regulations set in many states as well as of the BQ-9000 certification process, biodiesel testing in accordance with ASTM D6751-07b is a vital component offered by Midwest Labs.

When meeting these specifications through a testing process, you can guarantee a quality biodiesel fuel for your customers.

At Midwest Laboratories, we’re happy to work with you to whether you need an individual biodiesel testing kit or are interested in a package to continuously test biodiesel.

For additional information, please contact bpohlman@midwestlabs.com

The 2008 Conference is expected to break records with the number of industry leaders. There will be endless opportunities for education, networking, and events.

Stop by the Midwest Labs booth (Booth 1019) to learn more about our biodiesel testing analysis - analysis you can trust. For more information, contact Brent Pohlman or Heather Ramig at 402-334-7770.