Bio-Diesel

Bruce Moore

Staff member
Joined
Nov 22, 2008
Messages
2,248
Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Hull Identification Number
USFMLT4104I
Non-Fluid Motion Model
SSBN 658 Mariano G. Vallejo
Vessel Name
Soundtrack
MMSI Number
368096220
I just read an informative and positive article about the use of bio-diesel fuel in marine engines. It's in the July issue of PACIFIC YACHTING - on the newsstand, but not online.
py_july09_coversmall.jpg


Anyone using it? Thoughts?

Cheers,

Bruce
 
Yanmar says absolutely positively do not use biodiesel.
 
I swear on a Bible I saw somewhere in the Yanmar manual that using biodiesel was prohibited. But now I can't find where it says that. It might be in the manual for the Yanmar engine in the Mase generator.
 
It's in the manual for the R-21 EC's Yanmar engine. No bio-diesel for it.

Maybe the new electronic controlled engines can handle it. :?

Gene
 
By accident we once put a bio diesel/diesel blend in Solitude. Once we realized what we did, we wanted to get this tank of fuel burnered in a hurry. We ran Solitude hard until we burned through this tank. We noticed that this fuel created a lot of black soot that we had not seen before. Once we got regular old diesel back into her, she quit spitting out this black soot. Now, we only had a 15% bio 85% diesel blend in her and this is what she did. I cannot imagine pushing pure bio diesel through her! On the other hand, our Dodge gets better mileage and performance out of the bio diesel blend......
 
The Yanmar web site says:
A maximum of 5% B5 Bio Diesel can be blended with standard fuel and must conform to ASTM D6751 or ISO EN14214 specifications. I understand the 5% part.
 
Me, too. I'm just not sure how to measure 5% in my fuel tank. The tank is tilted down in the front. No accurate way to measure the fuel in the tank. 😱

Gene
 
Here is what may be a dumb question... Is it possible to burn JP5 fuel. Aircraft fuel is simply highly refined. Would the engine run cleaner, more efficiently?

I am not really sure :?:
 
Found this with (what else), an internet search...

Naval aviation turbine fuel, JP-5, has been accepted as alternative to JP-8 in the frame of the Single Fuel Policy. This has resulted in some ongoing research on JP-5 fuel for its application as a naval single fuel. The necessity to cope with the environmental problems identified in the process of implementing the Single Fuel Policy as well as the strict requirements of modern diesel engines has lead to the need of improved single fuel quality. The development of biomass derived substitutes for diesel, such as biodiesel, is a possible attractive solution. The present paper is an effort to evaluate JP-5 along with diesel and biodiesel for use in a diesel engine. These fuels were used alone and in various mixture fractions in a single cylinder stationary diesel engine in order to evaluate their performance under defined operating conditions of the engine. JP-5 reduced both the NOx and particulate matter emissions as compared to the reference fuel case. Biodiesel significantly lowered particulate emissions, but slightly increased NOx emissions and fuel consumption. Fuel sulfur content has an undesired effect on smoke opacity. Biodiesel increased the fuel consumption when added to petroleum fuels and the increase was larger at high engine loads. Diesel and JP-5 showed similar fuel consumption, with diesel consumption increasing at high engine loads. Ternary blends showed similar behavior. The blends with lower biodiesel content showed lower volumetric fuel consumption.


Charlie
 
Too complicated for me.........
 
The article is typical of government/research agencies publications. One has to read a lot before getting any solid info and it may vague. (I spent 22 years in the military reading those pubs and then another 30 dealing with IRS stuff, university personnel writing and gov. agencies' pubs and correspondence in general and still don't always get the message.) :?

Biodiesel increases fuel consumption, just as ethanol (sp?) does. Both reduce pollution of one kind or another. JP5 will run a diesel engine as good as regular diesel fuel will, at least a single cylinder test bed engine. And, JP5 pollutes less than biodiesel and low sulfur fuel. Sulfur increases smoke. Unless those fuels comply with standards acceptable to the engine manufacturer it's probably not wise to use them, especially if the engine is still covered by warranty.

Gene
 
And that was just the Abstract. Didn't have time to read the tome that was the paper itself! :shock:

Charlie
 
In the corn and soybean area that we live in--central Illinois--in addition to being within 30 miles of ADM world HQ it is impossible to find anything but biodiesel. Only one station in the area carries straight unleaded gasoline (no added ethanol).

I am open to any suggestions on handling this problem.

Tuggin Aweigh
 
Back
Top