Wednesday, March 7, 2007 10:18 PM CST
Meeting addresses fuel requirements for diesel engine users
By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com
CHARLESTON -- Bio-fuels can be a good way to deal with the change to new “ultra-low” sulfur diesel fuel, industry representatives said at a meeting Wednesday that was supposed to help fuel users cope with requirements.
Removing sulfur from diesel fuel also removes its lubricating qualities, for example, and a bio-fuel additive can restore it, one representative said.
“Bio-diesel is a great lubricity additive,” said Phil Hamilton, sales manager for Schaeffer Additives of St. Louis. “We’re doing all we can to bring lubricity back.”
Lanman Oil Co. of Charleston sponsored Wednesday’s presentation at the Worthington Inn in Charleston. Another presentation is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. today at the Colonial Kitchen restaurant in Chrisman.
Company President Mike Lanman said the goal was to provide farmers and other diesel engine users information to help them reduce maintenance and repairs. He also noted new fuels were developed because of federal clean air mandates coming into effect.
“It’s now rolling out there,” Lanman said.
Hamilton said specifications for bio-diesel are “a little too loose” when it comes to their content of glycerine, the part of the fuel that gels in cold weather. He said his company is trying to work with bio-diesel manufacturers because the fuels can meet specifications and still not perform well in the cold.
“We need to have tighter control,” he said. “Those are some of the hurdles we have to deal with.”
He said an additive usually isn’t needed until 10- to 20-percent bio-diesel is part of the mix, but there’s presently no company that can supply a no-gel additive for 100 percent bio-diesel. The weather in the Midwest allows at least some improvement with most fuels, he also said.
“In the Illinois area, we’re able to do a pretty good job,” Hamilton said.
One of the day’s other speakers was Denice Jacoby, quality control specialist with Marathon Oil, who pointed out the main reason for the requirement for lower-sulfur diesel.
“It’s going to clean the air up 99 percent more,” she said. “In the end, it’s going to help us and our kids.”
The “ultra-low sulfur” fuel is already available in this part of the country, but some users might not realize it, Jacoby also said. Retailers sometimes don’t change their pump labels to show they have the product, and that’s led to concern for federal authorities who are going to start checking on that more, she explained.
Bio-diesel can only be stored for about half the time of regular diesel, usually three to six months, though additives can be used to extend that, Jacoby said.
Other advice for bio-diesel users she offered included better tank maintenance because the fuel is more attractive to microbes, and using stainless steel or aluminum fittings because it can corrode other metals.
Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 348-5733.
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