Continued from p. 6 mal resistance). To reduce heating and insulation needs altogether, B100 can also be blended in-line during offloading or blended upstream at a selected rate (B1-B99) and stored as a blended fuel. If blending is to occur on-site, the preferred method is ratio blending, when B100 is added to the moving stream of the main product at the selected blend rate for the full duration of the load. A similar method is batch blending, in which B100 is added to the stream at a higher volume than the selected blend rate for a shorter portion of the load. Both forms of in-line blending require The Why and How of Blending Biodiesel separate meter and/ or control valve systems for each product, though their configurations may vary. B100 can also be blended at the rack like a typical fuel additive using flow control technology, which allows for multiple blend rates to be loaded at a single rack. While sequential (or splash) blending—when one product is loaded at a time—is not optimal for biodiesel, it may be necessary when in-line blending is not available or when biodiesel and diesel fuel are loaded at separate locations. In these cases, biodiesel should be loaded on top of the petroleum diesel to prevent the heavier biodiesel from settling at the bottom of the tank. As with any method, both products should be blended at similar temperatures to promote homogeneity in the final blend. The appropriate blending method and associated infrastructural needs at your terminal will largely be determined by the volume of biodiesel throughput for a given time and projected future need. Volume should depend on factors including availability of B100 supply, customer demand, desired blend level(s), tank and space availability and operational costs. To help accomplish your goals, there are many mechanical engineering companies available to tour your facility and make specific recommendations. Regardless of the how of your operation, it is strongly advised that B100 originate from a BQ- 9000 producer who has met the quality assurance guidelines and certification standards established by the National Biodiesel Accreditation Program. More information and a list of biodiesel producers are available at www.biodiesel.org. ICM 8 ICM/March/April 2015
ICM September-October 2014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above