Yes definitely what does it cost and where can we get the kit? It might even be able to close my questions about FFA derived biodiesel. Can it measure the oxygen content of biodiesel?
Dave --- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Want me to contact him for more info? > > Keith Addison > > > > Dear Mr. Addison, > > Thanks for your inquiry. > > The NIR method is designed to more rapidly analyze biodiesel fuel > quality and monitor production. While it is considerably faster and > easy to use, it gives less detail than gas chromatography (GC). This > can be circumvented by, say, monitoring production at certain, > pre-determined intervals at which the conversion is known. If the > NIR results are in line with expectations (allowing for "normal" > experimental deviation) and the NIR of the final product also > corresponds to the NIR of biodiesel known to satisfy standards, then > the just produced biodiesel fuel will highly likely also meet those > standards. It is advisable to establish standard samples analyzed by > GC and NIR before going to all-NIR. In any case, GC would then only > be necessary to analyze in case that NIR indicates a problem. > > Should you be interested, I could send you copies of technical > publications from peer-reviewed journal dealing with NIR. In that > case, I would need your mailing address. > > In any case, the issue of quality testing is extremely important, as > you indicate, and all biodiesel should meet (provisional) standards > such as those established in several European countries and the > United States. The methods described above help in this area. > Furthermore, for example, in the United States, an accreditation > program for biodiesel fuel producers and suppliers is planned. It > would ascertain that such producers and suppliers make or deal with > biodiesel meeting standards specifications. The quality issue can be > a problem for those who produce it on a small (non-commercial) scale > as adequate quality control may be lacking. Fuel of lower quality > may then cause problems. > > Again, if you would like more information, please let me know. Hope > this is helpful. > > Best regards, > > Gerhard Knothe > > > Gerhard Knothe, Ph.D. > USDA / ARS / NCAUR > Peoria, IL 61604 > U.S.A. > > > > NIR Helps Turn Vegetable Oil into High-Quality Biofuel > By Linda McGraw > June 15, 1999 > > PEORIA, Ill., June 15--To help speed the development of biodiesel > fuels made with vegetable oils, scientists at USDA's Agricultural > Research Service here have adapted a sophisticated tool known as > near-infrared spectroscopy, or NIR. > > Baby-boomers remember the lines at gas stations when the oil embargo > of the 1970's hit. Despite the oil shortage, America's farm tractors > continued to roll because of USDA research that turned vegetable oils > into alternative fuels. > > The trend will continue in the 21st century, when motorists will see > more public vehicles--buses, trains, trucks, and government-owned > maintenance equipment--running on biodiesel fuels made from soybean > oil. By the year 2001, the Federal Energy Policy Act requires that 75 > percent of all new state and federal vehicles be filled with > alternative fuels. > > Until now, the standard for measuring biodiesel quality has been a > complex analytical method called gas chromatography, or simply GC. > > "But GC is a complex piece of laboratory equipment, requiring > technical expertise and at least an hour to perform," said Gerhard H. > Knothe, an ARS chemist in Peoria, Ill. Another drawback of GC is it > requires chemical reagents and solvents that need special handling > and costly disposal. > > Knothe has developed a safer and faster way to check the quality of > biodiesel fuel by using NIR. Much of the pioneering work on biodiesel > fuels began where Knothe works, at ARS' National Center for > Agricultural Utilization Research. > > "NIR is a nifty tool also used for determining fatty acid composition > in vegetable oils and oil content in seeds," said Knothe. Another > plus: No special training is needed to perform the NIR test. > > The researchers are developing the method for more effective > production monitoring and fuel quality control, improvements needed > by the biodiesel producers. Biodiesel producers need to know early if > the chemical reactions that occur during biodiesel fuel production > are successful. > > Using NIR, Knothe can measure the conversion of vegetable oil to > biodiesel fuel in less than a minute. > > NIR coupled with a fiber-optic probe uses light rather than chemicals > to perform the analysis. Checking the biodiesel fuel quality is > important because potential contaminants in the fuel could lead to > engine deposits. "Our test will help biodiesel fuel producers > determine if their products meet the quality standards of the > American Society for Testing and Materials," Knothe said. Biofuels at Journey to Forever http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuel at WebConX http://www.webconx.com/2000/biofuel/biofuel.htm To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
