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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Bio-oils Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #299958

Title: Predicting various biodiesel fuel properties

Author
item Knothe, Gerhard

Submitted to: Annual Meeting and Expo of the American Oil Chemists' Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/2013
Publication Date: 5/4/2014
Citation: Knothe, G.H. 2014. Predicting various biodiesel fuel properties [abstract]. American Oil Chemists' Society Annual Meeting & Expo. p. 44.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Several essential fuel properties of biodiesel are largely determined by the properties of the fatty esters which are its main components. These include cetane number, kinematic viscosity, oxidative stability, and cold flow which are contained in almost all biodiesel standards but also other properties. Several properties can be easily predicted by adding the contributions of the individual esters. These properties include cetane number and kinematic viscosity. Other properties, such as oxidative stability and cold flow, cannot be predicted in this fashion; rather they are influenced strongly by even relatively small amounts of components with less favorable properties. Besides the major fatty ester components, minor constituents can influence biodiesel fuel properties. It appears that these minor constituents have their greatest effect on those properties that are also most sensitive towards effects of less favorable properties of minor fatty ester components.