february2021 - 33

However, Detroit Diesel's Martin advises that
when using B20, fleets still need to run good, quality fuel to avoid problems with filter plugging, fuel
system deposits, or aftertreatment poisoning.
Renewable diesel contains higher levels of
cetane than both petroleum diesel and biodiesel,
which results in a cleaner burn and can contribute
to smoother and quieter combustion.
" Because of its much higher cetane number,
renewable diesel provides more efficient combustion, " says Matt Leuck, technical manager of
Renewable Road Transportation in North America
at Neste, a global producer of renewable diesel.
" This leads to less soot in EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) coolers and EGR valves, and less particulate
matter that can plug diesel particulate filters. "
With less soot and particulate matter, maintenance intervals can be reduced on these components, Leuck notes.
" The fact that [renewable diesel] fuel is much
cleaner also means operators can expect less fuel
filter plugging, fewer injector deposits, quicker
cold starts, and fewer harmful emissions at the
tailpipe, " Leuck adds.
For heavy duty truck manufacturer Daimler
Trucks North America, renewable diesel is not
only the better alternative for biofuels but offers
many additional advantages when it comes to
vehicle engines and fuel systems.
Detroit Diesel's Martin lists a few advantages:
Ü It is the only fuel that can be used in trucks
at 100 percent blend levels without risk to the
engine and aftertreatment system.
Ü It does not oxidize, so it is suitable for long
term storage.
Ü It is generally free from metal contaminants,
which are the building blocks of fuel system
deposits and are harmful to aftertreatment
systems.
Ü It is the only fuel that lowers CO2, NOx, HC,
and PM.

el due to increased water content of the fuel, "
Martineau notes. " They can also increase the
oxidative stability of the biodiesel, therefore inhibiting the formation of sludge and other deposits
that can severely impact the fuel system. "
In addition, multifunctional diesel fuel additives that contain a DCA can help remove and
prevent fuel injector deposits which allow for a
more efficient and complete combustion cycle,
Martineau adds.
Although renewable diesel is proven to burn
more completely - and cleanly - fleets running on
this fuel source may further increase performance
through the use of fuel additives.
" Even with renewable diesel helping to prevent
future fuel injector deposit formations by being
a cleaner and more efficient burning fuel, fleets
of different ages and sizes can still be affected
by fuel injector deposits found in high pressure
common rail fuel injection (HPCR) systems, "
Martineau says.
" To prevent and remove these types of fuel
injector deposits, multifunctional diesel fuel
additives containing DCA [can] be used in
conjunction with renewable diesel to increase
the performance of the fuel and its clean up abilities of these deposits, [as well as] improving fuel
economy further, " Martineau adds.

In 2023, Neste expects to bring online significant volumes of new renewable diesel production as they continue to expand their network of
renewable diesel fueling stations and partnerships
with new distributors.
Leuck predicts the demand for renewable diesel
to " increase five-fold before the end of the decade. "
" This growth is driven by two key things, "
he notes. " Businesses are setting ambitious
climate goals and governments are adopting
policies that incentivize the use of lower emission, renewable fuels. "
Daimler's Martin agrees that the future of
renewable diesel is only getting stronger.
" There are a number of solutions to achieve a
carbon-neutral future, and low carbon fuel standards (LCFS) will be part of the mix for the foreseeable future, " he says. " We expect renewable
diesel penetration to grow as a biofuel. Other
than limited availability, there are no significant
penalties associated with using this fuel. There are
a number of new production facilities in construction throughout the U.S. "
The future for biodiesel also looks bright.
Modern biodiesel production continues to
convert fuels from lower and lower quality waste
streams. By doing so, biodiesel will be present in
diesel fuel blends around the world, providing

Use of fuel additives

One potential downside to biodiesel is that it has
a higher risk of thickening, or gelling, in cold
temperatures than petroleum diesel, depending
on the type of oil used. The probability of gelling
increases when the fuel is blended at B10 or higher.
Kevin Griffith, fuel additive product manager at
Lubrizol, a provider of specialty transportation-related fluids, suggests using a cold-flow improver.
" Unfortunately, there is not a one-size-fits-all
anti-gel product since biodiesel characteristics can
vary widely by source, " Griffith says. " However, for
fleets interested in using biodiesel throughout the
winter season, Lubrizol can recommend an effective cold flow improver additive that will achieve
the desired winter operability of their fuel blends. "
Other concerns for fleets using biodiesel may
include occurrences of corrosion in the fuel
system or reduced thermal oxidative stability.
Spencer Martineau, diesel additive product
manager with Lubrizol recommends utilizing a multifunctional diesel fuel additive that
contains a deposit control additive (DCA) to alleviate these concerns.
" DCAs have corrosion performance capabilities
that help mitigate corrosion brought by biodies-

Availability, cost, and
future outlook
Currently, availability of renewable diesel is limited. As supply continues to grow with increased
production, costs associated with renewable diesel
are expected to fall, making the fuel more affordable for fleets.
" In markets where available, renewable diesel
is competitive with traditional diesel, " Neste's
Leuck says. " It will become easier and easier
for customers to affordably access renewable
diesel as more states and regions adopt policies that encourage the use of renewable, low
emission fuels. "

»Biodiesel is approved for blending
with petroleum diesel and meets
ASTM D6751 quality standards.
25814358 | Frank Gärtner | Dreamstime

economic and environmental benefits, Green
Energy Biofuel's McGuffee says.
Biomass-based diesel presents fleets a number
of benefits. Both are made from renewable sources,
burn clean, reduce their carbon footprint up to 80
percent, and neither require engine modifications.
According to Leuck, biomass-based diesel fuel
can help fleet operators " transform their vehicles
from fossil-fueled to fossil-free practically overnight, with no extra costs. "

February 2021 | FleetMaintenance.com

http://www.FleetMaintenance.com

february2021

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