International Normative
In countries of the first world like USA and the European nations, the legislation regulates the content of sulfur in gasoil taking it to levels near to zero for a not very distant future.
A very important measure already taken in Europe was to establish the obligatory use of 5% of Biodiesel as preservative of mineral gasoil, which would be taken to 10% by the year 2010.
This decision is based in the understanding that the Biodiesel is less polluting since it doesn’t contain polynuclear aromatics, the content of unburned fuel present in the escape gases is smaller as so is the particulated material and the aldehydes.
It is important to indicate that motor that works with Biodiesel, doesn’t emanate black smoke of its escape pipe.
Argentine Normative
According to authorized sources of the Subcommittee of Quality of Fuels coordinated by Lic. MarÃa Beatriz Villafañe published on September 2004 through the bulletin IRAM, it was agreeded to study for economic reasons of production of these raw materials in our country, prioritarily, the norm of the pure Biodiesel product, corresponding to the mixture of methylic esters coming from the transesterification of the soy oil.
This subcommittee, studied and approved during the years 2001 and 2002, the norm on the requirements of quality of this fuel: Norma IRAM 6515-1. Quality of Fuels in the following way:
Liquid fuels for automotive use.
Part 1: Pure (B100). The backgrounds used for the elaboration of this document are:
» Resolution N° 129/2001 of the Secretary of Energy.
» Norm ASTM PS 121/1999 “Provisional Specification for Biodiesel Fuel (B 100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuelsâ€
» Norma ASTM D 6751:2002 “Standard Specification for Biodiesel Fuel (B-100) Blend Stock for Distillate Fuels.”
» Norma pr ENN 14214/May 2001 “Automotive fuels – Fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) for diesel engines – Requirements and test methods.”
The requirements that were considered for the obtainment of a good quality product are::
» Minimum purity by gassy cromatography.
» Range of density and viscosity for pumpability of the product.
» Inflammation point.
Maximum content of:
» sulfurate.
» water by Karl Fischer.
» insoluble impurities.
» sulphied ashes (to avoid inorganic pollutants).
» esters of linoleic acid.
» methylic esters of polyunsaturated acid with 4 or more than double bonds.
» free methanol (that indicates a good purification of the final product).
» mono di and triglycerides (that indicates a complete transesterification).
» free and total glycerine (that it indicates the purity and it impedes the damage of the motor).
» sodium and potassium metals (that indicates absence of soaps what would damage the motor).
» carbonaceous residual (fundamental to distinguish a good product).
» acidity.
» iodine (to prevent the use of oils that produce lacquers in the motor and to allow the use of the soy oil).
Minimum content of·:
» Cetane number (to assure the estates of ignition of the fuel).
» Grade of lubricity.
It was also considered the corrosion to the copper sheet, the stability to the oxidation that corresponds to a quick aging that gives the idea of the time of storage and fundamentally the requirement related to the climate and the time of the year for the extension and variety of our country, as is the temperature of point of obturation of cold filter, when the motor filters block themselves because of the solidification of the product, due to the drop of temperature, important factor to be kept in mind in order to be sold in certain regions or seasons.
The elaboration of these norms took place with the participation of, the oil companiesRepsol YPF, Shell, Esso, Petrobras, Dapsa, Rhasa; the Chamber of representatives of automobile factories: ADEFA; the producers of Biodiesel of the whole country: Pcias. of Bs. As., Santa Fe, San Luis, Córdoba, Jujuy, among others; the representatives of the Provincial Governments; users such as Railroads, Agricultural machinery; National Universities as the U.T.N. and of Rio Cuarto; the INTI; the INTA; the Customs Direction; Private laboratories; representatives of Instrumental analytic; AES-association of Service Stations; the Secretary of Energy; the stock exchange of Cereals; the Secretary of Agriculture; the Chamber of Oils; the Association of Fatty and Oils; Private institutes, Consultants; suppliers of preservatives, and special guest, among others.