Use of Straight Vegetable Oil as a Fuel in Appropriately Equipped Compression

Ignition (Diesel) Engines

Joel Lindstrom

Leonardo Technologies, Inc.

Bozeman, MT

Harvesting Clean Energy Conference IX January 25-27, 2009 | Billings, MT

Successful compression ignition (diesel) engine operation with SVO as fuel can be obtained, without affecting the engine’s capability to operate on conventional fuels.

Major technological developments have taken place since the late 1970s and early 80s, when the vast majority of the scientific community did conclude that SVO was an unsuitable fuel for diesel engines.

Use of Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) as a Fuel in Modified Diesel Engines

The disadvantages of using straight (pure) vegetable oil as a fuel include:

High cloud pointHigh surface tension and viscosity leading to poor atomizationLow cetaneHigh flash pointFuel variability and presence of gums (phosphatides)Susceptibility to forming coke depositsSusceptibility to forming sludge when mixed and heated with

petroleum lubricants

It has been shown that appropriately designed equipment can circumvent these disadvantages, enabling SVO as a reliable, environmentally conscious and potentially economical fuel choice.

Use of Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) as a Fuel in Modified Diesel Engines

Typical SVO Modification EquipmentCoolant-Fuel Heat Exchanger and Heated Fuel Filter customary for all SVO engines

LTI had two GL 11000 engine gensets modified by Elsbett

Both gensets were fitted in cargo trailers, of which have been used to perform numerous demonstrations/education efforts. Emissions tests carried out with food grade canola oil were shown to be successful. All long term degradation evaluations have yielded positive results.

GL 11000 Specs:

2-Pole / Single phase (120 / 240 V)

10 kW (13.4 hp) Prime, 11 kW (14.75 hp) Standby

Use of Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) as a Fuel in Modified Diesel Engines

This trailer has been demonstrated at numerous venues in and around Montana: at the “Yellowstone Greening Conference” in Big Sky; the Lamar Buffalo Ranch in Yellowstone National Park, at Montana State University – Bozeman, as well as at “Music on Main”, “Make My House Green” and “Bioneers” events all held in Bozeman, MT.

Portable Demonstration Power System

Use of Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) as a Fuel in Modified Diesel Engines

Filtration of Used Vegetable Oil for use as a Fuel in Modified Diesel Engines

Removes contaminates as small as 0.1 micron - Fuel quality is a Major KEY to achieving successful long-term engine operation

A 750 gallon field examination revealed that the consumables required to operate the system cost less than $0.50 per filtered gallon. It was also found that the system can filter vegetable oil to a cleanliness level exceeding that of commercially available diesel fuel.

What Happens When Inadequately Filtered or Rancid Vegetable Oil is used as a Fuel

Along with staff of Ted Turner’s Flying D Buffalo Ranch, LTI pressed 4,000 lbs of camelina seed. The camelina oil was filtered by LTI, which was used to conduct various oil property evaluations and engine demonstrations. This oil was used to power approximately 50 hours of successful engine operation.

Field Exam at Ted Turner’s Flying D Buffalo Ranch near Bozeman, Montana

Economies of Scale Definitely Matter When it Comes to Processing Oilseeds

Questions?