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Effects of Triacetin on Biodiesel Quality

2010; American Chemical Society; Volume: 24; Issue: 8 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1021/ef100406b

1520-5029

Abraham Casas, José Ramón Ruiz, María Jesús Ramos, Ángel Pérez,

Lubricants and Their Additives

Triacetin is a byproduct obtained from the reaction between triglycerides and methyl acetate (interesterification) and has a higher added value than that of glycerol. According to the reaction stoichiometry, the final product contains 20 wt % of triacetin and 80 wt % of biodiesel in a single phase. The aim of this work was to test the performance of biodiesel quality standards when triacetin is present at different concentrations in the biodiesel. We therefore measured properties, such as the density, kinematic viscosity, cloud point, pour point, cold filter plugging point, dynamic viscosity, cetane number, heating value, distillation curve, and flash point, for mixtures of triacetin and biodiesel composed of various amounts of triacetin of up to 20 wt % and different biodiesels (palm, soybean, sunflower, high-oleic sunflower, and rapeseed). Current biodiesel fuel standards would limit the triacetin to about 10 wt % (EN 14214) if they considered that the effect of adding triacetin is different to that of conventional triglycerides. There would not be any restriction for amounts of up to 20 wt % according to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D6751 guidelines.