Wilks Enterprise has revealed that its Infraspec VFA-IR spectrometer model EB has been used in tests conducted by a major pipeline company to detect biodiesel contamination in diesel fuels.
Over seven weeks, more than 20 different diesel fuels were tested for the presence of biodiesel and if they would cause false positive readings.
The testing concluded that the Wilks Infraspec spectrometer was well suited to detect biodiesel levels as low as 100ppm and provides a quick and easy check for fuel contamination at a competitive price.
The Infraspec VFA-IR spectrometer model EB is able to check for fuel contamination in less than five minutes by an operator with minimal training.
Wilks said it eliminates the need to wait for measurement results from an off-site laboratory.
The Infraspec spectrometer incorporates a flow-through sample system and integrated syringe pump with automatic software controls for all pumping actions.
Currently, the ASTM Method D 975 allows up to five per cent biodiesel without the requirement for biodiesel content labelling.
For some diesel fuel applications, the presence of even a little biodiesel is a concern.
Pipeline operators are concerned that a diesel shipment could unknowingly contain biodiesel and cause 'trail-back' - where trace amounts of biodiesel clinging to the walls of the pipe can end up in future diesel fuel shipments.
Emergency diesel generator operators, such as nuclear power plants, which store fuels for long periods, are also concerned that the presence of biodiesel could cause bacterial growth, which clogs fuel filters and can shut down a generator when it is needed most.
The Infraspec spectrometer is compact, portable and has a simplified PC interface that gives the user the capability to measure on-site at a pipeline, nuclear power plant, or at a manufacturing facility, as well as in the laboratory and anywhere biodiesel detection is required.
