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CORE EXPERTISE

ELEVEN QUESTIONS

SERVICES

 I- INVESTIGATIVE

     FUEL

     PLASTICS 

     OILS AND FAT

     WATER/AIR

     CORROSION

     EMULSIONS

  SEPARATION SCIENCE

     RESEARCH

 II- ANALYSIS TECH

 III-CONTRACT TESTING

     BIODIESEL 

     GLYCERIN 

     B100  FEEDSTOCK   

      FATS AND OILS

  IV-ENVIROSCIENCE

      WATER CHEMISTRY

      ODORS/AROMA 

     PROCESSES

PROJECTS

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BIODIESEL B100 FEEDSTOCK QUALITY TESTING LABORATORY

Vegetable, algal or microbial oils, animal fats, used cooking oils, and even some oily waste products are potential feedstocks for the production of FAME for B100 biodiesel fuel, or other products.  These triglyceride or high free fatty acid (FFA) oils are normally readily converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) through transesterification or esterification reactions, respectively.  While the reaction chemistry is often straightforward, some feedstock impurities can cause a loss in yields, an increase in waste, and the carryover of contaminants to secondary streams which might otherwise be suited as saleable products. Other impurities, such as steryl glucosides, are thought to be involved in restrictions on the flow of diesel fuel through filters.  Enzymatic conversions to FAME are also potentially severely influenced by feedstock impurities resulting in yield losses.  

While traditional impurity markers are still used to gauge feedstock quality for biodiesel, new measures are required to address recent concerns.  One of these is the contamination of triglyceride feedstocks by biodiesel FAME and other non-glycerides.  The level of contamination can range substantially.

We offer sensitive and reliable tests which can provide you with a measure of confidence about the authenticity of feedstock labeling.     

As the quality of the feedstock diminishes from food grade oils to various types of waste oils the occurence of these types of contaminants seem likely to become more frequent.  Environmental factors or previous uses can wreak havoc on purity and oil quality.  The properties of those products depend on the bulk composition of the feedstock oil or fat, and impurities derived from the process of isolating the oil and fat, and the origin, the particular animal, plant, microbe, or waste source.   An assessment of those impurities through laboratory analysis is an important piece of an evaluation of a prospective oil feedstock. 

R.W. Heiden Associates tests a variety of materials and substances that contain vegetable oils and animal fats or are derived from them.  We can assist you in determining quality and product stability.  

Are you using vegetable oils and fats in your processes, as a fuel for diesel vehicles, as a feedstock for higher end chemicals or biodiesel, or as an additive or ingredient in food or feed formulations ?   

Are you developing new strains of microbes, algae or plants that make their own unique fatty acid profile, or have special cellular apparatus for increasing oil yield ?   Are you cultivating algae or developing processing capability to harvest algal oils?   

If the answer to any of those questions is yes or maybe, we can help meet the most demanding project requirements.   We use a variety of AOCS, ASTM, and specially developed test methods to meet your needs, AND assess the quality of the feedstock.

 Among the types of oils and tests we perform are the following:

Biodiesel Feedstock (click here for more info on B100 and biodiesel blends testing)

Edible Oils

Microbial Oil  (e.g. oil from algae)

Industrial Oils and fats

Seed Analysis

Oxidation Stability

Additive Stabilization

Oxidative Condition

Particulate Characterization

Process Filter Debris

Hydrolytic Stability

Microbial Degradation

Authentication

Fatty Acid Distribution

Corrosion Investigations

Failure Analysis

Off-Road Vehicle Diesel Fuels

If you have an interest in these or other related topics just give us a call or contact us.