Project Objectives:
To determine the performance effect of biodiesel fuel blend percentages on different technical vintages of tractor engines; to evaluate the available energy from biodiesel fuel blended at different percentages as compared to diesel fuel; and to provide information to biodiesel advocates and consumers to quantify performance changes.
Project Description:
This project will conduct comparison testing using different technical vintages of diesel engines with varying percentages of biodiesel blends. Parameters measured will include fuel consumption, power and emissions. Controlled performance testing to OECD standards will also have monitoring and recording of tractor operating temperatures.
Performance Story:
Biodiesel fuel production and use is an emerging sector in Manitoba. Agricultural producers require data on the effect varying percentages of biodiesel fuel have on the performance of different technical vintages of diesel engines.
During this project, comparison testing under controlled conditions was performed at Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI) using different technical vintages of diesel engines typical of those currently used on the prairies. Biodiesel meeting ASTM specification made from canola was used for the testing. The biodiesel was mixed with varying percentages of biodiesel blends in order to determine the effect biodiesel blend percentage and technical vintage had on engine performance.
Parameters measured included fuel consumption and power following OECD test guidelines. Emissions were also monitored for trends in performance changes.
As anticipated, the Manitoba Hydro Laboratory at Selkirk analyses on each of the fuels used in the tests showed the properties of the B5, B10, B20 and B50 blends are distributed consecutively in the spectrum between diesel and B100. The B100 has a lower energy content than the diesel fuels and was likely the cause of its reduced power output during the performance comparison tests.
The project concluded that there was an obvious effect in tractor engine performance when using biodiesel blends. Different tractor vintages produced varying results in power and fuel consumption. B5 and B10 blends had a negligible effect on power output and fuel consumption. The effect of using B20, B50 and B100 was noticeably different than diesel for all of the tractors tested.
Research results were disseminated at five field days in July and August of 2008 and presentations were given at Manitoba Ag Days and the Starbuck Crop Seminar. Data sheets are distributed on an ongoing basis.
