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DUBIOUS PNS 2020:2003 & BIO-DIESEL TECHNOLOGY? • (12172 bytes)
Posted: 11/6/2005 • 08:45 GMT+8
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 Quote-reply
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By:
dynamics
registered: 11/6/2005
member
Lil;oan, Cebu, Philippines
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AN OPEN LETTER
Her Excellency Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
President of the Republic of the Philippines
For the Attention of: The Tri-Medium
Dear Madame President,
RE: DUBIOUS PNS 2020:2003 & BIO-DIESEL TECHNOLOGY?
Greetings with Peace & Joy!
The undersigned have a bunch of questions than answers, about the Philippine Coconut Dieselization (Bio-diesel) Program. Somebody, somehow, someone got “electrified” on this Bio-diesel Program. Is it the Government, the Project Proponents, the Automotive Industry or the would-be uninformed end-users? For the coordinating Project Proponents, is this not a simple case of “It’s not a question of lies and truth, but how we make people believed” --- to gain credit, reliability and to retain a sound venerable position?
Is Coconut Methyl Esterification (CME) process is the better methodology in the processing of diesel fuel oil substitute? Is CME a fuel enhancer or suited as 100% (one-on-one) substitute for petrol-diesel? Whatever the technology process adopted in the invention of bio-diesel, do we have our “Very Own” product standards so to speak, for the real protection of end-users in the application of the product? We, Filipinos are well known to “photocopy” foreign standards and technologies. Foreign technology could not be applicable to other countries, while there’s nothing wrong in “carbon-copying” product standards, the questions are: Have we “copycat” foreign standards correctly? Was it properly copied in consonance to the raw materials, of ASTM with soya, corn, rapeseed or palm as their materials, while we use coconut based, so the standard could function in a tropical country like ours? Most of all, having stated in the protection of product end-users, is the so called Philippine National Standards (PNS) for bio-diesel permissible in the market innovation? Does PNS-2020:2003 had passed through legislation, before a product can be considered and officially be certified by the Department of Energy? If not, why this very PNS-2020:2003 (Coconut Methyl Ester B100 Specification) is used already as the basis in the issuance of certificates to branded bio-diesel products? Is this not null and void? Honest mis-feasance?
The undersigned is just very amused, the way the proponents of the Coconut Methyl Etherification Program of the government, come-up with there official results and turn out to be dubious and have contradicting claims of the technology on Coconut Bio Dieselization. The most important question of all, does the money spent to this project gained satisfactory results? (sic) Utilization of Coconut Methyl Ester (CME) as Petroleum Diesel Fuel (PDF) Quality Enhancer Pilot R&D Project for the DA/PCA Vehicles … Total Budget: P4,698,739.00 (sic). Department of Agriculture Bureau of Agricultural Research, September 13, 2002
A layman could easily understand that different oil-seed raw materials have a diverse physico-chemical characteristics and specific use. According to former Energy Undersecretary Eduardo Mañalac, now is the President of PNOC. “The US bio fuel uses soybean, not coconut, but coconut fuel has passed two decades of tests to prove that it virtually cleans engines and all polluting byproducts expelled by motor vehicles. ..…He said the DOE is negotiating to “pre-mix” coco fuel in processed diesel but these talks have been hampered with “technical issues”. …..He said the only potential drawback is that a coco fuel generates abnormally high heat that burns all carbon monoxide emission, as well the rubber gasket cushioning most diesel-fed engines. If you go beyond 10-percent or 20-percent use, it will not be good for the vehicle. You cannot use 100 percent (B100) of coco fuel in the engine, he said.” Thursday, March 11, 2004 @10:12 PM GMT – 12-Baguio testing use of coconut fuel Ecology.
In a published report, (sic) A seven-member Philippine delegation lead by Department of Energy (DOE) official left recently for Us to pursue discussions on intensive research and development of coco-biodiesel . …The development of coco-biodiesel is considered a major breakthrough for the Philippines, being the first country to tap coconut oil to fire motors. In most countries, bio-diesel is a mixture of diesel fuel and ester derived either from corn, soya, rapeseed or palm. (sic) Balitang Malacañang Archive. June 10, 2004. Was there a gainful and fruitful outcome from this so-called “intensive” technology-educational trip?
In another published report – “Three big oil firms to adopt coco-diesel technology”. (sic) The country’s top oil firms – Caltex, Petron, and Shell will put up pumps for the bio-fuel coconut methyl ester (CME), once it is proven to have comparable oxidation stability as a petroleum fuel.
….They are willing to use the technology as soon as we are able to come up with studies on oxidation stability. With regard to direction, the Department of Energy (DOE) believes that we should not relying on fossil fuel so there’s a possibility that the technology use will be accelerated, a Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) official disclosed.(sic) Dateline 12/22/2004
(Marked this) On the subject: Standardization of Petrol-Fuel Oils, Philippine Trade Standard Specification, the general requirement stipulates – “The fuel oil specified herein shall be hydrocarbon oils free from INORGANIC ACIDS and FOREIGN MATTER.”
The physical characteristics of coconut oil, is a medium/long-chain fatty-acids (FFA) . However, according to government researchers, “Coconut methyl ester (CME) is an ester derivative of coconut oil with C8 to C18 carbon chain. It has lubricity, solvency and detergency characteristics and can be used as pure petroleum diesel fuel (PDF) substitute…” – Use of bio-diesel in the Philippines by PCIERD/DOST, ITDI, PCA, NPC, PNOC-ERDF. My humble questions are: Since when fatty-acids become a carbon-chain? Are lubricity (physically viscose) and solvency (dissolving effect) are not in contradicting characteristics here? Is this not tantamount in saying, hot and cold water is in a glass? These amusing and believe to be a carbon-chain is also prominently stipulated in the Biodiesel and Petro-Diesel Comparison on the hand-outs of the Philippine Coconut Authority (sic) Fuel Composition: Petrol-Diesel C10 -C21 HC and Bio-diesel C6 - C18 “. National Renewable Energy Laboratory, September 2001. (sic) The question is, since when a petrol-diesel have a fatty-acids? Fatty-acids are not Hydrocarbons.
The Department of energy had already issued a certificate of compliance to branded commercial coco-diesel products. However, it’s being sold as diesel enhancer (B1), having passed the so-called Philippine National Standards on Coconut Methyl Ester (B100) Specification, PNS 2020:2003, and the actual standards references for “Chemical and Physical Requirements Coconut Methyl Ester is from ASTM PS-121. Are these not confusing technology standards? While it maybe true that there’s no perfect technology, but expertise is precise, concise and most of all --- ACCURATE! The science of physico-chemical would dictate, different quotient, would have different consequences.
One obvious reason that makes PNS-2020:2003 a dubious standard, it has a conflicting “Chemical and Physical Characteristic Requirements”. The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) had different standards. While the commercial products that was granted with a certification by the DOE, have another standard specifications and application, the same application as mandated by Presidential Memorandum Circular 55 as (B1). And PNS-2020:2003 have a different Chemical and Physical Requirements otherwise. When in fact the title of the Product Standard alone (B100), contradicts to the adopted standard requirements for its application, as (B20), as a diesel fuel enhancer (DFE), is this not a misnomer? And worst of all, this so-called PNS-2020: 2003 was already used as an official product standard in extending certification to branded coco-diesel products in the market, without the benefit of legislation. Is this not a “mal-feasance”?
In the standards of PCA and Branded Coco-Diesel Product, they have a similar Physical Characteristic Requirement on Lubricity (BOCLE) and Oxygen which PNS-2020:2003 does not have. According to Bio-diesel and other Chemicals from Vegetable Oils and Animal Fats – March 5, 2004 (sic) Scuffing Ball on Cylinder Lubricity Evaluator (BOCLE) found that bio-diesel blends at levels below 5% had essentially no effect on lubricity. In a recent City of Montreal field study transit buses using bio-diesel blends did not result in improved fuel consumption.
....Other performance factors, such as engine power should also be studied to determine whether there are any downside issues to using bio-diesel esters as an additive. There is no ASTM standard for lubricity, although the industry is close to adopting one. The society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) has developed a standard using the High Frequency Reciprocating Rig test.(sic) Reported by Howell, S. and Schumacher, L. Bio-diesel Lubricity
In this specific case of “lubricity”, the letter-writer adopted the Four Ball Wear Test (FBWT), for Engine, Crankcase Motor Oil Catalytic Additive and Doubly Stroke (2-ST) Motor Oil. However, most of all, I don’t adopt the methodology of Coconut Methyl Esterification (CME) for obvious reason --- it’s a misnomer to come-up with an alternative energy that the same would contain inorganic petrol-base (methanol) and acidic/toxic Sodium/ Potassium Hydroxide Catalytic Reactants, that could lead to corrosion and damage on engine parts. Enkoco is an enkonized, straight-run process (easy to handle: non-corrosive; non-toxic; non- irritant no expiry), that supersedes Methyl-Esterification.
Quoting an excerpt in one of a research paper of DOST, “….Besides higher NOx levels, aldehydes are reported to present problems with neat vegetable oils. Total aldehydes increased dramatically with vegetable oils and formaldehyde formation was consistently higher than with DF. It was also reported that component triglycerides (TGs) in vegetable oil can lead to formation of aromatics via acrolein (CH2=CH-CHO) from the glycerin moity.” – Bio-diesel as an alternative fuel leading to cleaner environment.
In as much I wanted to tackle more on the physico-chemical and other technical related matters, I do hope our scientists-researchers from our government and collaborating agencies could make review of their research-work in order not to confused and mislead the public and most of all, to the end-users of the product --- coco-diesel enhancer. So we could truly energize the country without also bewildering foreign would-be consumers of our Philippine made energy products. Thus energy is an invisible universal-government so to speak.
In closing, your Excellency Madame President, I shall reiterate what was insinuated, I am not a chemist, nor an economist. I am merely innovating what others have invented to be beneficial to our country. I foresee no quarrel with Certified Engineers, Scientists, Economists and Chemical Companies for I am sure that they are in the same direction --- to put technology in rightful and lawful chronological orders, and to be self-reliance on renewable vegetative source of energy, that will benefit both our coconut and up-coming palm industries.
We must be a leader, not a follower in vegetable energization!
Truly yours, Signed
VICK ANTHONIO L. MEDEL
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Biodiesels • (1445 bytes)
Posted: 3/25/2006 • 01:37 GMT+8
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Quote-reply
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By:
jackman13
registered: 3/25/2006
member
United States
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I think the key to gaining wide market acceptance to our biodiesel project is inviting the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in the deliberations. I recall in September last year, the government announced the creation of a technical committee to study biodiesels. In February the government allowed the use of 1% mix CME and petroleum diesel. The country utilizes a host of diesels mainly Japanese, European and American brands notably Isuzu, Toyota, Fusu, Hino, Caterpillar, Mack, Cummins, Volvo, Mercedes etc.
There is a need for these manufacturers to be involved in the diodiesel deliberations because they are the ones who will have the final say as to what is good or bad for their engines. I know it takes time to get them ob board but based on my experience here inthe U.S. and Singapore, it works.
Last month, I came across an article from Business Wire about Cummins who announced their program approving the use of B5 biodiesel (5% biodiesel and 95% petroleum diesel mixture). Daimler Chrysler was also qouted in the article approving the B20 (20% CME) for certain Cummins-run units. That is just an expample of how it is being played at in the overseas market. The acceptace by the engine manufacturer of a new fuel type gives a big measure of confidence to the consuming public. It also reenforces the technical acceptability of the fuel without sacrificing the performance of the engines.
Louie T.
Oklahoma, USA.
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