B U L K PL A N T S
FON: In bulk storage scenarios, is there any need for additives beyond those typically used in other applications for the fuel?
Savage: Exotic additives are not required beyond those you would use for any other application of this product.
FON: What are some of the other poten- tial concerns you can have with biodiesel or Bioheat ™ in colder climates?
Savage: If you're building an aboveg- round tank, your spill plan requires that the tank be secondarily contained. If you have a double-wall type of tank and you don't pay attention to your overfill alarms and you do get overfill into that compart- ment and it's wintertime that material will become rather difficult to get out until it warms up.
FON: What about the typical materials used in the plant infrastructure and bio- fuels? With ethanol, rubbers and plastics can be an issue, is there a problem with biodiesel or Bioheat ™?
Savage: With seals, we've been using Buna-N (nitrile) and Viton and we don't have a problem.
FON: Although not a biofuel, ultra low sulfur diesel/ heating oil is a relatively new product that is growing in use, often being blended with a biofuel. The Petroleum Equipment Institute has iden- tified some potential corrosion issues with the product. What is your take on that and what needs to be done to mini- mize those concerns?
Savage: The biggest issue there seems to be keeping air out of the process, which can be exasperated if pumps run dry for more than 4 or 5 seconds unnecessarily. It's a similar situation with offloading ethanol—don't strip your pumps. Don't prime the pumps; don't let the meters run dry. Ultra low sulfur diesel does absorb moisture so remove all the cast iron from a system handling ultra low sulfur diesel.
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And B100 has no impact on ultra low sul- fur corrosion.
FON: Is there any issue with the different biodiesel/bioheat blendstocks, for example soybean vs. animal fats?
Savage: The pour point does change with different blend stocks. Other issues related to metallurgy or seals do not come into play. l FON
