Oxidation and low temperature properties of biofuels obtained from pyrolysis and alcoholysis of soybean oil and their blends with petroleum diesel

Diesel-like fuels were synthesized by a pyrolysis method using soybean oil (pyrodiesel, PD) and soybean soapstock (SPD), respectively, as starting material. These pyrodiesel samples were compared with soy biodiesel (BD) samples. All these three biofuels (PD, SPD and BD) and their blends with high sulfur (HSD) and low sulfur (LSD) diesel fuels were evaluated by measuring a number of fuel properties, such as oxidative stability, low-temperature performance, acid value and corrosion properties. Compared to BD blends, PD and SPD and their blends were found to have better oxidative stability, though inferior acid values. SPD and its blends have better flow performance at low-temperature compared to BD and PD blends. All the biofuels and their blends met the copper corrosion requirement prescribed by US and European standard. Based on the results reported here, pyrodiesels from these two-different feedstocks have potential and will require some upgrading or change in pyrolysis conditions, if they are to be used as fuel blending component.