Reducing the crystallization temperature of biodiesel by winterizing methyl soyate

Abstract

Abstract Methyl soyate, made from typical soybean varieties, has a crystallization onset temperature ( T co ) of 3.7°C and, as a biodiesel fuel, is prone to crystallization of its high‐melting saturated methyl esters at cold operating temperatures. Removal of saturated esters by winterization was assessed as a means of reducing the T co of methyl soyate. Winterizing neat methyl esters of typical soybean oil produced a T co of −7.1°C, but this was not an efficient way of removing saturated methyl esters because of the low yield (26%) of the separated liquid fraction. However, a T co of −6.5°C with 86% yield was obtained by winterizing the neat methyl esters of a low‐palmitate soybean oil; a T co of −5.8°C with 77% yield was obtained by winterizing methyl esters of normal soybean oil diluted with hexane.