B5 biodiesel: pure palm biodiesel (B100) sulphur content less than 10ppm

B5 biodiesel: pure palm biodiesel (B100) sulphur content less than 10ppmSeems that the datasheet listing the properties of petroleum diesel and B5 biodiesel from last week’s launch of the B5 biodiesel programme in Putrajaya wasn’t quite up to date. With regards to certain aspects, specifically that of the sulphur content, Paul noticed the numbers didn’t quite add up, so having asked around, we’ve managed some answers.

Apparently, the column listing the properties of the total sulphur content for both in a photo recapture I took was from a booklet published by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board in August 2009 (third edition). The datasheet listed the sulphur content of B5 as 0.26% and Malaysian petroleum diesel as 0.28%, essentially 2,600 and 2,800 ppm, which met the MS123:1993 0.50% maximum sulphur content requirement which was still in effect at the time of printing.

According to Puah Chiew Wei, research officer in the engineering & processing research division at the MPOB, the current sulphur content of 100% pure palm biodiesel is <10 ppm (<0.001%) which meets the stringent requirements of MS2008:2008 and EN14214:2008. Malaysian petroleum diesel currently has a sulphur content of 300 to 400 ppm (0.03 to 0.04%). Puah adds that the low sulphur palm biodiesel thus contributes to reduction of sulphur content in B5, and as such, B5 meets the requirement of maximum sulphur content of 0.05% as stipulated under MS123:2005. Apparently again, the booklet wasn't officially distributed at the launch, but it was inserted into the press kit bag anyway by someone who saw fit to do so - time to print an updated booklet, perhaps?

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Anthony Lim

Anthony Lim believes that nothing is better than a good smoke and a car with character, with good handling aspects being top of the prize heap. Having spent more than a decade and a half with an English tabloid daily never being able to grasp the meaning of brevity or being succinct, he wags his tail furiously at the idea of waffling - in greater detail - about cars and all their intrinsic peculiarities here.

 

Comments

  • Boonster on Jun 07, 2011 at 1:22 pm

    so B50 will produce 150ppm of sulphur?

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    • Switch on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:27 pm

      B100 / 100% pure palm biodiesel current sulphur content = <0.001% / <10 ppm

      Maybe B50 / 50 % pure palm biodiesel = Euro 4 Standard kot…

      —————————

      Euro 4 maximum sulphur limit = 0.005% (wt.) = 50 ppm

      Euro 5 = A maximum sulphur limit of 0.001% (wt.) = 10 ppm (“sulphur-free”)

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  • Gavin on Jun 07, 2011 at 1:34 pm

    so this means biodiesel is actually compliant to higher euro standard?

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  • time to buy Diesel Engine

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  • hope my vintage 1985 TLC 3B 3.4 able to run well with this kind of diesel….

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  • hantu on Jun 07, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    Thats mean its EURO10!!
    Yeah…

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  • TFazuin on Jun 07, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    Ok that Ford Focus TDCi looks even more promising now that we know engine won’t semput.

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  • borneo on Jun 07, 2011 at 3:26 pm

    i may be wrong here but i believe Mr. Puah is referring to a 100% palm biodiesel…B5 is only 5% palm biodiesel plus 95% petroleum diesel so the 0.26% content is still correct

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    • Switch on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:12 pm

      Please to understand this,

      According to Puah Chiew Wei (MPOB Research Officer) :-

      – Malaysian petroleum diesel currently has a sulphur content of 300 to 400 ppm (0.03 to 0.04%).

      – The low sulphur palm biodiesel thus contributes to reduction of sulphur content in B5, and as such, B5 meets the requirement of maximum sulphur content of 0.05% as stipulated under MS123:2005.

      http://paultan.org/2011/06/01/b5-biodiesel-programme-begins-putrajaya-kicks-things-off/

      ———————

      Euro 3 emission standards

      A maximum sulphur limit of 0.035% (wt.) = 350 ppm and cetane number of 51 for diesel fuel..

      Euro 2

      A maximum sulphur limit of 0.05% (wt.) = 500 ppm for diesel fuel.

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      • borneo on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:29 pm

        thanks for info…sorry my mistake

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      • so B5 sulphur content is <0.05% that is <500ppm; comply to Euro 2 only, right

        so it is still not Euro 3 compliant….

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        • NeckerMann on Jun 07, 2011 at 6:39 pm

          I’m wondering – base on current content of 300 to 400 ppm (0.03 to 0.04%) ‘Malaysian petroleum diesel’ sulphur – does it already mixed with 5% PME (B5) ??

          If not yet , its value should be lower from current value (300-400 ppm)..

          It should have cater to Euro III sulphur specification, perhaps..

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        • NeckerMann on Jun 07, 2011 at 7:19 pm

          Our Malaysian petroleum diesel is already euro 2M.

          If blended with 5 % PME, of course it sulphur content should cater to Euro III emission standards – specification isn’t it ?

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    • Switch on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:55 pm

      0.26 % = 2600 ppm sulphur content is complying with MS 123:1993 specifications requirement (max = 0.5 % – 5000 ppm) but not MS 123:2005 (max = 0.05 % – 500 ppm)..

      ——————–

      Euro 1

      Maximum sulphur limit of 0.2% (wt.) = 2,000 ppm

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      • Bogeyman on Jun 07, 2011 at 10:42 pm

        Maybe this article would help us a bit to refresh back our memories..

        http://paultan.org/2008/12/23/malaysian-diesel-to-be-euro-2m-grade-in-2009/

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  • Mila Awal on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:03 pm

    Time to buy a new car!

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  • llgriver on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:20 pm

    Bring in more petrol version cars and sell a better diesel here..that doesn’t match at all

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    • Wisdom on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:55 pm

      Talk about a group of people with mixed objective; tax exemption for petrol hybrid, higher grade diesel for high end diesel cars….

      or they really wanna kill 2 birds…

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  • Wisdom on Jun 07, 2011 at 4:52 pm

    That ‘someone who saw fit to do so’ might still wondering their ability to deliver such great fuel under current price.

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  • I’m not sure about this but I stumbled upon this. http://www.mymesra.com.my/?ch=mm_2011&pg=prod_assc_cs&ac=86&tpl=2011_article and it says that B5 contains 0.3% sulphur. That means 300ppm!? EURO3 compliant oh!!!

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    • Oops… Sorry. My bad. Its actually 0.3% which means 3000ppm. Looks like I have to change my glasses…

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    • NeckerMann on Jun 07, 2011 at 8:18 pm

      If it contain 0.3 % sulphur – it’s equivalent to 3000 ppm..

      Our Malaysian current petroleum diesel is Euro 2m (without PME blend), it sulphur content should be around 300 to 400 ppm (0.03 to 0.04%)…

      Maybe they still not yet to update the information in their website.

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  • rosdi on Jun 07, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    So we will compete with machines now for food.. price will surely go up.. does not sound like a good idea at all..

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    • Rulered on Jun 07, 2011 at 11:10 pm

      It means we need to reduce oil intake ( sugar too), sound promising to me. Anyway we can always revert back to minyak kelapa for food, it’ll be good for coconut industry back to its former glory ;-)

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    • not gonna increase la.we got more supply than demand for palm oil..

      and even if the price is increasing,wont be alot also. n it is a good news for palm oil planters (such as me :)) coz it means our rice bowl will hav more rice in it.

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  • So Paul, million $ question here is :
    What is the B5 Palm BioDiesel Sulfur contain ? I still didn’t seen a clear cut answer here.

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    • Paul Tan on Jun 07, 2011 at 11:44 pm

      Let’s say 100% biodiesel has less than 10ppm sulphur content. To make things simple, we can assume this sulphur is so low that we can just ignore it.

      And we assume that petroleum diesel has 400ppm.

      So if B5 has 5% biodiesel, simply minus 5% from 400ppm, you get about 380ppm. The sulphur reduction is actually quite minimal.

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      • intermilan on Jun 08, 2011 at 12:58 pm

        Based on previous input, Malaysia current E2M petroleum diesel have between 300-400ppm sulphur content.

        Euro 3 specifications called from maximum 300ppm sulphur content (and a lot of other thing as well).

        Assuming palm oil contain zero sulphur content;

        Malaysia B5 biodiesel will only be Euro 3 compliant (just), if the base petroleum diesel (95%) used to blend with palm oil (5%) to create the B5 biodiesel, have at the maximum, 315 ppm sulphur content.

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  • Say, if I pour this B5 into my E90 diesel and then something bad happens to the engine or DPE or turbo or fuel pump, will the gov or people responsible for B5 production give assurance or a warranty? Or is this targeted for heavy commercial trucks usage only?

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    • B5 Biodiesel is set to replace the current conventional Diesel totally, so in near future that would be the consumer only choice, unless there is a U turn in the policy, which not uncomon nowaday in 1M land.
      Don’t think there is a warranty from the Gvt nor fuel co. But if i am not mistaken mfg warranty will only void if BioDiesel above 20% mixture been use.

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    • Bogeyman on Jun 07, 2011 at 10:52 pm

      Only 5% Bio blended bro, not totally 100 %..

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      • No 100% Palm Diesel as at now.
        1.) It would be too expensive with current Palm oil price.
        2.) U can’t use 100% palm oil without modification to the engine.
        3.) U will lost yr mfg warranty once u use Biodiesel above 20% mixture.

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  • Bogeyman on Jun 07, 2011 at 8:52 pm

    Today we live within year 2011 – on this day we also been using Euro 2M petroleum diesel..

    ————–

    Euro 2

    A maximum sulphur limit of 0.05% (wt.) = 500 ppm for diesel fuel.

    ————–

    Malaysia Standard (MS)123:1993 – B5 sulphur specification data is already outdated la…

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  • Rulered on Jun 07, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    I don’t know why so many people are so sceptic on biodiesel, did you guys know, engines used in world war 1 uses biodiesel from jathropa?

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    • U r right bro, the magic word is “Jatropha” not “Palm/Sawit”
      People r not sceptical about Biodiesel but it is the fear of food price increase once food been use for fuel.

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      • Errr… Just ask – only ‘sawit’ factor ke – that have resulted food prices increase globally by today bro ???

        ———————–

        For your info – Jatropha plants contain several toxic compounds, including lectin, saponin, carcinogenic phorbol, and a trypsin inhibitor.

        The seeds of this genus are also a source of the highly poisonous toxalbumin curcin.

        Despite this, the seeds are occasionally eaten after roasting, which reduces some of the toxicity. Its sap is a skin irritant, and ingesting as few as three untreated seeds can be fatal to humans.

        In 2005 Western Australia banned Jatropha gossypiifolia as invasive and highly toxic to people and animals.

        ———————–

        Jatropha banned in Western Australia

        http://www.25degrees.net/index.php?option=com_zine&view=article&id=327:jatropha-banned-in-western-australia&Itemid=81

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  • anand on Jun 07, 2011 at 11:14 pm

    looks like paul made some good points here,
    B5 blends mean only 95% is diesel and 5% is biodiesel

    without biodiesel sulphur already less than 500ppm (0.05%) -euro2M,
    so B5 should reduced it further from the 300ppm (0.03%) to 400ppm (0.04%)

    i hope it goes to less than 300ppm which mean euro3
    most modern diesel required euro3 diesel,
    but sadly still long way from euro4 diesel of 50ppm

    i believe this is short term solution to solve emission problem before going for full euro4 or euro5 diesel

    i think B5 going to be like ron 95 petrol while euro4 diesel like ron97 petrol in term of subsidy

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  • Do u know why Western Australia banned Jatropha ?
    1.) They affraid their cattle might eat the Jatropha.
    2.) They affraid their Canola oil is under threat by cheaper & easier cultivate Jatropha.

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    • Bogeyman on Jun 08, 2011 at 6:52 pm

      Malaysia – absolutely are not totally Gobi desert isn’t it ??..

      ———————

      Biofuel jatropha falls from wonder-crop pedestal

      http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/01/21/us-eu-africa-jatropha-idUSTRE70K4VU20110121

      Hailed as a Miracle Biofuel, Jatropha Falls Short of Hype

      http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2147

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      • Best thing is if vehicles can commercially/cheaply run on methane i.e. the gas from all the sewage treatment center, garbage dump sites all collected into a distribution center and then sell the gas the same way they sell diesel. A few trials have been done on this, in a dump site location in US, all the dump trucks run on methane gas processed and collected at its garbage dump site. Recycle energy at its best.

        As the world population grows bigger, more people produces wastes and garbage so this supply of waste gases will always increase. If only the gas recovering/processing methods can be made cheaper and viable I wonder… :-?

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