Operation and maintenance manual

84 SEBU8601-01
Maintenance Section
Refill Capacities
In United State
s Biodiesel blends of B6 to B20 must
meet the requirements listed in the latest edition of
“ASTM D7467” (B6 to B20) and must be of an API
gravity of 30-
45.
In North America biodiesel and biodiesel blends
must be purch
ased from the BQ-9000 accredited
producers and BQ-9000 certified distributors.
In other are
as of the world, the use of biodiesel
that is BQ-9000 accredited and certified, or that is
accredited and certified by a comparable biodiesel
quality bod
y to meet similar biodiesel quality
standards is required.
Engine Ser
vice Requirements
Aggressive properties of biodiesel fuel may cause
debris in t
he fuel tank and fuel lines. The aggressive
properties of biodiesel will clean the fuel tank
and fuel lines. This cleaning of the fuel system
can prema
turely block of the fuel filters. Perkins
recommend that after the initial usage of B20
biodiesel blended fuel the fuel filters must be replaced
at 50 hour
s.
Glycerides present in biodiesel fuel will also cause
fuel filt
ers to become blocked more quickly. Therefore
the regular service interval should be reduced to 250
hours.
When biodiesel fuel is used, crank case oil and
aftertreatment systems may be influenced. This
influen
ce is due to the chemical composition and
characteristics of biodiesel fuel, such as density and
volatility, and to chemical contaminants that can be
prese
nt in this fuel, such as alkali and alkaline metals
(sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium).
•
Crank
case oil fuel dilution can be higher when
biodiesel or biodiesel blends are used. This
increased level of fuel dilution when using biodiesel
or bi
odiesel blends is related to the typically lower
volatility of biodiesel. In-cylinder emissions control
strategies utilized in many of the industrial latest
engi
ne designs may lead to a higher level of
biodiesel concentration in the sump. The long-term
effect of biodiesel concentration in crankcase oil is
cur
rently unknown.
•
Perkins recommend the use of oil analysis in order
to c
heck the quality of the engine oil if biodiesel
fuel is used. Ensure that the level of biodiesel in
the fuel is noted when the oil sample is taken.
Performance Re
lated Issues
Due to the lower energy content than the standard
distillate fu
el B20 will cause a power loss in order
of 2 to 4 percent. In addition, over time the power
may deteriorate further due to deposits in the fuel
injectors.
Biodiesel and biodiesel blends are known to cause
an increase
in fuel system deposits, most significant
of which are deposits within the fuel injector. These
deposits can cause a loss in power due to restricted
or modified f
uel injection or cause other functional
issues associated with these deposits.
Note: Perk
ins T400012 Fuel Cleaner is most
effective in cleaning and preventing the formation
of deposits. Perkins Diesel Fuel Conditioner helps
to limit de
posit issues by improving the stability of
biodiesel and biodiesel blends. For more information
refer to “Perkins Diesel Fuel System Cleaner”.
Biodiesel fuel contains metal contaminants (sodium,
potassium, calcium, and/or magnesium) that form ash
products
upon combustion in the diesel engine. The
ash can have an impact on the life and performance
of aftertreatment emissions control devices and can
accumul
ate in DPF. The ash accumulation may cause
the need for more frequent ash service intervals and
cause loss of performance
General Requirements
Biodie
sel has poor oxidation stability, which can result
in long-term problems in the storage of biodiesel.
Biodiesel fuel should be used within 6 months of
manuf
acture. Equipment should not be stored with
the B20 biodiesel blends in the fuel system for longer
than 3 months.
Due to poor oxidation stability and other potential
issues, it is strongly recommended that engines with
limi
ted operational time either not use B20 biodiesel
blends or, while accepting some risk, limit biodiesel
blend to a maximum of B5. Examples of applications
that
should limit the use of biodiesel are the following:
Standby Generator sets and certain emergency
vehicles.
Perkins strongly recommended that seasonally
operated engines have the fuel systems, including
fue
ltanks,flashed with conventional diesel fuel
before prolonged shutdown periods. An example of
an application that should seasonally flush the fuel
sy
stem is a combine harvester.
Microbial contamination and growth can cause
co
rrosion in the fuel system and premature plugging
of the fuel filter. Consult your supplier of fuel for
assistance in selecting appropriate anti-microbial
a
dditive.