Biodiesel Quality Improved by Rapid Analytical Control

Foss (Denmark) announces the XDS Biodiesel Analyser, a rapid and easy-touse solution for improved control of biodiesel production. The XDS instrument is supplied pre-calibrated and ready to test a range of key control parameters throughout the process. It can be used to test deliveries of vegetable oils used as raw material, for monitoring the effectiveness of the biodiesel conversion process and for testing against biodiesel standards such as ASTM and EN14214/ASTM6751.

Compared to existing analysis options, the XDS is significantly faster and easier. This promotes improved quality while reducing costs and wastage. For instance, monitoring of di-glyceride during the conversion process ensures to optimal dosage of catalyst in line with standards. A measurement with the XDS instrument take about two minutes compared to about an hour with traditional GC analysis. The XDS is also simpler to use, allowing anyone working in the plant to contribute to quality without the risk of human error that can occur with operators unfamiliar with the GC technique. To do a test, a sample is placed in the XDS and the results are then displayed on a computer screen. A user of the XDS system is SunOil biodiesel in The Netherlands. In  n
interview for Foss In Focus magazine, laboratory manager, Marc Arends, said:  "In the past there was some doubt about some of the results because obviously not everyone working in the plant is a trained laboratory technician, but now it is so simple to make a measurement that the human error is removed.”