Method for analyzing petroleum-based fuels and engine oils for biodiesel contamination
First Claim
1. A method for detecting an alternative fuel contaminant in a petroleum-based fuel comprising:
- detecting one or more biodiesel chemical components selected from the group consisting of plant sterols, fatty acid methyl esters, cetane, and combinations thereof related to the presence of a biodiesel chemical component in a fuel sample taken from the petroleum-based fuel sample by analyzing said fuel sample via Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS).
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Abstract
A method for detecting contamination of a conventional petroleum-based fuel used in an internal combustion engine is provided. A sample of engine oil is separated into a polar component and a non-polar component by a polar solvent. The polar component is analyzed for one or more biodiesel chemical components selected from the group consisting of plant sterols, fatty acid methyl esters, cetane, and combinations thereof, which relate to a degree of engine oil contamination. The polar and non-polar component may be analyzed by Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and optionally Flame Ionization Detection (FID) for the one or more biodiesel chemical components, which can provide a semi-quantitative level of such biodiesel chemical components. Fuel samples can also be analyzed for biodiesel contamination species via GC/MS.
19 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for detecting an alternative fuel contaminant in a petroleum-based fuel comprising:
detecting one or more biodiesel chemical components selected from the group consisting of plant sterols, fatty acid methyl esters, cetane, and combinations thereof related to the presence of a biodiesel chemical component in a fuel sample taken from the petroleum-based fuel sample by analyzing said fuel sample via Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for detecting an alternative fuel contaminant in gasoline fuel or diesel fuel comprising:
detecting one or more biodiesel chemical components selected from the group consisting of plant sterols, fatty acid methyl esters, cetane, and combinations thereof related to the presence of a biodiesel chemical component in a fuel sample taken from either the gasoline fuel or the diesel fuel by analyzing said fuel sample via Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS), wherein said analyzing includes heating said sample during said GC process to a first predetermined temperature for about 1 minute. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for detecting an alternative fuel contaminant in a gasoline fuel comprising:
detecting one or more biodiesel chemical components or diesel fuel chemical components in a fuel sample taken from the gasoline fuel by analyzing said fuel sample via Gas Chromatography (GC) and Mass Spectrometry (MS), wherein the one or more biodiesel chemical components are selected from the group consisting of;
stigmasterol, campesterol, methyl heptadecanoate, arachidic acid methyl ester, behenic acid methyl ester, gadoleic acid methyl ester, lignoceric acid methyl ester, erucic acid methyl ester, soybean plant phytosterol, rapeseed plant phytosterol and combinations thereof or the diesel chemical component comprises cetane.- View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
Specification