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Beyond Biodiesel – Running on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO)

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Beyond Biodiesel – Running on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) 31582_12_23:31582_12_23 6/9/09 4:13 AM Page 9 Beyond Biodiesel – Running on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) The green tree has many branches. In the search for new fuels that will make our farms greener and less dependent on petroleum deriv- atives, several solutions are being investigated. For example, New Holland has been at the forefront in the development and promotion of biodiesel for nearly two decades. Technologies based on the use of hydrogen and fuel cells are also being developed as clean alternatives to traditional fossil fuels to address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The revolutionary prototype New Holland T6000 Series NH2, with hydrogen fuel cells generating the current to drive electric motors and power the tractor, has recently Several forward-thinking companies have invested in the resources and research to support higher blends of biodiesel. For received awards and publicity. some time, New Holland has been working with Penn State University to further its biodiesel agenda, as evidenced by Less well known is New Holland’s involve- this display of tractors running on a 100% blend. ment in producing alternative fuel from bio- mass, a promising fuel source for the future. Diesel's original engine injected fuel his alma mater. Several forward-thinking Another fuel alternative was recently report- with the assistance of compressed air, which companies, including New Holland, have ed on by Lori Burkholder of WGAL-TV in atomized the fuel and forced it into the invested in the resources and research to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, as one of that station’s engine through a nozzle, almost like an support higher blends of biodiesel, and, special “Green Week” presentations. She com- aerosol spray. The nozzle opening was for some time, Trella has been working mented in her script, “In State College, PA, closed by a pin valve lifted by the camshaft with Glen Cauffman, Farm Facilities there's something new on the fields of Penn to initiate the fuel injection before the pis- Manager at Penn State, to further New State University. For about a year, there have ton’s top dead center. This is called air-blast Holland’s biodiesel agenda. been a New Holland tractor and a Case wheel injection, and worked reasonably well with Trella and Cauffman were invited to loader working there which are the first in the pure oils derived from peanuts and oil attend a Biodiesel Conference in Vienna, country to run continuously on straight veg- seeds. As diesel engines evolved, however, Austria, in 2007, to talk about the collab- etable oil.” fuel injection changed to suit petroleum orative efforts between New Holland and Rudolf Diesel’s first engine ran on peanut oil fuel characteristics. Penn State on the subject. They also at the World Diesel engines today raise fuel to attended the renowned Agrotechnia Exhibition in extreme pressures by mechanical pumps Agricultural Exhibition in Hannover, Paris in 1900, and deliver it to the combustion chamber Germany. Billed as the world’s largest farm much to the by pressure-activated injectors without equipment show, Agrotechnia attracts astonishment of compressed air. In common rail systems, some 2,200 exhibitors and 340,000 scientists and the separate, pulsing, high-pressure fuel line visitors from around the globe to a site 3.2 engineers. Even to each injector is eliminated. Instead, a million square feet in size. The equipment then he could see high-pressure pump pressurizes fuel at up and technology highlighted at this event the advantages in to 2,000 bar (200 MPa, 30,000 psi), in a reflect the increasing importance of farm- agriculture and “common rail,” a tube that supplies each ing efficiency to supply the people of the for the environ- computer-controlled injector containing a world with food and renewable energy ment. But he died precision-machined nozzle and a plunger while protecting the climate. before his vision driven by a solenoid or actuator. While at Agrotechnica, they were of vegetable-oil These sophisticated, high-precision sys- approached by a representative of Elsbett powered engines tems can only tolerate vegetable oil if it is Technologie GmbH, an award-winning became a reality, specially processed and introduced in a company in Thalmaessing, Germany, with Single-cylinder diesel engine, circa and the engines low-percentage mixture with petroleum a unique conversion technology. Elsbett 1906. Rudolf Diesel’s first engine ran that bore his fuel. Hence the development of biodiesel. has been converting diesel engines to oper- on peanut oil at the World name were soon Paul Trella, New Holland Director of ate on Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) since Exhibition in Paris in 1900. (Photo 1977, extended to heavy goods vehicles in courtesy adapted to run on Product Marketing for Under 100-HP www.speedace.info/speedace_images). fuel derived from Tractors, is a graduate of Penn State 1988, and regards itself as the world leader petroleum. University and has kept in close touch with in this technology. Among their satisfied 20 31582_12_23:31582_12_23 6/9/09 4:13 AM Page 10 customers, the representative pointed out, were a number of New Holland tractor owners in Europe. The Elsbett conversion system involves two separate fuel tanks. The engine starts on con- ventional diesel and switches automatically to SVO fuel, held in a separate tank, then switches back again. In this way, low tempera- ture problems with the “gelling” or “crystaliz- ing” characteristics of SVO can be avoided. Coolant temperature is one parameter to be met, but the primary condition for the switching to SVO is exhaust temperature. Elsbett claims that the negative impacts of SVO on the engine are minimized or negated A field of canola with close-up of the plant in bloom. SVO fuel used by Penn State is made by cold-pressing canola seeds. when the engine is operating at greater than The key is a crop indigenous to the area capable of creating a constant fuel supply. (Photos courtesy www.flickr.com). 25% load. When the tractor goes back to idle or light load it switches back to conventional Another question arose – is it possible to all the canola they need to supply the fuel diesel, and before shutting off the engine, the press out the fuel on the farm? As a land- to keep both units running. They raised operator must switch back to conventional grant university, Penn State is always keen to 10 acres of the crop last year and another diesel fuel in order to purge the system. answer such questions and to disseminate the 25 acres this year, using both spring and Back home again in Pennsylvania, Trella resulting information to the public. After fall varieties. Studies in Germany indicate and Cauffman made arrangements for two much searching, they found a “portable,” on- that 20% of a farm’s acreage can produce Elsbett systems to be delivered to New site press capable of producing enough SVO enough oil to fuel all the equipment and Holland engineering, where they were to run both pieces of equipment. So, the still have some left over for cooking and installed in a T7060 New Holland tractor and SVO fuel used by Penn State in this research heating. In the U. S., using no-till meth- a Case 621E wheel loader, both with tier 3 is made by cold-pressing canola seeds on cam- ods, less acreage would probably suffice, engines and common rail, high pressure fuel pus. Any oil-seed crop such as soybeans or maybe as low as 10%. systems. These specially-equipped units were Camelina can also be used. The key is a crop The T7060 tractor has been used in just then transported to Penn State University, indigenous to the area that is capable of creat- about every job that could be expected of where they have now been working satisfacto- ing a constant supply of fuel. The cool thing it on a 1,500 acre farm, from hauling and rily in normal agricultural conditions for the is that, after the oil is pressed out of the crop spreading manure to mowing hay with a past year. Kenny Roush and his team at B & seeds, what's left over is an oily cake called 15 ft. disc mower-conditioner to pulling a R Farm Equipment, New Holland dealer in the meal. This meal gets used to feed the ani- no-till drill and a 12-row corn planter. It Milroy, PA, have gone above and beyond the mals on the farm, and they seem to like it. call of duty helping to support this project. Penn State grows on their own farmland continued onpage 22 Elsbett systems were installed in a T7060 New Holland tractor and a Case 621E wheel loader, both with tier 3 engines and common rail, high pressure fuel systems, then the specially equipped units were transported to Penn State. 21 31582_12_23:31582_12_23 6/9/09 4:13 AM Page 11 Is it possible to press out the fuel on the farm? Penn State University found this “portable,” Douglas H. Schaufler, P.E., Ph.D, Senior Project Associate in Farm Operation & on-site press capable of producing enough SVO to run both pieces of equipment. Services, checks out the Penn State on-site press. has also been used as a stationary power source ments, “At this point, we are not ready to self-sustaining,” Cauffman continues. “In to run their power-hungry pneumatic grain- endorse or promote the use of SVO fuel, but fact, our broader vision is to create a model bin-filling system. the results so far are very impressive. In fact, for the environmentally friendly enhance- In all cases, the performance did not I’m so impressed that I want the university to ment of rural economies that can be duplicat- change one bit when the system switched from buy the units afterwards so they can stay at ed in all parts of the world.
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