An Effective Three Level Filtration System for Improved Contaminant Removal in High Ratio Biodiesel Blends

Implementation of high-ratio biodiesel blends up to 30% (B30) serves as a proactive
measure in anticipating of the diminishing availability of the fossil energy availability,
decarbonizing the heavy-duty vehicle sector and to improve environmental quality. However, the
implementation of B30 still causes problems, particularly concerning fuel filters, which have
prompted complaints from users in non-automotive industries such as mining or marine sectors.
Several users have reported instances of temporary filter blockages or damage to engine components.
In anticipation of this issue, the implementation of an appropriate filtration system design has been
proposed, comprising a 30-µm pre-filter water separator, a middle filter, and a post-filter. The
efficiency test was carried out by passing the test fuels through a filter paper with pore size
proportional to those of the proposed filter. This test was performed using a standardized rig
following the ASTM D2068-10 protocol, maintaining an ambient temperature of approximately
29°C. The differential pressure (differential pressure) across the filter tested was recorded before
and after passing through the test filter paper, and a filtration efficiency was calculated, based on
the captured contaminants on the filter paper. The findings show that the implementation of three
level filtration systems successfully improved the ISO-cleanliness levels of the tested B30 fuel from
19/17/12 to 16/14/10, aligning with the specification outlined in the worldwide fuel charter. Based
on this study, it can be concluded that utilization of three-level filtration system has significant
potential for increasing the filter lifespan and mileage of B30 fuel.