Biodiesel Blending Control for Accurate Distillate Stream Ratios
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for blending biodiesel into diesel streams are limited, particularly in multi-product pipelines, as they cannot accurately achieve target concentrations without exceeding biodiesel percentage limits, and often result in contamination of incompatible fuels like aviation turbine fuel.
Innovation Solution
An automated system that measures actual biodiesel content in real-time and adjusts blending rates using a central processing unit to achieve target or maximum biodiesel concentrations, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and preventing contamination by using a regulating valve and biodiesel analyzer.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ratio blending is used to blend biodiesel into diesel stream, then blending efficiency is improved, but it cannot be applied when biodiesel has already been added to the stream
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the blending rate based on real-time measurements of actual biodiesel content in the stream. The control system modifies the biodiesel addition rate continuously to achieve the target blend percentage, making the process adaptable to streams with varying existing biodiesel content.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback control by continuously measuring the actual biodiesel content in the blended stream and using this information to adjust the blending rate. This closed-loop control enables the system to maintain accurate target concentrations regardless of the initial biodiesel content in the diesel stream.
2Reliability
If splash blending or tank blending is used to avoid exceeding biodiesel limits, then compliance with percentage limits is ensured, but operational efficiency and versatility are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors actual biodiesel content in the stream and uses this feedback to adjust the blending rate in real-time. This ensures compliance with maximum biodiesel percentage limits while maintaining continuous operation and high productivity, eliminating the need for batch processing methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual batch blending operations with an automated continuous blending system that uses electronic control and real-time measurement. This substitution of mechanical batch processes with an automated control system improves operational efficiency while ensuring regulatory compliance.
3Productivity
If biodiesel is blended into multi-product pipelines, then distribution efficiency is improved, but risk of contamination with incompatible fuels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses real-time feedback from biodiesel content measurements to control the blending process, ensuring that biodiesel is only added to compatible distillate streams. This prevents contamination of incompatible fuels like aviation turbine fuel while maintaining efficient pipeline distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary measurement and control system between the biodiesel source and the pipeline stream. This intermediary layer verifies stream compatibility and controls blending operations, preventing harmful contamination while enabling efficient distribution.
4Manufacturing precision
If automated real-time measurement and control is implemented, then blending precision is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual blending operations with an automated control system that uses electronic measurement and actuation. This substitution simplifies the overall system architecture while achieving high blending precision through automated feedback control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from manual batch operations to continuous real-time adjustment based on measured biodiesel content. This parameter change enables precise control of blending rates while using standard automated control components, managing system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods are provided for accurately blending biodiesel into distillate streams to achieve a pre-determined percentage of biodiesel in the distillate, applicable to wild-type distillate streams as well as distillate streams that already contain some percentage of biodiesel.