Biodiesel Blending Control for Multi-Product Distillate Streams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for blending biodiesel into diesel streams are limited, especially 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 the blending rate using a central processing unit to achieve target or maximum biodiesel concentrations, ensuring compliance with regulatory limits and preventing contamination by using a regulating valve and analyzer to modulate biodiesel flow.
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 used when biodiesel has already been added to the stream
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs an analyzer to continuously measure the actual biodiesel content in the distillate stream and provides feedback to a central processing unit. The CPU calculates the appropriate blending rate based on this feedback, enabling dynamic adjustment of biodiesel addition to achieve target concentrations even when biodiesel is already present in the stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from static ratio blending to dynamic controlled blending. A regulating valve modulates the biodiesel flow rate in real-time based on calculated target blending rates, allowing the system to adapt to varying stream conditions and existing biodiesel content while maintaining precise control over final blend composition.
2Reliability
If splash blending or tank blending is used to avoid exceeding biodiesel limits, then compliance with percentage limits is improved, but blending precision and automation are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The analyzer continuously monitors actual biodiesel content in the stream and provides real-time feedback to the central processing unit. This feedback mechanism enables the system to precisely control biodiesel addition rates, ensuring compliance with percentage limits while maintaining high blending precision through automated adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual splash blending or batch tank blending operations with an automated controlled blending system. The central processing unit calculates target blending rates and the regulating valve automatically modulates biodiesel flow, eliminating the need for manual intervention while achieving both compliance and precision.
3Productivity
If biodiesel blending is performed in multi-product pipelines, then distribution efficiency is improved, but risk of contamination with incompatible fuels increases
Solution Approach 1:
The analyzer continuously monitors the distillate stream composition and provides feedback to the control system. This real-time monitoring enables the system to detect changes in stream identity and adjust or halt biodiesel addition accordingly, preventing contamination of incompatible fuels like aviation turbine fuel while maintaining efficient distribution of compatible distillate streams.
Solution Approach 2:
The central processing unit acts as an intermediary between the biodiesel supply and the distillate stream. It calculates appropriate blending rates based on stream characteristics and regulates biodiesel addition through the controlling valve, serving as a protective intermediary that prevents biodiesel from contaminating incompatible fuel streams.
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.