Safe use of additives - start of the 2025 no-harm test round
AGQM is offering another round of tests for oxidation stabilizers and flow improvers for biodiesel. Interested companies can register until 13th January 2025.
Additives are used in fuels of fossil or sustainable origin to positively influence their properties. To ensure that these substances do not cause any negative interactions with the fuel, other additives or the engines, AGQM has developed special no-harm tests for biodiesel additives in collaboration with the mineral oil industry. Since 2008, the test procedures have enabled manufacturers to have their additives tested and demonstrate that they are safe to use. Products that pass all tests are included in the renowned no-harm lists. These lists are recognised worldwide as a reference and are provided free of charge.
‘Antioxidants effectively prevent oxidation processes and thus contribute to the long-term stability of biodiesel. Flow improvers, on the other hand, ensure that biodiesel remains optimally usable even at low temperatures. With our demanding test procedures, we identify those additives that fulfil all no-harm criteria and can therefore be used safely in biodiesel,’ explains Katharina Friedrich, Manager of AGQM.
The no-harm tests for antioxidants for biodiesel as a diesel fuel component include, among other things, the verification of minimum requirements, interactions with other already tested antioxidants, engine oil compatibility, filtration properties and an engine test with B10 fuel. For antioxidants in biodiesel used as a heating oil component, extended minimum requirements are tested, interaction and filtration tests are carried out, while engine oil compatibility and engine tests are omitted.
The test programme for flow improvers for biodiesel is similar to that for antioxidants, with additional tests being carried out on emulsion, foam and corrosion properties.
Companies can register their additives for testing until 13th January 2025 at vasb@ntdz-ovbqvrfry.qr. Detailed information and the no-harm lists are available on the AGQM website at www.agqm-biodiesel.com/en .
