Effect of Pour Point Depressants Combined with Dispersants on the Cold
Flow Properties of Biodiesel-Diesel Blends
Abstract
Poor cold flow property is a major issue that hinders the application of
biodiesel-diesel blends. In this work, a series of methacrylate-benzyl
methacrylate-N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone terpolymers (RMC-MB-NVP, R= C12, C14,
C16, C18) was synthesized and used as the pour point depressants (PPDs)
for waste cooking oil biodiesel blends. To further improve their
depressive effects, dispersants, including Tween (40, 60, and 80), Span
(40, 60, and 80), phthalic acid esters (PAEs), and fatty alcohol
polyoxyethylene ether (FAPE; FAPE 5, FAPE 7, and FAPE 9), were optimized
and combined with the C14MC-MB-NVP terpolymers. The effects of
C14MC-MB-NVP terpolymers and combined PPDs (PPDC) on the cloud point
(CP), cold filter-plugging point (CFPP), and pour point (PP) of
biodiesel blends were studied. Here, results showed that the presence of
dispersants can efficiently enhance the solubility and dispersibility of
polymeric PPDs in biodiesel blends; thus, the PPDC presents better
depressive effects. Among of them, C16MC-MB-NVP (5:1:1) combined with
FAPE 7 dispersant at 4:1 mass ratio (PPDC-FAPE 7) showed the best
synergistic effect, and the CP, CFPP, and PP of B20 treated with 2000
ppm PPDC-FAPE 7 decreased by 4, 10 and 19 °C, respectively. Moreover,
differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscope and
rheological analyses were performed to rationalize the action mechanism
of these PPDs and dispersants in biodiesel blends.