Screening test for biodiesel fuel
AssigneeHeritage Environmental Services, LLC
InventorLinda Osborn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A colorimetric test for determining the presence or absence of biodiesel in a diesel fuel sample. The colorimetric test involves adding concentrated sulfuric acid to a sample of diesel fuel and observing any color change of the sample. A darkening of the diesel fuel sample indicates the presence of biodiesel. The degree to which the color changes after the addition of the sulfuric acid is proportional to the amount of biodiesel in the sample and therefore can be used to determine the amount of biodiesel in the sample. The reagent(s), sample containers and any necessary color scale can be provided in a kit for field testing.
Claims16
A method of determining the presence or absence of biodiesel in a diesel fuel which comprises the steps of:
- a) providing a diesel fuel sample;
- b) combining sulfuric acid with the diesel fuel sample;
- c) observing any change in color of the diesel fuel sample after the diesel fuel sample is combined with the sulfuric acid;
- and
- d) determining, based upon the observation of a color change, the presence of biodiesel in the diesel fuel sample.
A method of determining the amount of biodiesel in a diesel fuel which comprises the steps of:
- a) providing a diesel fuel sample;
- b) combining sulfuric acid with the diesel fuel sample;
- c) observing any change in color of the diesel fuel sample after the diesel fuel sample is combined with the sulfuric acid;
- and
- d) determining, based upon the observation of a color change, the amount of biodiesel in the diesel fuel sample.
A test kit for determining the presence or absence of biodiesel in a diesel fuel which comprises:
- a reference sample container for receiving a predetermined volume of a diesel fuel sample;
- a test sample container receiving a predetermined volume of a diesel fuel sample;
- a supply of sulfuric acid;
- means to collect and dispense diesel fuel samples into the reference sample container and the test sample container;
- and a color scale for observing any change in color of the diesel fuel sample after the addition of sulfuric acid and determining, based upon the observation of a color change, the presence of biodiesel in the diesel fuel sample.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.