# US 2013/0158890 A1 · Methods for evaluating green diesel fuel compositions > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158890 A1 - Document ID: US20130158890A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/327,574 - Filed: 2011-12-15 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15 - Assignees: Uop LLC - Inventors: Haiyan Wang; Hung A. Pham; Wayne E. Rathbun; Paul P. Adams - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158890A1 ## CPC - G01N 30/8686: {Fingerprinting, e.g. without prior knowledge of the sample components} - G01N 30/463: {for multidimensional chromatography} - G01N 30/7206: {interfaced to gas chromatograph (interfaces in general for introducing or extracting samples to be analysed with specially adapted mass spectrometer, see H01J49/04)} - G01N 33/22: Fuels; Explosives - G01N 2030/8854: {involving hydrocarbons} - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) ## Abstract Methods for evaluating a diesel fuel are provided. In one embodiment, a method of evaluating a diesel fuel includes obtaining a testing sample from the diesel fuel and analyzing the testing sample to detect an amount of at least one selected component. The method also provides for determining if the diesel fuel is green depending on either detection of at least one selected component in the testing sample or observation of at least one non-normal molecular class distribution in the testing sample. Further, the specific component can indicate the specific biological feedstock used to produce the green diesel based on the molecular fingerprinting database. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of evaluating a diesel fuel, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a testing sample from the diesel fuel; analyzing the testing sample to detect an amount of a selected component; and determining if the diesel fuel is green based on a detected amount of the selected component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the diesel fuel is formulated from a selected feedstock at selected process conditions, the method further comprising the steps of: constructing a molecular fingerprinting database based on the selected component, selected feedstock information and selected process conditions; and identifying the biological feedstock of the diesel fuel based on the molecular fingerprinting database. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing comprises detecting the amount of the selected component, and wherein the selected component is a polynaphthene. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing comprises detecting amounts of selected components, wherein the amounts of the selected components form a distribution, and wherein determining is based on the distribution of the amounts of the selected components. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein determining comprises comparing the distribution of the amounts of the selected components to a Gaussian distribution, and wherein the diesel fuel is green if the distribution is not Gaussian. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the selected components are chosen from the group comprising normal paraffins, single ring aromatics, and isoparaffins; wherein determining comprises comparing the distribution of the amounts of the selected components to a Gaussian distribution; and wherein the diesel fuel is green if the distribution is not Gaussian. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein analyzing comprises: injecting the testing sample into a first gas chromatography column; trapping molecules eluted from the first gas chromatography column; periodically injecting selected trapped molecules into a second gas chromatography column; eluting separated compounds from the second gas chromatography column; and analyzing the separated compounds to detect the amount of the selected component. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein analyzing comprises feeding the eluted separated compounds to a flame ionization detector for quantitation or feeding the eluted separated compounds to a time-of-flight mass spectrometer for identification. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining comprises diluting a heavy cut of the diesel fuel to form the testing sample, and wherein analyzing comprises performing comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography and/or high resolution mass spectrometry on the sample. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein analyzing comprises detecting the amount of the selected component, and wherein the selected component is a polynaphthene. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein analyzing comprises detecting the amount of the selected component, and wherein the selected component is a cholesterol derivative. ### Claim 12 A method of evaluating if a diesel fuel is green, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a testing sample from the diesel fuel; analyzing the testing sample to detect amounts of components within a selected molecular class, wherein the amounts of the components form a distribution; determining if the diesel fuel is green based on the distribution of the detected amounts of the components within the selected molecular class. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein analyzing comprises detecting amounts of the components within the selected molecular class, and wherein the selected molecular class is chosen from the group comprising normal paraffins, single ring aromatics, and isoparaffins. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein determining comprises comparing the distribution of the amounts of the components to a Gaussian distribution, and wherein the diesel fuel is green if the distribution is not Gaussian. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein analyzing comprises detecting amounts of the components within the selected molecular class, and wherein the selected molecular class is chosen from the group comprising normal paraffins, single ring aromatics, and isoparaffins. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein obtaining comprises diluting a heavy cut of the diesel fuel to form the testing sample, and wherein analyzing comprises performing comprehensive two dimensional gas chromatography and/or high resolution mass spectrometry on the testing sample. ### Claim 17 A method of evaluating a diesel fuel, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining a testing sample of the diesel fuel; analyzing the testing sample using a two dimensional gas chromatography system to detect an amount of a selected component; and determining if the diesel fuel is green based on a detected amount of the selected component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein analyzing comprises detecting the amount of the selected component, and wherein the selected component is a polynaphthene. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein analyzing comprises detecting amounts of selected components, wherein the amounts of the selected components form a distribution, wherein determining comprises comparing the distribution of the amounts of the selected components to a Gaussian distribution, and wherein the diesel fuel is green if the distribution is not Gaussian. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17 wherein analyzing comprises detecting amounts of selected components from a molecular class, wherein the molecular class is chosen from the group comprising normal paraffins, single ring aromatics, and isoparaffins; wherein the amounts of the selected components form a distribution; wherein determining comprises comparing the distribution of the amounts of the selected components to a Gaussian distribution; and wherein the diesel fuel is green if the distribution is not Gaussian.