What is ASTM D6751?
The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) sets the national standard for fuels and their additives. ASTM D6751 is a set of regulations that biodiesel needs to pass in order for it to be used in blends up to B20.
Biodiesel ASTM regulations require tests for flashpoint, methanol content, cloud point, acidity, and free glycerin to name just a few.
On October 13th 2008 the National Biodiesel Board published the changes that occurred in ASTM D-6751. One change is that there is now an additional test for biodiesel analysis- a cold soak filtration test.
Submitting a sample for ASTM testing is not practical for most home-brewers, as they are pretty pricey. If you are concerned about the quality of your fuel, you can use other test methods for biodiesel analysis at a much lower price.
It is legally required that you gain ASTM accreditation in order to sell your fuel. Certified ASTM testing ranges from a thousand to a few thousand dollars. If you go this route I recommend pre-testing your biodiesel before you submit for the ‘real deal’ test. Doing this will lower or eliminate the chances of it failing the test and then having to pay again. At the very least you should run biodiesel ASTM pre-tests for Total & Free Glycerin, Acid number, cloud point, sediment & water, and flashpoint. These are the tests most frequently failed by biodiesel producers.
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