NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Impact of Biodiesel Impurities on 

the Performance and Durability of 

DOC, DPF and SCR Technologies

Preprint 

Aaron Williams, Jon Luecke and 

Robert L. McCormick

National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Rasto Brezny

Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association

Andreas Geisselmann

Umicore

Ken Voss and Kevin Hallstrom

BASF Catalysts LLC

Matthew Leustek, Jared Parsons and 

Hind Abi-Akar

Caterpillar

To be presented at the SAE 2011 World Congress

Detroit, Michigan

April 12-14, 2011

Conference Paper

NREL/CP-5400-50297

April 2011
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1 

Impact of Biodiesel Impurities on the Performance and Durability of DOC,

DPF and SCR Technologies

Aaron Williams, Jon Luecke and Robert L. McCormick

National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

Rasto Brezny

Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association

Andreas Geisselmann

Umicore

Ken Voss and Kevin Hallstrom

BASF Catalysts LLC

Matthew Leustek, Jared Parsons and Hind Abi-Akar

Caterpillar

ABSTRACT

It is estimated that operating continuously on a B20 fuel containing the current allowable ASTM specification 

limits for metal impurities in biodiesel could result in a doubling of ash exposure relative to lube-oil derived 

ash. The purpose of this study was to determine if a fuel containing metals at the ASTM limits could cause 

adverse impacts on the performance and durability of diesel emission control systems. An accelerated durability 

test method was developed to determine the potential impact of these biodiesel impurities. The test program 

included engine testing with multiple DPF substrate types as well as DOC and SCR catalysts. The results 

showed no significant degradation in the thermo-mechanical properties of cordierite, aluminum titanate, or 

silicon carbide DPFs after exposure to 150,000 mile equivalent biodiesel ash and thermal aging. However, 

exposure of a cordierite DPF to 435,000 mile equivalent aging resulted in a 69% decrease in the thermal shock 

resistance parameter. It is estimated that the additional ash from 150,000 miles of biodiesel use would also 

result in a moderate increases in exhaust backpressure for a DPF. A decrease in DOC activity was seen after 

exposure to 150,000 mile equivalent aging, resulting in higher HC slip and a reduction in NO2 formation. The 

metal-zeolite SCR catalyst experienced a slight loss in activity after exposure to 435,000 mile equivalent aging. 

This catalyst, placed downstream of the DPF, showed a 5% reduction in overall NOx conversion activity over 

the HDDT test cycle.

INTRODUCTION

Biodiesel can be made from various renewable sources such as vegetable oil, animal fat, or waste cooking oil. It 

is produced through transesterification of the oil or fat with methanol, resulting in mono alkyl esters and the coproduct glycerin. This process occurs in the presence of a catalyst, typically sodium hydroxide or potassium 

hydroxide. Following transesterification and separation of the glycerin, the biodiesel must be purified by 

extraction of the impurities into water or other means. In this process, residual amounts of sodium (Na) or 

potassium (K) from the catalyst can be left behind. In addition, small amounts of calcium (Ca) or magnesium 

(Mg) can be added to the fuel from the purification process. These metallic fuel contaminants are converted to 

oxides, sulfates, hydroxides or carbonates in the combustion process and form an inorganic ash that can be
2 

deposited onto the exhaust emission control devices found in modern diesel engines. Alkali metals are well 

known poisons for catalysts and have been shown to negatively impact the mechanical properties of ceramic 

substrates.[1] Furthermore, alkali metal hydroxides such as sodium and potassium are volatilized in the presence 

of steam and can therefore penetrate the catalyst washcoat or substrate, or be carried downstream of the diesel 

particulate filter (DPF) where the solid ash is captured. Of further concern, the increased ash from biodiesel 

combined with the normal ash from lube-oil could potentially result in excessive levels of ash in the DPF 

increasing pressure drop and the frequency required for filter maintenance.

Metal impurities are currently limited by ASTM D6751 to 5 parts per million (ppm) of Na+K and 5 ppm of 

Ca+Mg in B100 (100% biodiesel). While these limits are relatively low, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

(EPA) rules require a minimum ash-clean interval for a DPF of 150,000 miles in heavy-duty applications.

Furthermore, the requirement for full-useful-life performance of exhaust emission control systems in heavyduty diesel engines is up to 435,000 miles. In the simple calculation below, we estimate that a B20 fuel at the

current allowable limits for these contaminants could result in approximately 230 grams of additional ash 

exposure by the 150,000 mile ash-clean interval and approximately 670 grams of additional ash exposure over 

the 435,000 mile full-useful-life. This would nearly double the ash expected from engine oil lubricant alone. 

This estimate assumes that the metals are in the form of oxides. However, it is likely that they are in the form 

of hydroxide-oxide-carbonate-sulfate metal compound mixtures and therefore would have a higher mass than 

estimated.

Fuel Economy = 6 mpg

Biodiesel ash estimates

0.0003% of B20 becomes oxide ash at current spec limits (10ppm Na+K and Ca+Mg in B100)

150,000 miles / 6 mpg * 0.0003% * 3.1 kg/gal = 0.232 kg

435,000 miles / 6 mpg * 0.0003% * 3.1 kg/gal = 0.674 kg

Oil consumption rate = 0.03% of fuel consumption

Lube-oil ash estimates

Oil specific gravity = 3.3 kg/gal

Oil ash content (CJ-4) = 1%

150,000 miles / 6 mpg * 0.03% * 3.3 kg/gal * 1% = 0.248 kg

435,000 miles / 6 mpg * 0.03% * 3.3 kg/gal * 1% = 0.718 kg

The negative impacts of alkali on vanadia selective catalytic reduction (SCR) catalysts used in stationary 

applications was shown by Lisi and coworkers who exposed the catalyst to 0.18 wt.% of Na resulting in a 40% 

reduction in nitric oxide (NO) conversion.[2] A study conducted by Cavataio et al. used a laboratory flow reactor 

to study the performance of diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) and SCR catalysts after direct deposition of Na and 

K from aqueous solution.[3] This study found a negative impact on the carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon 

(HC) light-off temperature for platinum based and zeolite-containing DOCs after Na contamination; as well as

significant irreversible deactivation in the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) reduction activity of vanadium and Cuzeolite containing SCR catalysts. However, a study conducted by Tatur and coworkers aged a light-duty system 

to a simulated 120,000 miles using a B20 that contained metals at the low levels typical of biodiesel in the 

marketplace (below 1 ppm for Na and K). They observed no detrimental effects on an SCR, NOx adsorber 

catalyst, DOC or DPF.[4,5]

With exposure to high temperatures during a DPF regeneration event, the impurity metals in the ash may diffuse 

through the washcoat and into the catalyst substrate. This change in ceramic substrate composition can lead to 
3 

degradation in the thermal shock resistance of the substrate material, and have long-term durability implications

for the DPF. A study conducted by Dou and Balland showed the diffusion of potassium, which was a 

component of the lean NOx trap catalyst, into the cordierite substrate.

[1] After the potassium-loaded catalyst was 

aged on the engine, a measurement of the coefficient of thermal expansion, modulus of rupture, and elastic 

modulus showed a clear degradation in the thermal shock resistance properties of the material. Cordierite has 

been shown to react to form a sodium aluminosilicate surface phase at temperatures as low as 700° C, however 

much higher temperatures were required for destruction of the cordierite by sodium.[6] Silicon carbide (SiC)

substrates have been shown to react with alkali at 800° C if other ash metals are present.[7]

High levels of ash accumulation in the channels of a DPF could also lead to changes in the backpressure of the 

device, thus affecting engine performance. Studies conducted by Sappok and Wong investigated the impact of 

lubricant oil ash on the pressure drop sensitivity of a DPF.[8,9] These studies show that accumulated ash can 

form a barrier, which prevents depth filtration of the soot in the pores of the DPF substrate. At ash loadings 

below 15 g/L, this can have a positive impact by lowering the DPF pressure drop compared to a DPF with no 

ash loading. However, at loadings higher than 15 g/L, the ash begins to have a negative effect as it occupies a 

significant portion of the DPF volume. The result is a smaller effective filter volume, which by itself will 

increase the pressure drop. This change in filter geometry also leads to an increased wall velocity, which can 

impact the packing density and permeability of the accumulated soot. 

Metal Levels from Fuel Quality Survey

A biodiesel fuel quality survey conducted by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2007 

analyzed 56 B100 samples collected from all major biodiesel producers in the United States for compliance 

with ASTM D6751.

[10]

 B100 samples collected from producers around the country represented 70% of 

biodiesel production that year. Analysis of Na+K levels found that while three samples were above the 5 ppm 

allowable limit, 85% of the samples were below the detection limit of 1 ppm. Results for Ca+Mg analysis 

showed that 90% of samples were below the specification limit, with many samples at or below the 0.1 ppm 

detection limit of the analytical method. While this survey showed most biodiesel was below detection limits 

for metal impurities, specification limits must still be set to ensure adequate performance of engine and 

emission control systems. The objective of this study was to determine if adverse impacts can occur at the 

current specification limits.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

In order to expose the emission control components to 150,000 and 435,000 miles of ash in a reasonable amount 

of time, an accelerated durability test was developed. Preliminary solubility experiments indicated that B20 

containing metals at 27 times the specification limit could be created with appropriate reagents. This elevated 

level of impurities in the fuel reduced the engine operating time needed to achieve 150,000 and 435,000 mile 

equivalent ash loadings to an experimentally convenient range. Another important aspect of the aging process 

was to achieve an appropriate amount of time at regeneration temperatures to adequately simulate potential 

reactions of ash constituents with the catalyst/filter washcoats and substrates. To accelerate the exposure to high 

temperatures, the DPF was operated nearly continuously at regeneration temperature conditions. Worst case 

regeneration temperatures were derived from temperature profiles of uncontrolled regeneration and estimated to 

be distributed as 90% of the time at 650° C and 10% of the time at 850° C. The high temperature portion of the 

cycle represents temperature spikes due to uncontrolled regeneration as the soot cake lights-off at the beginning 

of the regeneration cycle. Temperature spikes can in some cases exceed 1000° C for several seconds which 

when accumulated over the full-useful-life was assumed to be comparable to a lower temperature for a longer 

period of time. 
4 

Estimates of the appropriate ash loading and time at regeneration temperatures were made based on the 

following assumptions. These assumptions were based on input from a technical steering committee comprised 

of emission control manufacturers and engine manufacturers. 

Engine Fuel Consumption = 37 kg/hr

Accelerated Ash Loading Assumptions

0.0081% of B20 becomes ash (27× metal in fuel)

77 hrs × 37 kg/hr × 0.0081% = 0.231 kg (ash exposure for EPA-minimum ash-clean interval)

231 hrs × 37 kg/hr × 0.0081% = 0.692 kg (ash exposure for EPA heavy-duty full-useful-life requirement)

Peak temperatures of a DPF regeneration last 10 minutes and occurs every 500 miles

Accelerated Thermal Aging Assumptions

150,000 miles / 500 miles × 10 min = 50 hrs

435,000 miles / 500 miles × 10 min = 145 hrs

Engine and Exhaust Emission Control System

A Caterpillar 2008 C9 ACERT engine was used for testing. This is an 8.8L, 300-hp engine calibrated to meet 

the Tier III off-road emissions limit. The engine is turbocharged and direct injected, and does not use exhaust 

emission control in its base configuration. A proprietary 60-hour engine break-in method, supplied by 

Caterpillar, was used to precondition the engine for emission and durability testing. No emission control devices

were used during this engine break-in period. By retrofitting the engine with exhaust emission controls, it 

served as a platform for exposing various catalysts and filters to biodiesel exhaust gas. The engine was 

retrofitted with an exhaust fuel injector placed 10 cm downstream of the turbo flange and 122 cm upstream of a 

diesel oxidation catalyst. In order to make the hot exhaust temperatures typical of a regeneration event, diesel 

fuel was injected into the exhaust and oxidized over the DOC. The DPF was placed 15 cm downstream of the 

DOC. The total distance between the turbo flange and the DPF inlet was 147 cm. For one set of aging tests, a 

metal zeolite SCR catalyst system consisting of two bricks was installed downstream of the DPF. The emission 

control system was instrumented for measurement of temperatures and pressures at the locations shown in 

Figure 1. The distance between the DPF and the SCR catalyst was 4.3 meters and was selected to ensure that the 

SCR would not exceed 650° C during the highest temperature modes. The internal DPF temperatures were 

measured with 0.032 in. K-type thermocouples inserted into the outlet channels of the DPF. Six internal DPF 

temperatures were measured as well as DOC-inlet, DPF-inlet and DPF-outlet. In the case of the test that

included the SCR catalyst, SCR-inlet and SCR-outlet temperatures were measured. Chevron Delo 400LE SAE 

15w-40 engine oil was used for all testing. The engine oil and oil filter were changed at the beginning of each 

new test.

Figure 1. Experimental setup 
5 

The engine was operated over a 3-mode steady-state test cycle described in Table 1. The first mode creates an

internal DPF temperature of 650° C, representing the normal range of a DPF regeneration event. For this mode, 

the engine was operated at 2,000 rpm and 1,080 N-m for 4.5 hours. Engine-out exhaust temperatures were 

around 450° C, and exhaust fuel injection was used to achieve the target temperature of 650° C. The second 

mode creates DPF temperatures below 300° C, which is low enough to avoid passive regeneration, allowing the 

filter to collect particulate matter. For this mode, the engine is operated at 2,000 rpm and 272 N-m for 2 hours, 

allowing for the accumulation of approximately 2.4 g/L of soot. The third mode creates internal DPF 

temperatures of 850° C, representing the high end of an uncontrolled DPF regeneration event. In this mode, the 

engine is operated at 1,200 rpm and 1,180 N-m for 0.5 hours. Engine-out exhaust temperatures were around 

580° C, while the full 850° C target temperature was achieved through a combination of exhaust fuel injection 

and combustion of the soot collected on the DPF in mode 2. In order to prevent unintentional uncontrolled 

regeneration of the stored soot, the temperature ramp rate was controlled to 1° C/sec when transitioning to mode 

3. In total, these three modes create a 7-hour test cycle. To achieve the equivalent of 150,000 miles of biodiesel 

ash accumulation and thermal aging, this 7-hour cycle is repeated 11 times for a total of 77 hours of operation, 

with 55 hours of operation under DPF regeneration conditions. 

The mass of ash collected onto the DPF was monitored throughout the test by weighing the filter every 7 hours.

The DPF is weighed after the mode 3 high-temperature regeneration event to ensure that there is no soot on the 

filter. DPF temperatures were consistently above 200° C at the time of weighing to prevent water adsorption. A 

second unused DPF was also weighed at the same time to serve as a baseline reference weight. 

Table 1. Ash loading test cycle

Engine Mode Time

(hrs)

Speed

(rpm)

Load

(N-m)

DPF Temp

(°C)

1 (low temp regen) 4.5 2,000 1,080 650

2 (soot loading) 2.0 2,000 272 <300

3 (high temp regen) 0.5 1,200 1,180 850

This test cycle was used to expose several different emission control components, listed in Table 2, to biodiesel 

ash and thermal aging. Three different DPF substrate materials were evaluated, including cordierite, SiC, and 

aluminum titanate (AT). Each DPF was 17 L in volume and was washcoated to have the same precious metal

loading. Each DPF substrate type was tested to 150,000 mile equivalent operation. A pair of cordierite DPFs 

were also tested to the 435,000 mile equivalent full-useful-life limit. In each case, a baseline test was conducted 

with ultra low sulfur diesel (ULSD) followed by a test with B20, on a set of equivalent parts, for comparison. 

The order of testing along with device type, fuel type and simulated mileage is listed in Table 3. Tests 1 through 

3 included a DOC and a DPF. However, in these tests the DOC was used to induce the 850° C DPF 

temperature, a situation that would not occur in actual use where high DPF temperatures would be generated by 

rapid combustion of soot. Thus these DOCs were not examined for performance after exposure to the engine 

exhaust because exposure to this temperature would lead to an inordinate degree of thermal deactivation. A 

separate catalyst was used for each test. To generate DOCs for post-exposure examination, a set of DOCs were 

operated only at modes one and two for simulated 150,000 miles of accelerated aging in tests 4a and 4b, 

avoiding the inordinate degree of thermal deactivation. Thus tests 4a and 4b did not include the 850°C modes 

for the first simulated 150,000 miles. A new set of DOCs were installed at the 150,000 mile mark (77 hours) 

and the remainder of these tests included operation at 850°C. The SCR catalysts, located downstream of the 

DPF, were exposed to the exhaust for the entire duration of tests 4a and 4b. The temperature at the inlet of the 

SCR catalyst was controlled to below 650°C during the simulated aging. 
6 

Table 2. Test parts subjected to accelerated durability test and analysis

Test Piece D × L

(in)

CPSI Wall

(mil)

PGM

(g/ft3)

Pt:Pd

Cordierite DPF 10.5 × 12 200 12 10 2:1

SiC DPF 10.5 × 12 200 16 10 2:1

AT DPF 10.5 × 12 300 13 10 2:1

DOC 10.5 × 6 400 7 40 4:1

SCR 10.5 × 6 300 5 -- --

Table 3. Test order

Test DPF† Fuel Simulated Mileage

1a Cordierite ULSD 150k

1b Cordierite B20 150k

2a AT ULSD 150k

2b AT B20 150k

3a SiC ULSD 150k

3b SiC B20 150k

4a* Cordierite ULSD 435k

4b* Cordierite B20 435k

†

All tests include DOC. *Test setup also included SCR catalyst.

Test Fuel Preparation

The biodiesel test fuel was a 20% blend of soy-based biodiesel into a commercial ULSD. Impurities were added 

into the B20 to achieve 27 times the current specification limit of Na+K and Ca+Mg. The commercial liquid 

detergent Liquinox, manufactured by Alconox, Inc., was used to dope sodium and potassium into the fuel. The 

sodium in Liquinox is in the form of sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate. Sulfur and water were unintended 

additives, with calculated concentrations of 32 ppm and 651 ppm respectively. Calcium was added in the form 

of calcium naphthenate, which comes dissolved in mineral spirits from Strem Chemicals, Inc. Fuel analysis was 

conducted prior to testing to confirm the actual amounts of impurities. In addition, fuel samples were collected 

from the fuel system return line to confirm that the engine fuel filter / water separator did not remove the 

impurities. Results from a typical fuel analysis are shown in Table 4. As can be seen in the fuel analysis, a small 

amount of the impurities are captured by the engine fuel filter. To prevent plugging from these added 

impurities, the engine’s fuel filter and water separator were changed before each new test.

Table 4. Additized B20 Fuel Analysis

Metal Blended Fuel

(ppm)

Filtered Fuel

(ppm)

Ca 24 21

Mg <1 <1

Na 21 19

K 7 6

P <1 <1

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A baseline test was conducted with ULSD for each emission control device followed by a test with the high 

metal content B20. It is important to note that the ULSD aged parts were exposed to the same time/temperature 

history as the B20 aged parts, and in that sense can serve as valid controls. However, lube-oil ash generation 

was not accelerated in these tests so the lube-oil ash contribution is the same regardless of fuel type. Lube-oil 

ash loading represents approximately one oil drain interval for the 150,000 mile simulated parts. Thus, 

comparisons of the ULSD and B20 test parts at the 150,000 and 435,000 mile test intervals represent the same 
7 

amount of thermal aging and lube-oil ash exposure with the only difference being the additional ash that would 

be seen by using biodiesel. 

DPF Ash Loading and Thermal Exposure

The ash accumulation measured throughout the 150,000 mile equivalent durability test for the cordierite filters

is illustrated in Figure 2. The final ash loading for all of the DPFs is listed in Table 5. The cordierite DPF tested 

with ULSD collected 14 grams of ash from lube-oil, while the B20 test piece collected 228 grams of ash. Based 

on the previously stated assumptions, 150,000 miles of operation with B20 should create 231 grams of ash from 

the fuel alone. Thus, the biodiesel ash accumulated in this accelerated durability test is close to theoretical 

expectations. The lube-oil ash accumulation of these experiments, however, does not reflect 150,000 miles as 

only the fuel based ash accumulation was accelerated. For both fuel types the lube-oil ash contribution 

corresponds to the actual run time of only 77 hours. 

Figure 2. Cordierite DPF ash loading tested to 150,000 mile equivalent 

In the case of the cordierite DPF tested to the 435,000 mile equivalent operation, the filter collected ash 

throughout the entire test period without being cleaned. Under normal operating conditions, much of the ash 

would be removed from the DPF at the 150,000 mile ash-clean interval. By not cleaning the DPF in this 

435,000 mile B20 test, the filter was able to achieve ash loadings closer to those expected from the sum of lubeoil and fuel contributions over 150,000 miles of actual operation. This allows for better evaluation of the impact 

of high ash loadings on DPF backpressure. Final ash accumulation for the ULSD filter was 124 grams 

compared to 889 grams for the B20 test piece. 

In addition to measuring the mass of ash collected by weighing the DPF, the two cordierite parts aged to the 

150,000 mile equivalent operation were also analyzed for ash distribution within the filter. The DPFs were 

segmented into five axial parts (numbers 1-5) from the inlet to outlet, and further into six radial parts (letters A–

F) from the centerline to the edge of the DPF, as shown in Figure 3. These 30 individual segmented parts were 

analyzed for ash thickness by microscope imaging. The distribution of ash within the DPF is shown in Figure 3. 

The average ash thickness for the ULSD filter is 0.08 mm compared to 0.15 mm for the B20 filter. In both 

cases, a small ash plug formed at the outlet of the DPF channels. In the case of the more heavily loaded B20 

filter, there is a uniform distribution of ash from segment #1 (inlet) to segment #4, with a consistent thickness of 

0.1 mm. This uniform distribution of ash, referred to as wall-ash, is more common in applications that utilize 

continuous DPF regeneration conditions.[8] On the other hand, applications that experience periodic 

regeneration events tend to collect ash at the outlet of the DPF, forming plug-ash. Under real world operating 

conditions, the ash is incorporated into the soot as particulate matter agglomerates. In the case of a periodically 

regenerated system, these particulate matter agglomerates build up along the DPF channel walls. A regeneration 
8 

event then burns the soot portion of the agglomerate, releasing the ash, which is carried to the end of the DPF 

channel, forming the ash plug. While small ash plugs have formed, the nearly uniform distribution of ash for the 

B20 filter indicates that these accelerated durability tests are more representative of a continuously regenerated 

system.

Figure 3. Cordierite DPF ash distribution (ash thickness in mm)

Plots of an internal DPF temperature for the SiC ULSD and B20 DPFs are shown in Figure 4. A temperature 

history and average overall temperatures for all of the tests are presented in Table 5. Average temperatures and 

temperature history data show that temperatures were fairly consistent for each DPF pair. Average DPF 

temperatures were only slightly higher for B20: 11°C for cordierite, 7°C for SiC, and 1°C for AT. The total 

time spent above 650°C was fairly consistent for all DPFs, ranging from 52.7 hours to 54.2 hours. 

Figure 4. 150,000 mile accelerated durability test – DPF temperature profiles

Table 5. DPF Ash Loading and Thermal Exposure

Units

Cord. 

ULSD

Cord.

B20

SiC 

ULSD

SiC 

B20

AT 

ULSD

AT 

B20

Cord.a

ULSD

Cord.a

B20

Ash loading g/L 0.8 13.4 2.3 17.1 2.2 12.2 7.3 52.3

DPF T (avg) °C 565 576 576 583 598 599 599 602

<650°C hours 25.0 26.6 24.4 24.7 24.2 24.4 72.9 74.4

650°C to 750°C hours 48.8 49.5 49.3 49.5 49.6 49.6 152.7 153.2

750°C to 875°C hours 4.4 4.6 4.6 4.4 4.9 4.6 9.5 9.2 a Accelerated durability tests conducted to 435,000 miles
9 

Impact of Biodiesel Ash on DPF Backpressure

After completing the accelerated aging, a set of engine experiments were used to determine the impact of ash 

loading on DPF pressure drop. Pressure drop experiments were conducted with the two cordierite DPFs tested 

to the 435,000 mile equivalent operation. Each of the ash loaded DPFs were further loaded with soot while the 

pressure drop was monitored across the filter. Pressure drop was measured at three different engine conditions 

which created DPF space velocities of 23,882 hr-1, 34,588 hr-1 and 38,294 hr-1 (space velocity based on 

measured exhaust flow at standard temperature and pressure). The DPF was weighed during this experiment to 

determine the amount of soot loading. Pressure drop data for both filters is shown in Figure 5 as a function of 

soot loading. 

Figure 5. Cordierite DPF pressure drop as a function of soot load, measured at three space velocities
10

Both of the filters demonstrated a single, distinct linear increase in pressure drop as the soot load was increased 

from 0 g/L to 5 g/L. Typically, a DPF free of ash loading would show two pressure drop regimes: (1) an initial 

steep rise in pressure drop as the DPF undergoes depth filtration of the soot, (2) followed by a more modest rise 

in pressure drop as a cake layer of soot is formed.[11] These two regimes of soot filtration are illustrated in 

Figure 6. In the case of these test filters, the layer of ash is most likely preventing depth filtration, which results 

in the single, more moderate regime of cake filtration. Also of note is that the more heavily ash loaded filter has 

a steeper increase in backpressure, indicating more sensitivity to soot loading. This is consistent with findings 

by Sappok and Wong, who show that higher ash loadings have a geometric effect on the DPF, lowering the 

effective filter volume. [9] This leads to increased wall velocities, which changes the permeability and packing 

density of the soot, and hence increased pressure drop. 

Figure 6. Illustration of soot loading regimes

In the 435,000 mile equivalent operation, the ULSD test filter collected 7.3 g/L of lube-oil ash. To demonstrate 

the impact of higher ash loading, the B20 filter was operated to the full-useful-life limit of 435,000 miles

without ash removal. The ash loading of this filter reached 52.3 g/L. It is important to note that this study did 

not accelerate the ash accumulation from lube-oil. Thus, these loadings represent the additional ash loading 

expected with the use of B20. Pressure drop data from these low-ash-load and high-ash-load filters were used to 

estimate pressure drop at the EPA minimum 150,000 mile ash clean interval. Figure 7 shows the pressure drop 

across these two test filters with an additional 5 g/L soot loading, at the highest space velocity condition. Using 

the assumptions presented in the Introduction of this paper, it is estimated that 150,000 miles of operation with 

B20 would result in 28.2 g/L of ash with contributions from both lube-oil and fuel, while ULSD would result in 

15.0 g/L of lube-oil ash. Assuming a linear trend of increasing pressure drop between the filters tested in this 

study, we estimate that 150,000 miles of operation with B20 would result in a 6.8% increase in backpressure, 

compared to equivalent operation with ULSD. 

Figure 7. DPF pressure drop as a function of ash load

Soot Load

DPF dP

Regime 1

Depth 

Filtration

Regime 2

Cake Filtration
11

Impact of Biodiesel Ash on DPF Thermal Shock Resistance Parameter 

Previous studies have shown that exposure to alkali and alkaline earth metals can impact the long-term 

mechanical durability of catalyst substrates.[1,7] The thermal shock resistance parameter (Rs) of a DPF is a

measure of the substrate’s ability to withstand rapid changes in temperature such as those experienced during 

active regeneration events. Resistance to thermal shock for a given material can be calculated by Equation 1. A 

decrease in the bend strength of the material or an increase in the elastic modulus or the coefficient of thermal 

expansion will result in a lower thermal shock resistance parameter. 

 (1) 

where:

Rs = thermal shock resistance

λ = thermal conductivity

σ = bend strength or modulus of rupture (MOR)

α = coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE)

E = elastic modulus 

The cordierite DPFs tested to the 150,000 mile equivalent and 435,000 mile equivalent aging were 

characterized by the manufacturer. Test parts were cut from the DPF at the inlet, middle and outlet for thermomechanical characterization. Three measurements were made at each location and the minimum and maximum 

values were used to establish the error bars shown in Figure 8. A four-point single notched beam test was used 

to measure the modulus of rupture, also known as bend strength. The elastic modulus was measured using an 

acoustic resonance method, and the coefficient of thermal expansion was measured by a dilatometer from 40° to 

800° C. Results are shown in Table 6 and Figure 8. 

Table 6. Thermo-mechanical properties of B20 cordierite DPF (percent change versus ULSD DPF)

150k mile 435k mile

MOR E CTE MOR E CTE

inlet

middle

outlet

-5.9 2.3 11.9 42.6 64.3 162.0

-9.3 0.0 -9.5 38.0 63.4 98.6

2.1 23.3 40.5 65.6 88.7 204.2

Figure 8. Thermo-mechanical properties of cordierite DPFs outlet section
12

After exposure to 150,000 miles of biodiesel exhaust, the bend strength for the cordierite DPF was roughly the 

same across the filter. Compared to the ULSD filter, MOR measurements changed by -5.9%, -9.3%, and +2.1%

at the inlet, middle, and outlet sections, respectively. This indicates that the 228 grams of biodiesel ash 

combined with thermal aging did not significantly impact the strength of the material. The outlet section of the 

biodiesel filter did have slightly higher elastic modulus (+23.3%) and CTE (+40.5%) compared to the ULSD 

test filter. While there was a measurable change, the difference was not considered significant given the other 

possible variables involved in making these measurements. Thus, exposure of the cordierite DPF to 150,000 

miles of biodiesel ash did not significantly change the thermal shock resistance characteristics of the material. 

However, the elemental distribution maps shown in Figure 9 indicate diffusion of the impurity elements into 

approximately 25-30% of the cell wall thickness of the outlet portion of the DPF.

The DPF aged to 435,000 mile equivalent simulated biodiesel ash loading (without ash cleaning) showed an 

increase of +65.6% in the bend strength compared to the ULSD test piece. Prior work by Dou and Balland has 

shown a decrease in cordierite substrate strength as a result of alkali exposure[1] in contrast to our observation. 

It is well known that applying a catalyst washcoat to a porous ceramic substrate tends to increase its strength. 

This results from the inorganic oxide particles in the washcoat filling in some of the porosity of the substrate. 

One hypothesis for our observation may be that the metal oxide biodiesel ash, deposited as a layer along the 

length of the channel walls, strengthened the filter substrate analogous to the application of a washcoat. This 

may have increased the strength to a greater extent than the negative effect of sodium diffusion into the ceramic 

material. For the 435,000 mile equivalent aged parts the elastic modulus and the CTE were also much higher 

for the biodiesel test filter, indicating an increase in stiffness and higher thermal expansion characteristics. 

Although a higher strength tends to increase the thermal shock resistance parameter of a material, the higher 

elastic modulus and thermal expansion coefficient will lead to a decrease in this parameter. Calculation of the 

relative thermal shock parameter for the outlet section demonstrates a significant overall decline in this 

parameter by 69% for the doped B20 exposed filter relative to that exposed to ULSD. 

Sections of the outlet portion of the DPF were mounted in epoxy and characterized using an electron 

microscope and energy dispersive x-ray analysis to observe the extent of diffusion of the alkali and alkaline 

earth metal impurities from the biodiesel ash into the cell wall of the filter. Figure 9 shows the elemental dot 

maps for sodium, potassium and calcium across the thickness of the cell wall at the outlet section of the DPF 

after 150,000 and 435,000 mile equivalent aging. The images represent the cross section of the filter cell wall 

with the direction of exhaust flow going from right to left. The colors indicate relative concentrations of the 

elements with dark blue or black being the lowest concentration and red being the highest as indicated on the 

legend to the right of the images. No attempt was made to quantify the concentration of cations so the colors 

only provide a means for relative comparison.

In the B20 exposed parts, one sees penetration of all three cations even after 150,000 miles of accelerated aging, 

however diffusion is only about a third of the way across the wall thickness. A dark blue shade is observed for 

potassium in the ULSD reference sample, but because there is no concentration gradient and no potassium was 

present in the fuel we attribute this to background signal. Furthermore the 150,000 mile equivalent aged ULSD 

cordierite sample was the first test run on the engine before any biodiesel fuel exposure. 

The 435,000 mile equivalent aged B20 sample shows diffusion across the entire thickness of the cell wall for all 

three elements. Some diffusion is also observed in the full-useful-life aged ULSD sample, however since these 

elements were not present in the fuel we attribute this to cross contamination from upstream components in the 

exhaust system exposed to biodiesel ash in previous aging cycles. 
13

Figure 9. Elemental concentration by SEM-EDX

The SiC and AT DPFs tested to the 150,000 mile equivalent aging were also characterized by the manufacturer. 

Measurements of MOR, E and CTE were made for the DPFs at the inlet, middle and outlet. The results are 

shown in Tables 7 and 8. After exposure to 150,000 miles of biodiesel exhaust, all three of the material 

properties for the SiC DPF were roughly the same across the filter and compared to the ULSD filter changes 

were small. The outlet of the biodiesel exposed AT DPF showed a slightly higher MOR (+21.1%), a lower 

CTE (-24.6%) and no change in elastic modulus. While there were measurable differences in the properties of 

these filters, the difference was not considered significant given the other possible variables involved in making 

these measurements. Thus, exposure of the SiC and AT DPFs to 150,000 miles of biodiesel ash did not 

significantly change the thermal shock resistance parameter.

Table 7. Thermo-mechanical properties of B20 SiC DPF (percent change versus ULSD DPF)

150k mile

MOR E CTE

inlet

middle

outlet

8.7 3.3 2.3

3.9 -3.0 2.3

6.9 6.5 0.0

Table 8. Thermo-mechanical properties of B20 AT DPF (percent change versus ULSD DPF)

150k mile

MOR E CTE

inlet

middle

outlet

11.5 -9.1 -20.8

8.8 -20.0 13.0

21.1 0.0 -24.6
14

Impact of Biodiesel Ash on DOC Emissions Performance

In this study, the DOC placed upstream of the DPF and operated below 650° C for the 150,000 mile equivalent 

aging was evaluated. DOC testing and post-mortem analysis were conducted on a MAN D2066 diesel engine. 

This is a 10.5 L, 325 kW engine certified to the Euro IV emissions standards. HC slip across the DOCs was 

measured at eight test modes by injecting diesel fuel upstream of the catalysts in a quantity sufficient to achieve 

a theoretical outlet temperature of 600° C. Operating conditions for the eight-mode test are shown in Table 9 

and HC slip is shown in Figure 10. 

Table 9. Eight-mode HC slip test operating conditions

Mode Speed

(rpm)

Load

(N-m)

DOC temp

(C)

DOC SV

(1/hr)

1 1980 995 340 120k

2 1570 815 335 70k

3 1255 515 290 40k

4 1770 520 295 65k

5 1900 460 280 40k

6 1950 350 265 40k

7 1980 290 250 65k

8 1360 355 243 39k

A comparison of the two DOCs showed higher HC slip for the biodiesel aged part at all eight modes.

Furthermore, the low temperature, low space velocity mode at 243° C showed indications of quenching and 

increasing HC slip over the duration of that mode. The NO2 formation from the DOCs was measured across a 

range of catalyst temperatures. This was done by ramping the engine load from 0 to 100% at a steady-state 

engine speed of 1100 rpm after a conditioning phase at full load for 30 minutes. The results, shown in Figure 

11, demonstrate a significant loss in catalyst NO2 oxidation activity for the biodiesel aged DOC, reducing the 

maximum NO2 formation from about 37% for the ULSD DOC to 21% for the B20 DOC. 

The two DOCs were cut apart for optical microscope and chemical analysis. Elevated levels of sodium, 

potassium, calcium and sulfur were detected with steep concentration gradients from inlet to outlet in the B20 

aged parts. All of these components penetrated into the washcoat with a gradient from top to bottom of the 

washcoat layer. In general the washcoat was in good condition for both DOCs. The exception was the first 1/8th

inch of the biodiesel aged part, which showed signs of washcoat cracking most likely due to high sodium levels 

(> 1 wt% measured by XRF) detected in the front of the DOC. Exposure to biodiesel ash is clearly responsible 

for the activity loss. Because the bulk of the catalyst washcoat was intact, the loss of catalyst activity was not 

caused by physical degradation of the washcoat but rather by precious metal poisoning or surface area loss.
15

Figure 10. DOC HC slip

Figure 11. DOC light-off NO2 formation 

Impact of Biodiesel Ash on SCR Emissions Performance

Following the 435,000 mile equivalent aging in tests 4a and 4b, the SCR catalysts were evaluated on a 2008 

Cummins ISC. This is an 8.3 L, 223 kW engine that also incorporated a DOC and DPF upstream of the aged 

SCR bricks. The DOC/DPF were not the same as those used in the aging study, but were representative of 

current production catalysts that had been aged independently prior to the evaluation tests. The aging consisted 

of 50 hrs continuous active regeneration with fuel injected up-stream of the DOC (400° C, inlet) to produce 

650° C at the inlet of the DPF. A urea injection system and the 435,000 mile equivalent aged SCR catalysts 

were then mounted down-stream of the DPF. The SCR system consisted of two catalyst bricks placed in series 

and are described as SCR1 and SCR2. SCR catalyst performance was evaluated over the heavy-duty diesel 

transient (HDDT) test cycle, following the hot-start federal test procedure. All emission testing was conducted 

with ULSD as the test fuel. The SCR catalyst temperature range over the HDDT cycle was 202° to 305° C and 

peak SCR space velocity was 65,000 hr-1. Emission measurements were made using three matched FTIRs to 

simultaneously measure exhaust emissions at SCR-in, SCR1-out and SCR2-out locations. Results reported at 

the SCR2-out location are cumulative for both bricks. Urea solution was injected into the exhaust at an NH3 to 

NOx molar ratio (α) of 1.0, based on the NOx measured at the SCR-in location. 

Percent reduction in NOx emissions averaged for three hot-start repeats of the HDDT test cycle are shown in 

Figure 12. As can be seen, the majority of the NOx conversion was achieved over SCR1 with some additional 

NOx reduction over SCR2. The SCR catalysts aged with ULSD achieved NOx conversion levels of 85.7% after

SCR1 and 92.1% after the second SCR brick (SCR2). The SCR catalysts aged with biodiesel showed lower NOx 

100 125 150 175 200 225 250 275 300 325 350 375 400 425 450 475 500

DOC Inlet Temperature [°C]

-20

-10

0

10

20

30

40

50

NO2 formation [%]

ULSD aging NO2 formation [%]

Biodiesel aging NO2 formation [%]

 
16

performance with only 78.0% conversion at SCR1-out and 87.2% NOx conversion at the SCR2-out locations,

indicating catalyst deactivation due to the biodiesel aging. 

Figure 12. Averaged NOx conversion of aged SCR catalysts

The brake specific engine-out NOx produced over the hot-start HDDTs and measured at the inlet of the SCR 

averaged 1.83 and 1.68 g/bhp-hr. These data, along with SCR1-out and SCR2-out brake specific NOx levels for 

the aged SCR catalysts are shown in Figure 13. This shows that the SCR catalysts aged on ULSD resulted in 

NOx levels of 0.15 g/bhp-hr at the tailpipe location (SCR2-out), which is comfortably below the 0.20 g/bhp-hr 

2010 on-highway EPA emission standard. The SCR catalysts aged on biodiesel however, resulted in a higher 

0.22 g/bhp-hr NOx level, which is slightly above the emission limit. It is important to note that these tests 

represent only the hot portion of the weighted FTP test cycle.

Figure 13. Averaged brake specific NOx measurements over the heavy-duty transient cycle

The cycle cumulative NH3 slip levels are compared in Figure 14 for the two sets of aged SCR catalysts. These 

levels are for the third of the three HDDT cycles which gave the highest level of slip. As might be expected, the 

NH3 slip level at SCR1-out was higher than at SCR2-out location. The cycle cumulative NH3 slip for the SCR 

catalysts aged with ULSD fuel was 1.09 grams. The peak NH3 slip over the HDDT cycle was approximately 50 

ppm, which can be easily controlled with a down-stream ammonia oxidation catalyst to below the target 20 ppm 

maximum. The NH3 slip for the SCR catalysts aged with biodiesel was slightly lower at 0.82 grams.
17

Figure 14. Cumulative ammonia slip measurements for the third transient test

While further evaluation and postmortem analysis of the aged SCR catalysts is necessary to determine the cause 

of the observed deactivation, some aspects can be discussed now. Table 10 shows the thermal history of the 

ULSD and B20 aged catalysts. The ULSD aged catalyst experienced greater time at temperatures above 550°C, 

so greater thermal deactivation is not likely to be responsible for the lower activity of the B20 aged catalyst. 

Because ash particles are very effectively trapped by the DPF, if metals are responsible for the deactivation it is 

likely because some ash compounds, especially alkali metal compounds, can sublime at the high temperature 

DPF regeneration conditions and be transported to the SCR. Ongoing studies will evaluate the composition of 

the ash collected in the DPF, and model the vapor pressure of the various ash species. It is apparent that at 

850°C the volatility of potassium salts is higher than that of the corresponding sodium salts, and there is more 

potassium in the vapor phase at equilibrium. A reasonable hypothesis is that potassium in the form of 

hydroxide and sulfate is vaporized from the DPF and transported to the SCR catalyst where it causes 

deactivation. Examination of this hypothesis will be the subject of future work. 

Table 10. SCR Thermal Exposure

Units ULSD B20

SCR T (avg) °C 458.2 453.4

<500°C hours 74.8 77.1

500°C to 525°C hours 2.6 16.8

525°C to 550°C hours 139.7 135.4

550°C to 575°C hours 16.7 7.4

575°C to 600°C hours 1.2 0.1
18

SUMMARY/CONCLUSIONS 

• An accelerated aging test method was developed to expose exhaust emission control components to 

biodiesel ash and thermal aging using a heavy-duty engine. The biodiesel was doped with alkali and 

alkaline earth impurities to represent the upper limit of these impurities as allowed by ASTM D6751.

• The impact of long-term biodiesel ash exposure was investigated for three different DPF substrate 

types (cordierite, AT, and SiC), as well as for DOC and SCR catalysts.

• It is important to note that while the ash exposure from the biodiesel was accelerated, the ash 

exposure from the engine lube-oil was not. However, the lube-oil ash contribution would be the 

same regardless of fuel type. The amount of thermal aging is also the same for each fuel. Thus, for 

this study, comparisons of the ULSD and B20 test parts at the 150,000 and 435,000 mile equivalent 

test intervals represent the same amount of thermal aging and lube-oil ash exposure with the only 

difference being the additional ash that would be seen by using biodiesel. 

• DPF and DOC parts were aged to a 150,000 mile equivalent operation, which is the EPA’s 

minimum ash-clean interval for a DPF. In addition a pair of cordierite DPFs and SCR catalysts were 

aged to a 435,000 mile equivalent operation, which is the EPA’s required full-useful-life durability 

limit for heavy heavy-duty applications. 

• Estimates of DPF pressure drop indicate that the additional ash exposure from 150,000 miles of 

operation with B20 will result in a 6.8% increase in backpressure. 

• The catalytic activity of a DOC exposed to 150,000 mile equivalent aging of biodiesel ash was 

reduced for both HC and NO2 oxidation. Engine tests showed some drop of heat-up performance of 

the B20 aged DOC compared to its ULSD aged counterpart, and furthermore, NO2 formation 

activity was reduced approximately 30% compared to the ULSD aged DOC.

• The mechanical durability of the cordierite, SiC and AT DPFs after 150,000 mile equivalent 

operation was measured. The changes in bend strength, elastic modulus and coefficient of thermal 

expansion were determined to be comparable for the ULSD and B20 aged parts. 

• The mechanical durability of the cordierite DPFs aged to 435,000 mile equivalent operation with 

biodiesel (with no ash cleaning) showed an increase in strength as well as an increase in elastic 

modulus and CTE. Overall the relative thermal shock resistance parameter declined by 69% 

compared to the ULSD test filter indicating a greater susceptibility to thermal shock.

• Although it was downstream of the DPF, the SCR catalyst was impacted by the biodiesel fuel aging. 

The NOx conversion showed activity loss of 5% over the hot start HDDT test cycle and emissions 

from the biodiesel aged SCR system were slightly above the 0.20 g/bhp-hr standard. 

• It should also be noted that the biodiesel test fuel was additized with both alkali and alkaline earth 

metals. Thus it cannot be determined which of these biodiesel impurities was the cause of any 

decline in performance. However, because calcium ash is a normal component found in lube oil ash, 

and magnesium is a component of cordierite, it is believed that the alkali metals sodium and 

potassium were primarily responsible for the chemical effects observed here. 

• The results of this study suggest that long term operation with B20 at the current specification limits 

for alkali and alkaline earth metal impurities can adversely impact the performance of DOC, DPF 

and SCR systems.
19

REFERENCES

1. Dou, D., Balland, J., “Impact of Alkali Metals on the Performance and Mechanical Properties of NOx 

Adsorber Catalysts,” SAE Technical Paper No. 2002-01-0734 (2002). 

2. Lisi, L., Lasorella, G., Malloggiand, S., Russo, G. “Single and Combined Deactivating Effect of Alkali 

Metals and HCl on Commercial SCR Catalysts, ” Applied Catalysis B: Environmental 50(4), 251-258 

(2004). 

3. Cavataio, G., Jen, H., Dobson, D., Warner, J., Lambert, C., “Laboratory Study to Determine Impact of Na 

and K Exposure on the Durability of DOC and SCR Catalyst Formulations,” SAE Technical Paper No. 

2009-01-2823 (2009). 

4. Tatur, M., Nanjundaswamy, H., Tomazic, D., Thornton, M. “Effects of Biodiesel Operation on Light-Duty 

Tier 2 Engine and Emission Control Systems”, SAE Technical Paper No. 2008-01-0080 (2008). 

5. Tatur, M., Nanjundaswamy, H., Tomazic, D., Thornton, M., McCormick, R. “Biodiesel Effects on U.S. 

Light-Duty Tier 2 Engine and Emission Control Systems” SAE Int. J. Fuels Lubr. 2(1) 88-103 (2009). 

6. Montanaro, L. “Durability of ceramic filters in the presence of some diesel soot oxidation additives,” 

Ceramics International 25 437-445 (1999). 

7. Choi, B., Kang, H., Son, G., Hwang, C. “Thermal Aging Behavior of SiC Substrate in the Presence of Ash 

Materials and Alkali Metals,” SAE Technical Paper No. 2007-01-1939 (2007). 

8. Sappok, A., Santiago, M., Vianna, T., Wong, V., “Characteristics and Effects of Ash Accumulation on 

Diesel Particulate Filter Performance: Rapidly Aged and Field Aged Results,” SAE Technical Paper No. 

2009-01-1086 (2009). 

9. Sappok, A., Wong, A., “Ash Effects on Diesel Particulate Filter Pressure Drop Sensitivity to Soot and 

Implications for Regeneration Frequency and DPF Control,” SAE Technical Paper No. 2010-01-0811 

(2010). 

10. Alleman, T., McCormick, R., “Results of the 2007 B100 Quality Survey,” NREL Technical Report No. 

540-42787 (2008), Golden, Colorado: National Renewable Energy Laboratory. 

11. DieselNet Technology Guide, “Wall-Flow Monoliths”, Revision 2005.09a, DieselNet. 

http://www.dieselnet.com/tech/dpf_wall-flow.html (2005). Accessed on September 1, 2010. 

CONTACT INFORMATION

Aaron Williams (aaron.williams@nrel.gov)

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Support from the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Vehicle Technologies, Fuels Technologies Program, the 

National Biodiesel Board and the United Soybean Board is gratefully acknowledged. Thanks to Teresa Alleman 

of NREL for assistance in developing the methods for doping the biodiesel test fuel and to Kristiina Iisa of 

NREL for assistance in predicting the volatility of ash constituents. Thanks to the catalyst and substrate 

manufacturers for their generous contribution of filter substrates and catalyst technologies as well as the catalyst 
20

and mechanical property characterization results included in the paper. In particular, special thanks to NGK 

Insulators, Ltd., NGK Automotive Ceramics USA, Inc., Ibiden Co. LTD and Corning, Inc. and Johnson 

Matthey Inc. Thanks to Cummins Inc. for providing the canning of filter substrates and catalyst parts. Thanks 

to David Painter of Caterpillar who supplied the methods used for boroscope analysis of DPF substrates. 

Finally, the authors would like to acknowledge the support of an industry technical steering committee 

comprised of engine and emission control experts for their technical input used in developing the accelerated 

durability test protocol.

DEFINITIONS/ABBREVIATIONS

°C degrees Celsius

ASTM ASTM International 

AT aluminum titanate

Ca calcium

cm centimeter

CO carbon monoxide 

CTE coefficient of thermal expansion 

DOC diesel oxidation catalyst 

DPF diesel particulate filter

E elastic modulus 

EPA U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 

g/L gram per liter

gal gallon 

HC hydrocarbons 

HDDT heavy-duty diesel transient 

K potassium 

kg kilogram 

Mg magnesium

mm millimeter

MOR modulus of rupture 

mpg miles per gallon

Na sodium 

NH3 ammonia

N-m Newton-meter

NO2 nitrogen dioxide 

NOx oxides of nitrogen 

NREL National Renewable Energy Laboratory 

ppm parts per million

rpm revolutions per minute

SCR selective catalytic reduction 

SiC silicon carbide 

ULSD ultra-low sulfur diesel

wt% weight percent 
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Impact of Biodiesel Impurities on the Performance and Durability of 

DOC, DPF and SCR Technologies: Preprint

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A. Williams, J. Luecke, R.L. McCormick, R. Brezny, A. Geisselmann, 

K. Voss, K. Hallstrom, M. Leustek, J. Parsons and H. Abi-Akar

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14. ABSTRACT (Maximum 200 Words)

An accelerated durability test method determined the potential impact of biodiesel ash impurities, including engine 

testing with multiple diesel particulate filter substrate types, as well as diesel oxidation catalyst and selective catalyst 

reduction catalysts. The results showed no significant degradation in the thermo-mechanical properties of a DPF 

after exposure to 150,000-mile equivalent biodiesel ash and thermal aging. However, exposure to 435,000-mile 

equivalent aging resulted in a 69% decrease in thermal shock resistance. A decrease in DOC activity was seen after 

exposure to 150,000-mile equivalent aging, resulting in higher hydrocarbon slip and a reduction in NO2 formation. 

The SCR catalyst experienced a slight loss in activity after exposure to 435,000-mile equivalent aging. The SCR 

catalyst, placed downstream of the DPF and exposed to B20 exhaust suffered a 5% reduction in overall NOx 

conversion activity over the HDDT test cycle. It is estimated that the additional ash from 150,000 miles of biodiesel 

use would also result in a moderate increases in exhaust backpressure for a DPF. The results of this study suggest 

that long-term operation with B20 at the current specification limits for alkali and alkaline earth metal impurities will 

adversely impact the performance of DOC, DPF and SCR systems.

15. SUBJECT TERMS

biodiesel; biodiesel ash; engine testing; emission control durability

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