US Green Living .com
The automobile industry is greatly dependent on the fossil fuels. The most common fuel for the heavy vehicles like trucks, bull dozers and heavy lift cranes is diesel.
The diesel from petroleum has particulate content and causes air pollution when combustion takes place in the diesel engines. Moreover the process of extracting diesel from petroleum also
involves utilization of lot of energy and harms the nature and environment. With fossil fuel stocks depleting very fast, the research for alternate sources of fuel are being given more importance. This research is more concentrated in developing new renewable energy sources. The renewable energy sources are environmental friendly and easy to produce. Biodiesel is one such fuel produced from processing waste vegetable oil and is chemically equivalent to the diesel fuel extracted from petroleum. Biodiesel can also be produced from biological waste. Since Biodiesel is nontoxic, biodegradable and combusts cleanly without particulate emissions, it is environmental friendly renewable fuel. Also Biodiesel produces 30% less CO2 emission during combustion when compared to the diesel extracted from petroleum. Being chemically equivalent to diesel from petroleum, the
Biodiesel can be used in the diesel engines without any need for modification of the diesel engine design. This article focuses on the important aspects of producing, using and advantages of Biodiesel.
Production of Biodiesel: Biodiesel can be produced by processing the biological sources such as pure or waste vegetable oils, algae and greases. Biodiesel can also be produced from animal fat also. The process involves chemical reaction called trans esterification. The trans esterification converts the animal fats or vegetable oils into alkyl esters which are chemically equivalent to the diesel fuel extracted from petroleum. The actual process involves use of ethanol or methanol to removing the glycerol from the vegetable oils and substituting alcohols in their place. Hence this process is also referred to as the alcoholysis.
Characteristics of Biodiesel: Biodiesel is golden or dark brown in color and is in liquid form. It cannot mix with water and is a good solvent for organic compounds.
Biodiesel is safer and non-flammable since it has a very high flash point in to order of 300°F and does not vaporize easily. Biodiesel has no sulfur content and so is very environmental friendly. Biodiesel can also be used as an additive to the diesel extracted from petroleum. Adding Biodiesel to diesel extracted from petroleum, apart from reducing sulfur emissions, increases the lubricity thereby increasing the life of the engines.
Application of Biodiesel: The Biodiesel is primarily an eco friendly replacement for the internal combustion engines running on diesel extracted from petroleum. The automobile industry, especially the heavy vehicles range depends on diesel engines.
Biodiesel can be used in these diesel engines with no modifications since it is chemically equivalent to the diesel from petroleum. Also mixtures of petroleum based diesel and Biodiesel can be used in the existing diesel engines. Biodiesel can also be used in the industries where diesel engines are used for production of electricity and other industrial processes.
Biodiesel can also be used for heating the homes.
Being environmental friendly and nontoxic Biodiesel is being promoted by many countries as an alternative for the diesel from petroleum.
