CONTENT :
Acknowledgement
Certificate
What is Biodiesel?
Uses of Biodiesel
Preparation of Biodiesel
Reactions involved
Biodiesel fuel features
Disadvantages of Biodiesel
Bibliography
WHAT IS BIODIESEL?
Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel
consisting of short chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl)
esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil or
animal fat (tallow), which can be used (alone, or
blended with conventional petrol diesel) in
unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. Biodiesel is
distinguished from the straight-vegetable oil (SVO)
(sometimes referred to as “waste vegetable oil”
“WVO” “used vegetable oil” “UVO” “pure plant oil”,
“PPO”) used(alone, or blended) as fuels in some
converted diesel vehicles “Biodiesel” is standardized
as mono-alkyl ester and other kinds of diesel-grade
fuels of biological origin are not included.
USES OF BIODIESEL
Biodiesel fuel is a renewable energy source that can be made from soy beans
grown for fuel, or from cooking oils recycled from restaurants. This means it is a
renewable resource unlike petroleum-based diesel.
There is an excess production of soybeans in the United States; therefore
biodiesel is an economic way to utilize this surplus.
Biodiesel is less polluting than petroleum diesel. Compared to petroleum diesel,
biodiesel produces less soot (particulate matter), carbon monoxide, unburned
hydrocarbons, and sulphur dioxide.
The absence of sulphur in 100% biodiesel should extend the life of catalytic
converters.
Biodiesel fuel can also be used in combination with heating oil to heat residential
and industrial buildings. This can reduce dependence on non-renewable and
increasingly expensive heating oil.
Biodiesel burns cleaner & is made of non-toxic chemicals so it does not give out
poisonous fumes, unlike the ordinary fuel.
INSTRUCTIONS TO PREPARE
BIO DIESEL:
Requirements:
Vegetable oil
Antifreeze (Methanol)
Lye (NaOH)
Blender
Scales
Plastic containers
Funnels
Plastic bottle with lid
Duct tape
Thermometer
STEPS INVOLVED:
Step 1:
Measure out 200 ml of antifreeze and put it in one plastic
container.
Step 2:
Add in lye so that the antifreeze is absorbed.
Step 3:
Cover container and mix well by shaking it. It is mixed when it
starts to feel warm and is foamy. The mixture has now become
sodium methoxide.
Step 4:
Blend 1 litre of vegetable oil with the sodium methoxide in a
blender for 20 minutes.
Step 5:
Pour mixture into a bottle and wait 8 hours until the byproduct,
glycerine, separates form the biodiesel. The glycerine will be on
the solid on the bottom.
Step 6:
Separate out the biodiesel by pouring into a glass bottle.
Step 7:
Prepare a wash bottle by poking a small hole in the corner of the
bottle and covering it with duct tape.
Step 8:
Wash the biodiesel by pouring it into the wash bottle and adding
in ½ a litre of water. Roll the bottle around to mix it and then
remove the duct tape and drain the water.
Step 9:
Repeat the washing process until the biodiesel is clear. This may
need to be done numerous times over the course of a week to
complete the process. Store the biodiesel in a glass container until
ready to use.
REACTION INVOLVED:
TRANSESTERIFICATION:
Animal & plant fats & oils are typically made of triglycerides which are esters
of free fatty acids with the trihydric alcohol, glycerol. In the
transesterification process, the alcohol is deprotonated with a base to make it
a stronger nucleophile. Commonly, ethanol or methanol is used. As can be
seen, the reaction has no other inputs than the triglyceride & the alcohol.
Normally, this reaction will precede either exceedingly slowly or not at all.
Heat, as well as an acid or base are used to help the reaction more quickly.
Biodiesel is a much cleaner fuel than conventional fossil-fuel
petroleum diesel
Biodiesel burns up to 75% cleaner than petroleum diesel fuel.
Biodiesel reduces unburned hydrocarbons (93% less), carbon
monoxide (50% less) &
particulate matter (30% less) in exhaust fumes, as well as cancer-
causing PAH (80%
less).
Sulphur dioxide emissions are eliminated (biodiesel contains no
Sulphur).
Biodiesel is a plant-based & using it adds no extra CO2 greenhouse
gas to the
atmosphere.
The ozone-forming (smog) potential of biodiesel emissions is nearly
50% less than
petrol-diesel emissions.
Nitrogen oxide emissions may increase or decrease with biodiesel but
can be
reduced to well below petrol-diesel fuel levels.
Biodiesel exhaust is not offensive & doesn’t cause eye irritation.
Biodiesel can be mixed with petrol-diesel in any proportion, with no
need for a mixing additive.
With slight variations depending on the vehicle, performance & fuel
economy with biodiesel is the same as with petrol-diesel.
BIODIESEL'S FUEL FEATURES:
POWER: One of the major advantages is the fact that it can
be used in exiting engines & fuel injection equipment (no
modification required) without negative
impact to operating performance.
FUEL AVAILABILITY/ECONOMY: Virtually the same
MPG rating as petrol-diesel & the only alternative fuel for
heavyweight vehicles requiring no special dispensing &
storage equipment.
PRODUCTION/REFINING: Can be done at home (wasted
veggie oil) & farms (virgin oils from seeds), being the only
alternative fuel that can boost of a zero total emissions
production facility. By selling the simultaneously produced
glycerol, the cost of BD is basically the same cost of the oil
used to make it.
STORAGE: Readily blends & stays blended with petrol-
diesel so it can be stored & dispensed wherever diesel is
stored or sold.
COMBUSTIBILITY/SAFETY: Biodiesel has a very high flash
point (300⁰F) making it one of the safest of all alternative fuels.
LUBRICITY: The only alternative fuel that can actually extend
engine life because of its superior lubricating & cleaning
properties. The present “low sulphur” diesel fuel is badly wearing
the injection pumps of not protected diesel engine.
USAGE: Biodiesel fuel can generally be used in existing oil
heating systems and diesel engines without modification, and it
can be distributed through existing diesel fuel pumps. This is an
advantage over other alternative fuels, which can be expensive to
use initially due to high cost of equipment modifications or new
purchases. Biodiesel provides almost the same energy per gallon
as petroleum diesel.
ENVIRONMENT IMPACT: The only renewable alternative
diesel fuel that actually reduces major greenhouse gas
components in the atmosphere. The use of biodiesel will also
reduce the following emissions: carbon monoxide, ozone-forming-
hydrocarbons, hazardous diesel particulate, acid rain-causing
sulphur dioxide, lifecycle carbon dioxide.
DISADVANTAGE OF BIODIESEL:
Biodiesel is currently about one and a half times more expensive than
petroleum diesel fuel. Part of this cost is because the most common
source of oil is the soybean, which only is only 20% oil. However, the
costs of biodiesel can be reduced by making biodiesel from recycled
cooking oils rather than from new soy beans, or by making it from
plant matter with higher oil content.
It takes energy to produce biodiesel fuel from soy crops, including
the energy of sowing, fertilizing and harvesting.
Biodiesel fuel can damage rubber hoses in some engines, particularly
in cars built before 1994. You should check with the manufacturer
before using biodiesel to see if you need to replace any hoses or
rubber seals.
Biodiesel cleans the dirt from the engine. This dirt then collects in the
fuel filter, which can clog it. Clogging occurs most often when
biodiesel is first used after a period of operation with petroleum
diesel, so filters should be changed after the first several hours of
biodiesel use.
