FA3 Chemistry
Draft
Does Biodiesel Improve Efficiency and Lower Carbon Emissions of ICE
5/23/2025
Aiden Cattell
Ambrose Treacy College
Contents
Rationale.....................................................................................................2
Analysis......................................................................................................4
Extensions...................................................................................................6
Conclusion...................................................................................................7
References...................................................................................................8
Appendix.....................................................................................................9
Research question: Does the use of B20 Biodiesel (derived from vegetable oil) affect
the fuel efficiency (L/per 100Km) and Environmental emissions (CO 2) of an internal
combustion engine when compared to using regular Petroleum Diesel
Rationale
The purpose of this report is to use research supported by evidence to answer the research
question presented, how does the use of a Biodiesel such as B20 affect the fuel efficiency and
the CO2 emissions of a vehicle. I chose to analyse the nature of biodiesel as opposed to bio
petroleum, due to diesel being the major fuel used in industries such as long-haul trucking
and is often used by large transport vehicles. Because of the size of these vehicles and the
size of their journeys, they are a major contributor to global emissions. Therefore Biodiesels,
if implemented into this field could have massive effects in decrease carbon emissions. The
two fuel types will be compared based on two key criteria, fuel efficiency and carbon
emissions, and compared to determine which is more renewable and usable.
Over the past 30 years, increasing amounts of attention has been drawn towards the
significant increase in carbon emissions from cars, and diesel cars. Diesel cars exhaust
pollutants such as CO2, soot and carbon. These emissions are harmful to the environment,
but they also negatively impact the health of the human body. To help combat growing CO2
emissions, new alternative fuel sources such as bio diesel were developed. Biofuels are
combustible liquids meant to be used in Internal Combustion Engines (ICE). They are
derived from plant and organic matter and were created to be a more sustainable solution as
opposed to Fossil Fuels. Biodiesel is meant to lower the tailpipe emissions of a car, helping
reduce pollution. Biodiesel is a renewable version created to lower the tailpipe emissions of
diesel cars.
“Biodiesel is a renewable, biodegradable alternative fuel made from a mix of modified
vegetable oils and diesel fuel..” Car and Driver, 2021.
ICE engines work by injecting a mixture of fuel and air into a chamber, which when ignited,
moves a piston downward, producing power. However, Diesel engines work slightly
differently due to the unique properties of Diesel fuel. Diesel was made as a specific
fractional distillate product of petroleum fuel oil, and it has several key distinctions from
normal petroleum. For example, Diesel is almost impossible to ignite with a flame or spark
when static.
The general combustion reaction for diesel is:
CnHm+O2→CO2+H2O + heat
For a diesel combustion reaction to occur, there has to be sufficient ambient heat present. This
heat is generated from the immense pressure inside the combustion chamber. Therefore,
without this pressure, there is not sufficient ambient heat present to make a diesel mixture
auto-combust.
Diesel fuel is so incombustible at static pressure that you can extinguish a match into a
puddle of diesel without ignition. However, when Diesel fuel is sprayed at extremely high
pressure, it can ignite spontaneously when combined with an adequate compression force.
This is known as Compression Ignition, and it is how all modern diesel engines operate.
Because of this, any synthetic or organic substitute, such as Biodiesels like B7, B20 and B100
need to have similar performance characteristics that allow the proper function of the engine.
Figure 1
These supplemental fuel sources must achieve these same characteristics, such as low flash
point, and the correct Atomisation Factor (See Appendix 1) at high pressure, as well as the
ability to spontaneously ignite when atomised and compressed, all while lowering the CO 2
emissions of the engine. However, achieving a formula of Biodiesel that can accomplish
those, while being easily substituted for regular Diesel is extremely difficult. For example,
the supplemental fuel source must be able to achieve the correct viscosity, surface tension,
density, and Pressure Flash Point (see Appendix 2), as well as the correct volatility to achieve
proper combustion and engine function. It is difficult to replicate these exact characteristics
with the use of a pure Biodiesel based solution, and because of this, many fuel processors
combine their Biodiesel in a solution with normal Petroleum Distillate Diesel. While there is
a 100% pure Biodiesel on the market (B100), it is very rarely used, because its high
combustion inefficiency resulted in poor atomisation and difficult starting. The higher the
concentration of Biodiesel present in the fuel mixture ( Higher B Formula), can require
extensive engine modification to function, which rules them out as a sustainable supplement
to Diesel.
Analysis
Fuel efficiency
Part of the claim discusses the reasonableness of assuming Biodiesel is more fuel efficient
than regular diesel
A typical Biodiesel (B20) is formulated from mixing Methyl oleate, an extract of vegetable
oil, with petroleum Diesel. Therefore, its combustion reaction is:
(C₁₉H₃₆O₂)+ CnHm+O2→CO2+H2O + heat
Because it is derived from vegetable oil, the temperature needed for bio diesel to combust is
higher than biodiesel. This is due to the properties of Methyl oleate.
Methyl oleate
CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7COOCH3
Methyl oleate is derived from oleic acid and methanol. Methyl oleate (MW ≈ 296 g/mol) is
much heavier than hydrocarbons in diesel (~C10–C16). Because of the increased weight of
the molecule, the biodiesel will need more energy to vaporise, leading to poor combustion.
This is a limitation of Biodiesel, as the decrease in stable combustion means more fuel is
required to sustain operation. This means that biodiesels are less fuel efficient than diesel
fuels, which disproves part of the
A typical diesel reaction consists of:
CnHm+O2→CO2+H2O + heat
Because this mixture doesn’t contain the Methyl oleate compound, which due to its molecular
weight reduces efficiency. Standard petroleum diesel therefore is more efficiently ignited,
leading to less fuel being needed to operate. This means that despite Biodiesel claiming to be
more economical, it is actually less efficient than standard diesel fuels.
Figure 2
Emissions
Another key factor of the claim is that Biodiesel is less harmful to the environment than
Petroleum Diesel. In this scenario we will measure the carbon emissions of each type of fuel,
and compare their impact on the environment.
When a combustion reaction occurs, there are several harmful chemicals which are exhausted
into the atmosphere.
For example, when a diesel combustion occurs, the exhaust gas can contain large amounts of
NOx (nitrogen oxides), which cause smog, and increase the chance of acid rain and asthma
developing. Another exhausted chemical is the release of high quantities of Aldehydes such
as formaldehyde and SOx (Sulpher Oxides). Large amounts of CO2 are also released, which
form a blocking layer in the upper atmosphere, creating increased global warming effects.
However, when using Biodiesel, while there are still of course some harmful chemicals being
exhausted, they are either from renewable sources or in such small quantities they have a nil
effect. For example, when biodiesel is combusted, CO2 is still produced as an emission,
however it emits “Renewable Carbon”. Renewable Carbon is carbon which was produced
from recently living organic matter, such as algae, or in this case the animal fat used to make
Biodiesel. This means that the sources of the carbon are biological and can be regrown and
replenished within a human lifetime, unlike fossil fuels.
For another example, take the Sulphuric Oxide found in Diesel exhaust. When using
Biodiesel instead, there is little to zero sulphuric oxide emitted, due to biodiesel exhaust
having no sulphur content.
“The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) research indicates that biodiesel emits 11%
less carbon monoxide and 10% less particulate matter than diesel. According to a study done
by the Department of Energy and Agriculture found biodiesel reduces net carbon dioxide
emissions by 78%. Unlike petroleum diesel, which contains sulfur and carcinogenic benzene,
two components the state emissions boards and EPA regulate, biodiesel is nontoxic and
biodegradable.” Car and Driver, 2020.
However, there is one limitation of using biodiesel. Due to the additives present in biodiesel,
it has a higher Nitrogen oxide quantity then standard diesel when combusted. This means it
emits a larger NOx signature, but this is combated with the use of additives such as AdBlue,
which turn NOx into water vapor.
Figure 3
Therefore, based on the observable decrease in emissions of harmful chemicals during
operation, Biodiesel is more environmentally friendly to use than regular diesel, despite its
fuel economic drawbacks.
Extensions
There are several extensions of the claim that could be made to improve its relevance and
accuracy. One possible extension of this task would be to expand the nature of the research
task to include discussing more specific fuel mixtures of biodiesel. For example, instead of
just looking at Biodiesel as a whole, we could focus more specifically on individual strains,
such as B20, B5 and B100, and explore the upsides and downsides of each compared to
petroleum-based alternatives, and their effectiveness at reducing carbon emissions whilst also
remaining the original function of the diesel.
Conclusion
This research investigation aims to analyse the effectiveness of Biodiesel in replacing
petroleum diesel. This claim was to be answered based on two criteria, the fuel efficiency
(L/100km), and the chemical and carbon emissions of each. Biodiesel is intended to be used
renewable alternative to regular petroleum diesel. It is created using a mixture or petroleum
diesel, vegetable oil and animal fats. These contain large quantities of Methyl oleate.
Methyl oleate
CH3(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)7COOCH3
Because of the properties of Methyl oleate, the temperature needed for bio diesel to combust
is higher than biodiesel. More biodiesel is required per 100km to fuel the engines operation,
meaning that is less fuel efficient and more is needed for shorter trips.
When a diesel combustion occurs, the exhaust gas can contain large amounts of NOx
(nitrogen oxides), which cause smog, and increase the chance of acid rain and asthma
developing. Another exhausted chemical is the release of high quantities of Aldehydes such
as formaldehyde and SOx (Sulpher Oxides). Large amounts of CO2 are also released, which
form a blocking layer in the upper atmosphere, creating increased global warming effects.
However, when using Biodiesel, while there are still of course some harmful chemicals being
exhausted, they are either from renewable sources or in such small quantities they have a nil
effect. For example, when biodiesel is combusted, CO2 is still produced as an emission,
however it emits “Renewable Carbon”, which comes from sustainable sources. The findings
of this research investigation conclude that, based on the evidence presented, Biodiesel is
better for the environment, a it significantly reduced the chemical and carbon emissions, but
worse for the fuel economy and driving range of a vehicle. The implementation of Biodiesel
into long haul trucking could potentially significantly decrease the amount of CO2 produced
in this industry.
References
Car and Driver. (2020, April 17). Biodiesel vs. diesel: What's the difference?
https://www.caranddriver.com/research/a31883731/biodiesel-vs-diesel/
Kalam, M. A., Masjuki, H. H., & Maleque, M. A. (2003). CO₂ emission in diesel engine for
diesel and biodiesel blends [Figure]. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/CO-
2-emission-in-diesel-engine-for-diesel-and-biodiesel-blends-Fig-3-shows-
that_fig1_236679117
Kalam, M. A., Masjuki, H. H., & Maleque, M. A. (2005). Comparison between diesel and
biodiesel [Table]. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparison-between-
diesel-and-biodiesel_tbl1_311777859
Kalam, M. A., Masjuki, H. H., & Maleque, M. A. (2005). Comparison of maximum output
power of diesel and different biodiesel blends [Figure]. ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Comparison-of-maximum-output-power-of-diesel-and-
different-biodiesel-blends_fig1_292143471
U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Biodiesel basics. Alternative Fuels Data Center. Retrieved
May 23, 2025, from https://afdc.energy.gov/fuels/biodiesel-basics
U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). Alternative Fuels Data
Center. Retrieved May 23, 2025, from https://afdc.energy.gov/laws/RFS
Appendix
1. The Atomisation Factor of a fuel refers to the measurement of how effectively a fuel
can be broken down into fine droplets and evaluates how well a liquid atomises when
subjected to high pressure injection or spraying.
2. The Pressure Flash Point of a liquid is the point at which a spark will ignite it, but
only when under pressure / undergoing atomisation process. While the definition is
similar to that of a normal flash point, this figure only applies when the liquid is being
subjected to high pressure injection of Jetting. This mostly apply to diesel engines
where the flash point changes under pressure
