BIO DIESEL

We all are aware of diesel, its sources and its applications. The diesel which we use in our daily life is extracted from crude oil. New technology has introduced an alternative fuel for diesel engines, which is known as bio diesel.

Bio diesel is the fuel, composed of mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. Bio diesel is a renewable fuel.

Animal fat used in bio diesel production includes-beef tallow, lard chicken, pork fat.

Vegetable oil used in bio diesel production includes- soybean, canola, palm, rapeseed, waste cooking oil, etc.

Bio diesel as well as ethanol both falls under the category of biofuels, which are fuels derived from biomass. Bio diesel is completely different from a fossil fuel, or a hydrocarbon fuel. These fuels are composed of decayed plants and animals which took millions of years to form.

BIO DIESEL PRODUCTION:

The process of bio diesel production is carried out into three major steps.

• Base catalyzed by Tran’s estrification.
• Acid catalyzed by Tran’s estrification.
• Conversion of oil to fatty acids and then to Easter by acid catalysis.

Bio diesel, which is technically mono-alkyl esters of long chain fatty acids, is a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, or recycled cooking oils and greases. Bio diesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a bio diesel blend. It can be used in all diesel engines, with little or no modifications. Using bio diesel in a diesel engine substantially reduces the emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfates, hydrocarbons, and particulate matter, which results in controlling air pollution.

ADVANTAGES OF BIO DIESEL:

• Meets health effect testing.
• Lower emissions.
• Biodegradable, biodegradable and non-toxic.
• Improve energy security.
• Reduce dependency on fossil-fuels.
• Increases atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide.

DISADVANTAGES OF BIO DIESEL:

• Price of bio diesel is relatively high compared to diesel.
• Requires cold weather operation.
• Increased water use.
• Costs of labor and require huge space for storage.

Bio diesel can be operated in any diesel engine with little or no modification to the engine or the fuel system. It can also be easily used in light and heavy vehicles, as well as in marine and mining applications. Bio diesel is an alternative fuel that can take advantage of much of the existing infrastructure used for petroleum diesel.