Biodiesel

About
• Biodiesel is methyl or ethyl ester of fatty acid made from virgin or
used vegetable oils (edible or non edible) and animal fats.
• Neat biodiesel contains no petroleum, but can be blended at any level
with diesel to create biodiesel blends.
• As biodiesel has similar properties to that of diesel thus little or no
engine modification is required.
• Generates less pollution and is clean burning fuel. Burns completely
as it has 10% oxygen content.
• Studies show that PM is reduced (25-50%) by using biodiesel in
engines.
• Marginal increase in NOx (1-6%) is also reported but can be dealt by
using De-NOx catalyst or engine optimization.
• HC and CO emissions are also reported to be lower.
• It can also be used as additive to reduce overall sulphur content of
blend and to compensate for the lubricity loss due to sulphur removal
from diesel fuel.
Raw material
• It varies for each country.
• Europe-Sunflower, rapeseed
oils etc.
• US- Soyabean oil
• Thailand- Palm oil
• Ireland- Frying oil and animal
fats
• India- Jatropha and Castor
seed
Biodiesel feedstock selection
• Edible oil feedstock such as rapeseed oil,
soybean oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, etc.
• Non edible oil feedstock i.e. Jatropha,
Pongamia, Castor etc
• Waste vegetable oil from restaurants
• Animal fats
• Algae that can be grown using waste
material such as sewage and without
displacing land currently used for food
production.
Advantages of Biodiesel
• It is a clean fuel and more economic as it encourages the recycling
process and can be manufactured from waste oils as well.
• It can be easily pumped and handled.
• It can be looked upon as a way to improve energy security as
compared to fossil fuels.
• It is a booster of rural economy by way of employment and revenue
generation.
• It can also bring wasteland under cultivation
• Second generation biodiesel can be produced from algae, which does
not require any land source.
Disadvantages
• Fuel ageing commences rapidly, which causes deposit formation,
buidup of resins, and corrosion of fuel injection equipment.
• It may cause irritation to eyes if contacted.
• It should be handled with gloves as it may cause softening of exposed
skin.
Engine modification for biodiesel
• The viscosity of biodiesel is higher and this is expected to result in
gum formation on injector, cylinder liner etc.
• The presence of biodiesel in engine could cause a thick sludge to form
with the consequence that oil becomes too thick to pump
• At low temperatures, the fuel system may require heated fuel lines,
filters and tanks.
• Biodiesel has poor oxidation stability which may accelerate fuel
oxidation in fuel system