2. Biodiesel is a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic and renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in compression-ignition (diesel) engines with little or no modifications. It is biodegradable, nontoxic, and free from sulfur and aromatics. What is Biodiesel?
3. What are the characteristics of a good chemical fuel? Ideal chemical fuels are environmentally friendly and have low greenhouse gas emission. They should also be non toxic, biodegradable, easy to use, low in cost, and can be made anywhere in the world.
4. What makes biodiesel a good choice of fuel? Biodiesel can be produced with any type of vegetable oil; peanut, soy, corn, sunflower, etc. It can also be produced with animal fat, cooking oil or algae. All of this products are organic, and since they derive from plants, their growth balances out the CO2 that is released into the air from vehicles. Biodiesel is formed with such accessible products, it can be made in any part of the world, reducing the cost and pollution of transporting fuel. For the same reasons, the fuel is less expensive for consumers. Due to the natural substances, biodiesel produces a lot less greenhouse gas emissions than other fuels.
5. What is the most common method of producing biodiesel? Alcohol (methanol or ethanol) is carefully measured and mixed into a catalyst (sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide). The product is then mixed with vegetable oil and is stirred, sometimes heated. The catalyst allows the oil to mix with the alcohol and produces biodiesel and glycerin. After about eight hours, these two substances are separated, the biodiesel rising to the top of the tank and the glycerin to the bottom. This process is called transesterification. Sometimes, if there are remaining traces of alcohol, the catalyst and glycerin are washed out using water.
6. What are some advantages / disadvantages of biodiesel? Advantages Disadvantages Reduced CO2 emissions. It can be used in any vehicle engine without modification, while other alternative fuels do not. Fuel is in very high demand in North America. Biodiesel can be produced locally, so there are less transportation emissions and costs. Less expensive for consumers Biodegradable and nontoxic. It is new technology therefore it could be unreliable. Biodiesel gels in cold weather. It is more expensive to produce than petroleum diesel. Storage, blending, transportation, etc. of biodiesel can affect its quality, leaving consumers unsure as to whether it is reliable or not. Food versus Fuel: Since biodiesel is produced with food products, much of the world’s food resources would be used.
