About Biofuel and its advantage and disadvantage...also what it consists of....

1. Biofuel

2. What Is Biofuel?
 Biofuel can be broadly defined as solid, liquid or gas fuel consisting
of, or derived from biomass. It helps to meet the transportation fuel needs.
 Biofuels can be used in cars, trucks, buses, aero planes and trains.
 The most common types of biofuels are biodiesel, ethanol and
methanol.
 Biodiesel is made by combining alcohol, like methanol with
vegetable oil, animal fat. Biodiesel has successfully reduced vehicle
emissions.
Ethanol:
C6H12O6 2 CH3CH2OH + 2 CO2
Glucose Ethanol Carbon-di-oxide
It is made by fermenting any biomass high in carbohydrate (starch,
sugars or cellulose. Ethanol made from cellulosic biomass material instead
of traditional feed stocks is called Bioethanol.

3. Advantages:
1. High Octane number.
2. Some reduction in CO2.
3. Reduced Co emission.
4. Potentially renewable.
Disadvantages:
1. Large fuel needed for tank.
2. Lower driving range.
3. Higher cost.
4. Corrosive.
5. Hard to start in cold weather.
6. High Nitrogen Oxide emission.

4. Methanol fuel :
CH3OH. It is also known as wood alcohol.
It is produced from biomass. Biomass is converted to methanol
through gasification.
Advantages:
1. High Octane number.
2. Some reduction in CO2.
3. Lower air pollution
4. Made from natural gas, agricultural wastes, sewage sludge and
garbage.
Disadvantages:
1. Large fuel needed for tank.
2. Lower driving range.
3. Higher cost.
4. Corrodes metal, rubber, plastic.
5. Hard to start in cold weather.
Gasohol:
It is a common fuel used in Brazil and Zimbabwe for running
cars and buses.
In India also it is used in trial basis in Kanpur.
It is a mixture of ethanol and gasoline.

5. Hydrogen fuel

6. Hydrogen Fuel:
 This is the new technology, generally not widely used, but have high
hope in the future.
 hydrogen fuel cells are used to produce water, electricity and heat by
combining hydrogen with oxygen.
 It is non-polluting, because the combustion product is water.
2H2 + O2 2H2O + 150kJ

7. Advantages:
1. Good substituent for oil
2. Can be produced from water by thermal dissociation (3000°K
or above)
3. No CO2 emissions if produced from water.
4. High efficiency (65-95%) in fuel cells.
Disadvantages:
1. Highly explosive
2. Very high cost in production
3. Difficult to store and transport.
4. Not found in nature.
5. Excessive H2 leaks may deplete Ozone.
6. Energy is needed to produce fuel.