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Year 2001 Edition - White Stork in Europe
Schools from three Countries together
in Europe At School 2001 competition
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Published by School M.A.R, Croatia, I.E.S.J-Sera, Spain
and G.S.G Moisil, Romania.
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EkoMAR zine > article #001066
05.04.2001
What is Biodiesel?
What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a cleaner-burning diesel fuel made from natural, renewable sources such as vegetable oils. Just like petroleum diesel, biodiesel operates in engines. Essentially no engine modifications are required, and biodiesel maintains the payload capacity and range of diesel.
The use of biodiesel in a conventional diesel engine results in substantial reduction of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter. Emissions of nitrogen oxides are either slightly reduced or slightly increased depending on the duty cycle and testing methods. The use of biodiesel decreases the solid carbon fraction of particulate matter, eliminates the sulphate fraction, while the soluble, or hydrocarbon, fraction stays the same or is increased. Therefore, biodiesel works well with new technologies such as catalysts particulate traps, and exhaust gas recirculation (potentially longer engine life due to less carbon).
Chemical Properties: Biodiesel has physical properties very similar to conventional diesel. Emission properties, however, are better for biodiesel than for conventional diesel.
How is Biodiesel Made?
Biodiesel fuel can be made from new or used vegetable oils and animal fats. It is made from domestic renewable resources. It is biodegradable, requires minimal engine modification when used either as a blending component or as is, and is potentially cleaner burning than the diesel it replaces.
Vegetable oils can be chemically reacted with an alcohol (methanol is the usual choice) to produce chemical compounds known as esters. Biodiesel is the name given to these esters when they are intended for use as fuel. Glycerol is produced as a co-product.
Currently, a process called transesterification produces biodiesel. The vegetable oil is first filtered, then pre-processed with alkali to remove free fatty acids. It is then mixed with an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst. The oil's triglycerides react to form esters and glycerol, which are then separated from each other and purified.
Ivana Jerkoviæ 1.b
References:
INA Èasopis - Hrvatska revija za naftno i plinsko gospodarstvo
Zagreb
(INA Newspaper Zagreb) from Croatia
Electronic zine EkoMAR, you are reading now, is produced in
online cooperation of school teams from three countries
joined together in European Project Group P062 for
Europe At School 2001 competition.
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