Making BioDiesel
Natural seed oil
Biodiesel is a type of biofuel whose most important component is completely natural and renewable.
Some biodiesels are made with seed, animal, or even waste cooking oils. The oils are then mixed with diverse types of ethanol to synthesize common biodiesel. This biodiesel works great in most engines, but not in all of them. In order for biodiesel to be able to work in every engine, it has to be blended with a percentage of mineral diesel, the diesels made out of non-renewable materials such as minerals and petrol.When biodiesel is mixed with mineral diesel, the mixture can be used in any diesel engine.The diesel engines under warranty are converted toB100, a special biodiesel variety which is made up of 100% biodiesel and 0% mineral diesel. Most people can run their vehicles on biodiesel without any problem. A large number of vehicle manufacturers recommend the use of 15% biodiesel mixed with mineral diesel.
Some biodiesels are made with seed, animal, or even waste cooking oils. The oils are then mixed with diverse types of ethanol to synthesize common biodiesel. This biodiesel works great in most engines, but not in all of them. In order for biodiesel to be able to work in every engine, it has to be blended with a percentage of mineral diesel, the diesels made out of non-renewable materials such as minerals and petrol.When biodiesel is mixed with mineral diesel, the mixture can be used in any diesel engine.The diesel engines under warranty are converted toB100, a special biodiesel variety which is made up of 100% biodiesel and 0% mineral diesel. Most people can run their vehicles on biodiesel without any problem. A large number of vehicle manufacturers recommend the use of 15% biodiesel mixed with mineral diesel.
The process: Graphical explanation
Biodiesel production cycle
- As you can see, the production and use of biodiesel are part of a cycle. The crops are grown in farms taking in sun energy and CO2, a greenhouse gas that causes global warming.
- When the corps are ready, they are harvested and sent into crop refining from where they are distributed as food products or biodiesel production materials.
- In the biodiesel factories, the plants undergo several different processes from which the outcomes are glycerin products and renewable fuel.
- The fuel then goes to your nearest pump and into your car
- When you use your car, the fuel is burnt and it emits CO2, the same gas that plants absorb during their growth process.
- So, in the end, biodiesel use emits practically no "new" harmful gases into the atmosphere reducing global warming.
An informative video about the production of biodiesel
This video shows how a company goes around collecting discarded cooking oil and turn it into an energy source.
|
|