What is biodiesel an alternative for?

What is biodiesel an alternative for?

Biodiesel is a domestically produced, clean-burning, renewable substitute for petroleum diesel.

What would be some bad points about using biodiesel?

Weather Problem. Biofuel is less suitable for use in low temperatures. It is more likely to attract moisture than fossil diesel, which creates problems in cold weather. It also increases microbial growth in the engine that clogs the engine filters.

Is biodiesel a solvent?

The use of biodiesel as a solvent is especially attractive, because it is non-toxic, and has low viscosity, high boiling point, and good solubility properties [27–31], as well as, its international price is relatively low.

What fuel does biodiesel replace?

diesel fuel
Learn more about Ethanol. Biodiesel is a liquid fuel produced from renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel.

Is biodiesel an alternative energy source?

Biodiesel is a renewable alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel (hereafter referred to as “petrodiesel”). Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petrodiesel. Biodiesel can be made from any plant oil, animal oil, or even used cooking oil.

Is biodiesel an alternative fuel?

Biodiesel is an alternative energy source and could be a substitute for petroleum-based diesel fuel. To be a viable alternative, a biofuel should provide a net energy gain, have environmental benefits, be economically competitive, and be producible in large quantities without reducing food supplies.

What are the negative impacts of biofuels?

Regarding non-GHG environmental impacts, research suggests that production of biofuel feedstocks, particularly food crops like corn and soy, could increase water pollution from nutrients, pesticides, and sediment (NRC 2011). Increases in irrigation and ethanol refining could deplete aquifers (NRC 2011).

What is biodiesel made of?

vegetable oils
Biodiesel is produced from vegetable oils, yellow grease, used cooking oils, or animal fats. The fuel is produced by transesterification—a process that converts fats and oils into biodiesel and glycerin (a coproduct).

What are the properties of biodiesel?

It is slightly miscible with water, has a high boiling point and low vapor pressure. The flash point of biodiesel exceeds 130 °C (266 °F), significantly higher than that of petroleum diesel which may be as low as 52 °C (126 °F). Biodiesel has a density of ~0.88 g/cm³, higher than petrodiesel (~0.85 g/cm³).

Can biodiesel replace fossil fuels?

Converted into biodiesel, bioethanol, biomethane or hydrogenated oils, among others, biofuels are the only alternative available between now and 2050 for all modes of motor transport.

What can biodiesel be used for without modification?

While a 20% biodiesel blend (B20) can be used without modification, higher blends may affect rubber seals and gaskets in older equipment. High blends of biodiesel will also clean out fuel pipes, which can improve heating efficiency but may initially cause fuel filter clogging.

What kind of oil is used to make biodiesel?

Standard methods for producing biodiesel, a mixture of alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters of fatty acids, is to heat vegetable oils or mixed animal-vegetable oils with (a) a strong alkali and (b) methanol or ethanol.

Why are there alternatives to methanol in biodiesel?

Several factors make these alternative production methods appealing: (1) producers can avoid the labor-intensive glycerol removal process, (2) utilize ethanol instead of methanol and (3) sidestep the hazardous use of sodium hydroxide or other strong alkali.

What happens when you switch from petroleum diesel to biodiesel?

Operators who switch from petroleum diesel to biodiesel are more likely to experience this problem since older vehicles that have used petroleum diesel for many years are likely to have quite a bit of deposits in the fuel tank. If the problem is caused by low-quality fuel, correct this problem by using only ASTM-certified fuel.