Biodiesel fuel: properties, pros and cons

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 13:48

Biodiesel fuel has been around for a long time. However, not every person can explain what is the difference between conventional diesel fuel and biodiesel. This article will dispel myths and give a clear idea of the methods and stages of biodiesel synthesis, as well as its disadvantages and advantages.

In Western countries, the idea of producing fuel from renewable resources is extremely popular. In Russia, biodiesel fuel remains exotic. And this state of affairs will most likely continue until such time as oil reserves are depleted. And this will happen, according to scientists, in no less than a hundred years.

Biodiesel production

Many crops can serve as raw materials for the production of such fuel. Depending on the climatic zone, it can be soybeans, corn and sunflower seeds, and rapeseed. And this is far from an exhaustive list. Some craftsmen manage to establish the production of biodieselfuel at home from the remnants of sunflower oil.

Rapeseed crops are the most suitable, as they grow quickly and are not whimsical to weather and other conditions. But recently, the possibility of producing fuel from algae has been actively discussed. According to preliminary estimates, such raw materials will replace rapeseed crops in the near future. This is due to the fact that for the cultivation of algae there is no need to occupy acreage. In addition, the result will have better technical and economic indicators.

Production technology

As with the organization of any technological process, at the very beginning, incoming control of the incoming feedstock is carried out. In this case, a random check of the grains is carried out. The quality of the seeds is judged on the quality of the entire shipment.

The next step is getting the oil. Why raw materials are sent to the churn. The oil cake obtained after squeezing out the oils is not thrown away, it is used for the production of feed for livestock.

The oils are subjected to further processing (the so-called esterification). It consists in enriching the oil with methyl esters. The total content of these substances throughout the volume must be at least 96%.

The essence of the technology is quite simple: you need to add methanol and an activator of chemical processes (any alkali). Methanol is usually sourced from sawdust. However, it is possible to simplify the task. Instead of isolating methanol, you can dilute the oil with the required amount of isopropylalcohol or ethanol.

For the esterification processes to take place, it is necessary to heat the oil to high temperatures. This usually takes up to two hours. At the same time, it is necessary to constantly monitor the process and not be distracted: even a slight increase in temperature can ignite the oil.

The completion of the chemical reaction is evidenced by the receipt of glycerol sediment at the bottom and the formation of two layers in the container. Therefore, it is desirable that a transparent container be used for these processes: in this case, you can visually accurately determine when the process is completed, which will eliminate the need for subsequent improvements and prevent marriage.

Properties of biodiesel

Biofuels have truly amazing properties. So, ordinary table s alt is 10 times more toxic than biodiesel.

Also worth noting is the extremely high ignition temperature of biofuels - 150 degrees versus 50 degrees Celsius for conventional gasoline. This circumstance makes biodiesel much safer during transportation and storage.

When burning such fuel, unpleasant odors are not formed. Instead of the usual stench, a pleasant aroma of overseas plants is felt.

The use of biodiesel does not impair the performance of the power unit: power and torque do not change. At the same time, the useful life of the internal combustion engine also increases.

Biofuel options

Such fuel is allowed to be poured into a car tank. At the same time, it is in no way inferior to a traditional diesel engine, and in some respects even surpasses it. Many owners of cars and heavy equipment (trucks, harvesters, special equipment) cannot take such a step. But according to numerous testimonies of drivers, biodiesel fuel does not harm the engine and does not pollute the injection system.

Sometimes biodiesel is mixed in certain proportions with traditional fuels and poured into a vehicle's tank. This experience has not yet been well studied. But, judging by the reviews, this technique also has the right to life.

Benefits of biodiesel fuel

The most important advantage is the use of renewable resources as feedstock, which in the future can ensure the energy security of the whole world. Despite the rapid growth in the popularity of electric vehicles, the internal combustion engine will play a decisive role in the global economy for a very long time to come. Yes, it is unlikely that large ocean-going ships, even in the long term, will be able to be transferred to electric traction. Potential producers of biodiesel fuel in our country are farms and collective farms. After all, the availability of fuel for these subjects is an extremely acute issue on the eve of sowing campaigns. If the farms are equipped with the necessary technological equipment and specialists are provided, then they could well become self-sufficient in fuel. This event would have a positive impact on the dynamics of price growth. As a result of this set of measures, the competitiveness of the enterprise will increase significantly.

An important feature of biodiesel fuel is that it is produced from vegetable raw materials. Moreover, the cultivation of these crops does not deplete the land, but has a positive effect on its fertility. So, for the production of fuel, peanut, rapeseed, mustard, rapeseed, soybean and other oils can be used. There are reports of attempts to produce biodiesel from animal fats. Only now it is not entirely clear how economically feasible this is.

Disadvantages of biodiesel

The main disadvantage of biodiesel fuel is its high cost. So far, the price of petroleum products is clearly more competitive compared to this innovative product. Another significant drawback is the short shelf life of ready-to-use biofuel: if it is not used for its intended purpose within three months, the fuel will become unusable (decompose). And the final chord is the need to withdraw from circulation significant sown areas suitable for growing food products. With the food shortage on the planet, this circumstance is gradually becoming increasingly important.

Environmental impact

Surprisingly, this type of fuel is absolutely harmless to nature and its release into the environment does not cause any negative consequences for flora and fauna. The same cannot be said about oil andoil products. It is well known that just one liter of gasoline or fuel pollutes at least a million liters of water in the world's oceans and leads to the death of many living organisms and microorganisms. One of the most important properties of biodiesel fuel is its fast decay period: within one month, microorganisms will destroy almost the entire volume of fuel. Thus, if we switch river and sea modes of transport to innovative fuel, then the harmful consequences of accidents and diesel leaks can be minimized.

Emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere

Reduced carbon dioxide emissions during combustion is a big plus of biodiesel fuel. According to scientists who deal with these issues, the amount of CO_{2 emissions from burning biodiesel does not exceed the amount of carbon dioxide processing by those plants that served as a source of raw materials for the production of fuel throughout their entire life cycle.}

Yet emissions from fuel combustion do occur. That is why calling biodiesel an environmentally friendly fuel is not entirely correct. Although some believe that the volumes of carbon dioxide production are so small that they can be neglected. This statement is highly controversial.

Specifications

Sulfur is considered a harmful impurity and is the main source of environmental pollution during combustion. The initial mineral hydrocarbon raw material (oil) for the production of traditional fuels contains quitelots of phosphorus. This pollutant is removed by all available means. It should be said that modern technologies make it possible to carry out cleaning very efficiently. And everything would be fine. Yes, but only with a decrease in the concentration of phosphorus, the antifriction properties of the substance drop sharply. Unlike conventional fuel, biodiesel does not need to be cleaned for phosphorus, since there is practically no phosphorus there. Biodiesel has a very good anti-friction effect when it comes into contact with rubbing surfaces at the point of contact.

A real case that made it into the Guinness Book of Records: a truck (truck main truck) traveled well over one million kilometers on biodiesel fuel with an engine from the manufacturer. Sounds fantastic, but it's true. The fact is that when using such fuel, the latter also performs the function of a fairy tale of rubbing parts. This leads to the fact that the wear of products occurs much later. A significant increase in the useful life of products is an important direction in improving the efficiency of economic activity of business entities.

Storage safety

An important (from the point of view of ensuring safety in the organization of fuel storage) characteristic is the flash point. If the fuel ignites at low temperatures, this is a huge minus. The advantage of biodiesel fuel is that the ignition temperature is at least 150 degrees. When working with biodiesel, safety precautions should not be neglected and negligence should not be allowed in the performance of duties. Thethe type of fuel may have a slightly lower explosiveness than gasoline or diesel, but still poses a greater threat.

Summing up

Biodiesel is a very promising type of fuel. In the US and Western countries, it has been actively used for more than twenty years, but in Russia it has received little attention. The reason for this is the high cost of manufacturing biodiesel.

When burned, biodiesel fuel practically does not emit harmful substances, which has a positive effect on the environment. The production is non-waste, since all that remains of vegetable fibers after squeezing oils is given to livestock feed.

Slowly but surely the demand for biodiesel is growing. It attracts investors from all over the world. Biofuel production is forecast to grow rapidly in the near future.