Sep
09
2009
0

The Pros And Cons Of Biodiesel Fuel

While looking closely at biodiesel fuel, you will find that its chemical and physical properties are extremely similar to all of the petroleum based diesel fuel, in relationship to its operation within the diesel or compression ignition engines. Because of this, biodiesel may be used within diesel engines without all of the other expensive alterations to the fuel system or engine. In addition to all of the savings in cost, there are several other notable benefits of using the biodiesel that includes:

  1. Biodiesel fuel is non-toxic, biodegradable, and essentially free of aromatics and sulfur.
  2. Biodiesel fuel is safer to transport and handle.
  3. Biodiesel fuel has less noxious emissions than when compared to the diesel that is petroleum based, and it virtual eliminates acid rain which causes sulfur dioxide.
  4. Operates in any unmodified, conventional diesel engine.
  5. High octane number.
  6. Improved lubricity.
  7. Improved conductivity especially when compared to the ultra-low sulfur form of diesel fuel.

Overall, the best advantage of biodiesel fuel is going to be that it is a renewable fuel source, whereas all of the petroleum fuels are considered to be limited. For this reason alone, biodiesel fuel has a steadily increasing popularity.

The Disadvantages Associated With Biodiesel Fuel

  1. Lower energy content: Neat biodiesel fuel has an energy content that is eleven percent lower than the energy content of diesel fuel that is petroleum based, which results the engine operation experiencing a power loss. In turn, the engine adjustment that is required for power losses may lead to violating the anti-tampering provisions of the EPA.
  2. Engine operation problems: All of the engines today are designed in order to operate on petroleum fuel. The higher percentage and neat biodiesel fuels may cause a wide variety of several different engine performance problems, which includes: injector coking, fuel filter plugging, sever degradation of engine lubricant, elastomeric seal hardening and swelling, and piston ring breaking and sticking.
  3. Handling and Storage: The long-term storage problems are known to occur from the biodiesel fuel’s poor oxidation. When at low temperatures, biodiesel fuels may thicken and plug the fuel filters. Biodiesel fuel is also subject to m 1000 icrobial growth which causes fuel system corrosion, operation problems and premature plugging of the fuel filter.

Overall, these are the advantages and disadvantages that are associated with biodiesel fuel. In the event that you are interested in learning more about biodiesel fuel, there is a ton of information online that you are able to use as valuable resources. Online you will be able to find any information you could ever imagine about biodiesel fuels, you just have to make sure that you take the time to read it carefully until you understand each aspect.

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Aug
22
2009
0

Biodiesel: Applications & Uses

Alternatively this fuel can also be blended in any proportion with diesel in the diesel engines of modern automobiles. However gaskets and hoses made with natural rubber as found in automobiles made up to the early nineties tend to be degraded more by biodiesel than by petro-diesel because of certain solvent properties of biodiesel. Modern engines however use FKM in place of rubber as it does not react with biodiesel. The transition from petro-diesel to biodiesel may be made gradually since the latter is often found to disintegrate the residual petro-diesel deposit on the fuel tanks resulting in clogging of the fuel filters. A blend of the two types of fuels in appropriate proportions should be resorted to before switching over fully to biodiesel to reduce this possibility. A better option while using biodiesel is to replace the fuel filters on the auto engines and heaters.

Availability

Applications and productions of biodiesel are rising in Europe, USA and Canada. It is being used in mixture with diesel in automobiles and the growing demand for this fuel has made it available in the fueling stations in the above countries. Petroleum diesel is although cheaper at present than biodiesel, perishable nature of the former cannot keep its cost down in the long term. While man cannot restore the gradually depleting oil reserve, more and more agricultural subsidies will be made available to encourage production of biodiesel ultimately bringing down its price.

Uses

The debate continues over which one is a better car fuel- petroleum diesel or biodiesel. Producers of petroleum driven by their vested interests try to establish that petroleum diesel is better for car engines. The producers of biodiesel claim that pure biodiesel in fact increases the life of the engine by reducing its wear and tear. This is supported by independent bodies also. Fuel stations sell biodiesel produced with standards set by the authorities regulating production and use of the fuel and the consumers are satisfied with performance of this fuel. However the higher cost still encourages the consumers to opt for the petroleum diesel fuel for their car engines or blending small proportion of biodiesel with the traditional oil. Use of less than 5% of biodiesel in the blend was initially advised by car dealers like Volkswagen and DaimlerChrysler in the USA to secure lives of their car engines but the recommendation has since gone up to 20%. Even 2% addition of biodiesel in the mixture reduc 1000 es the viscosity of petroleum diesel and increases the lubricity of the mixed fuel. The standard proportion of biodiesel now followed most widely is 5%. World’s first biodiesel train by Richard Branson, the famous British businessman, was run on 20% biodiesel. Branson’s first commercial aircraft to run on biodiesel in February, 2008 signaled the important role this fuel is going to play in future aviation.

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