World Biofuel Day is observed annually on August 10th, coinciding with International Biodiesel Day. This day is dedicated to raising awareness about the significance of non-fossil fuels as alternatives to traditional fossil fuels. It also acknowledges the efforts of governments and organizations working in the biofuel sector.
History
In the 1890s, Rudolf Diesel experimented with vegetable oil to power his new engine. Today’s biodiesel has its roots in research conducted in the 1930s in Belgium and began to be heavily used in European diesel fuel in the late 1980s. In the 1990s, biodiesel use and availability increased dramatically in the U.S.
What is Biofuel?
Biofuel is a renewable energy source derived from biomass such as animal waste, algae, or plant matter. Unlike fossil fuels, it is not produced geologically and is easy to extract.
Types of Biofuel
There are three main types of biofuels: Ethanol, Biodiesel, and Biobutanol. Some other forms of biofuel include Biogas and Methanol.
What is Biodiesel?
Biodiesel is a renewable diesel fuel made from animal fats, vegetable oils, or recycled restaurant grease (used cooking oil). One of the main advantages of biodiesel is that it performs comparably to conventional diesel fuel, while producing lower concentrations of toxic emissions during combustion.
Biodiesel is produced through a process called transesterification. In this process, oils from fatty plants are mixed with a methoxide catalyst under specific conditions. This reaction separates the oil into two components: usable fuel oil and glycerol.
In simpler terms, transesterification can be understood as converting one ester into another. An ester is a chemical compound formed by the combination of fatty acids and alcohol. Examples of esters include animal and vegetable fats, oils, and biodiesel.
Why is transesterification necessary?
If both vegetable oil and biodiesel are types of esters, why isn’t it practical to use vegetable oil directly in a diesel engine instead of converting it to biodiesel? The primary reason for this is the difference in viscosity, which refers to the thickness or resistance to flow, between the two substances. Vegetable oil has a viscosity that is too high for diesel engines, which are designed to run on fossil diesel. This high viscosity is due to the large size of the glycerol molecule, which is a byproduct of vegetable oil. To make vegetable oil suitable for diesel engines, we need to lower its viscosity by replacing glycerol with a smaller alcohol molecule, such as methanol. This process creates biodiesel, a more compatible fuel for diesel engines.
Benefits of Using Biodiesel in Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD)
• Compatible with the diesel ignition platform and with diesel fuel
• Enhances lubricity of ULSD
• Reduces harmful emissions
• Power and performance virtually unchanged
• Seamless & transparent with existing petroleum infrastructure
• Promotes national energy security
• Renewable, non-toxic, “green” blend stock option.
Biofuel Testing with AmSpec
AmSpec offers high-quality inspection and testing services for biofuel refiners, producers, blenders, distributors, consumers, and research facilities. Our biofuel product expertise includes biodiesel, ethanol, and other fuels blended with them.