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What is Biodiesel
ƒ Definition of Biodiesel: Fuel suitable for use in compression ignition (diesel)
engines that is made of fatty acid monoalkyl esters derived from biologically
produced oils or fats including vegetable oils, animal fats and micro algal oils.
ƒ Petroleum diesel, in contrast, is made up of hundreds of different
hydrocarbon chains (14-20 carbon atoms) with residues of sulphur and crude
oil remaining. It is obtained from the fractional distillation of petroleum.
ƒ In1885, Dr. Rudolf Diesel built the first diesel engine with the full intention
of running it on hydrocarbon fuel but it also could be run on peanut oil

Biodiesel Fatty Acid

Alcohol
Glycerin

Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences Biodiesel

Universiti Putra Malaysia

Vegetable Oil

Biodiesel – General Definitions

Biodiesel Petroleum diesel Blending
ƒ Biodiesel is a domestic, B100
ƒ High viscosity of vegetable oils resulted in poor atomization and often leads to
renewable fuel for diesel engines deposits and choking of injectors, combustion chambers and valves.
derived from fats and oils such as B20
soybeans and animal fats. ƒ Transesterification process was suggested to separate the fatty acids from
B10
glycerol.
ƒ Biodiesel can be used in any B5
concentration
t ti with ith petroleum-based
t l b d ƒ Bl
Blends
d off biodiesel
bi di l and d conventional
ti l h hydrocarbon-based
d b b d di diesel.l 100%
diesel fuel in existing diesel engines B2 biodiesel is referred to as B100.
with little or no modification.
0 50 100
ƒ Higher the percentage of biodiesel, the more ecology-friendly the fuel is. B20
ƒ Biodiesel is not raw vegetable biodiesel can generally be used in unmodified diesel engines. Biodiesel can
oil! Biodiesel blend, n. -- a blend of
also be used in its pure form (B100), but may require certain engine
ƒ Biodiesel must be produced by a biodiesel fuel meeting ASTM D
modifications to avoid maintenance and performance problems.
chemical process that removes 6751 with petroleum-based
glycerin from the oil. diesel fuel designated BXX,
where XX is the volume percent
of biodiesel.

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Relative Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Environmental Issues B100 B100 = 100% Biodiesel
ƒ Burning fossil fuels increases atmospheric levels of carbon Electric B20 = 20% BD + 80% PD
dioxide
Diesel Hybrid
ƒ Fossil fuels are a finite resource
Biodiesel’s Closed B20
Carbon Cycle
Ethanol 85%
Diesel
LPG
CNG
Gasoline

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Data from “A Fresh Look at CNG: A Comparison of Alternative

Fuels”, Alternative Fuel Vehicle Program, 8/13/2001

Relative emissions: Diesel and Biodiesel

B100 **
B20
Diesel CO2
Mutagenicity
n-PAHs
PAHs
Sulfates
How to Make Biodiesel?
**NOx
Particulate Matter
CO
Total Unburned HCs
0 20 40 60 80 100 120
Percent
** B100 (100% biodiesel) with NOx adsorbing catalyst on vehicle

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Sources
ƒ Produced by the transesterification of the vegetable oil or animal
fat feedstock.

ƒ Peanut oil,, Rapeseed

p d oil,, S
Sunflower,, C
Canola are manyy sources.

ƒ Major sources are Jatropha Curcas and Karanja oil.

ƒ Renewable Biomass Is A Source: Animal waste material and

byproducts, algae, yard waste or food waste, including recycled
cooking.
Pictorial by Graydon Blair of the Utah Biodiesel Cooperative
http://www.utahbiodiesel.org/biodiesel_making.html

After Glycerin removal, biodiesel now just needs to be

cleaned/purified before use:

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PROBLEMS IN USE IN DIESEL ENGINES Contd…

ƒ Triglycerides and diglycerids are
greases supposes an extra difficulty in Deposition of residual material on the surfaces of mechanical
relation to the combustion process.
pieces adopts a structure; defined these ones as hard, dry
ƒ Soot (coke) deposits on the injectors
and the piston rings. deposits, generally gleaming and insoluble in oil, and that in

ƒ Monoglycerids, fatty acids, glycerol, addition they are not easily eliminated with water.
water
methanol and water corrode and wear Low temperature behaviour and the outstanding oxidative
out metallic bearings and other
mechanical pieces that are in and storage instability are among the two most important
permanent movement and contact.
technical difficulties.
ƒ A portion forces past the cylinder
rings and adversely affects the
lubricating properties of the lube oil.

SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS COMPOSITION AND PROCESS

•Addition of biodiesel with a Use of neat biodiesel is
small percentage of methyl ester
highly saturated, which would
not preferable so
improve the combustion. methods are used to
reduce viscosity.
•Distillation reduces the
tendency of deposits formation,
by eliminating the less volatile
Trans-esterification is
fractions from biodiesel. th best
the b t one involving
i l i
reaction of the
•To improve low temperature
behavior and to diminish its triglycerides with an
boiling and flash point,addition alcohol in presence of
of certain alcohol (methanol, a catalyst to produce
ethanol) in a variable
percentage according to the the ester and glycerol.
technical and environmental
specifications.

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Properties of Commercial Diesel Vs Biodiesel

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Characteristics Diesel Biodiesel
ƒIn the US, the industry organization that defines
the consensus on fuels is the American Society Specific gravity @ 15 Deg C 0.82 0.88
for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
Heating Value MJ/kg 43.0 41.8
ƒASTM D-6751is
D 6751is the standard for biodiesel.
biodiesel
Cetane Number 40-55 48 - 60
ƒThis standard covers pure biodiesel (B100), for
blending with petro-diesel in levels up to 20% by K.V. at 40 Deg. C 1.3 - 4.1 1.9 – 6.0
volume. Flash Point, Deg. C 60 – 80 100 - 170

Stochiometric Air / 15 13.8

Fuel Ratio

Typical Physico-chemical Properties of Biodiesel Blends

Effect of Biodiesel Blending on Diesel Properties
BIS Spec. HSD B20 PPME B20 JCME B20 PPEE
PROPERTIES

Cetane Index,
46 48.8 50.3 50 52 • Cetane number increases – Better combustion, lower emission
min
• Lubricity improves – Protection to fuel injection equipment
Lubricity, WSD • Lower Flash point – More safety
microns
460 430 260 260 250
• Kinematic Viscosity y – Higher
g but within range,
g , better
protection to fuel injection equipment
Flash point, °C
35 49 70 70 71
min. • Low Sulphur content – Lower SO2 and Particulate emission
• CFPP – Slightly higher ; cold weather performance may be
K. V.,cSt at
37.8°C
2.0 to 5.0 3.000 3.534 3.284 3.430 affected
• Storage stability and material compatibility could be of
Sulphur, % ppm.,
max
2500 / 500 330 270 235 235 concern –need further investigation.

CFPP °C, max 6°C/18°C -4 Zero -2 Zero

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1)) Refer to Biodiesel Handling

g and Use
Guide
2) Refer to Manual in Biotechnology
Module fro Practical