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Like gasoline’s environmentally friendly cousin, Flex Fuel, diesel fuel also has an environmentally friendly cousin: biodiesel. Even though diesel (and biodiesel) is currently more expensive than gasoline at the pump, much of North America’s delivery system is centred upon the use of diesel vehicles. Countless vehicles that run on diesel haul goods across the continent on a daily basis, belching out thousands of tons of exhaust. As we know, it is this exhaust that plays a role in the phenomena of global warming. However, biodiesel has been playing and will continue to play a role in reducing the harmful effects of diesel emissions on the atmosphere. In this piece, we detail what exactly biodiesel is and how it works to reduce harmful emissions.
Biodiesel Defined
In essence, biodiesel is simply standard petroleum diesel blended with various organic components from nature. These organic compounds include anything that contains fat or oil (as later discussed, animal fat or vegetable oil). The following are common biodiesel organic bases and where they are grown or developed and used:
-Coconut Methyl Ester or (CME), which is derived from coconuts: The Philippines
-Tallow Methyl Ester or (TME), which is derived from bovine fat: Australia
-Palm Methyl Ester or (PME), which is derived from palm oil: Malaysia
-Jatropha Methyl Ester or (JME), which is derived from jatropha oil: India
-Rapeseed Methyl Ester or (RME), which is derived from rapeseed oil: Europe
-Soy Methyl Ester or (SME), which is derived from soya oil: North America
Because these components are organically based, biodiesel is cleaner burning and hence, better for the environment. For those of us living in North America, our biodiesel is derived from the vast quantities of soybeans (soya oil) grown throughout the continent.
How Biodiesel Works In Your Diesel Engine
In essence, biodiesel (or even raw vegetable oil) works in much the same way as regular diesel, but without the harmful effects to the environment. The differences between a diesel engine and a gasoline engine are minimal. However, in this instance, it is key to concentrate on the operating temperature of the previously mentioned engines.
We detailed the basics of the internal gasoline combustion engine in a previous article and essentially, a diesel engine operates in the same manner, except it does not have spark plugs. Unlike a gasoline engine, a diesel engine compresses air first and foremost and then fuel is added to the reaction. However, because the air was compressed first, it has been heated enough for combustion to take place when diesel is added to the cylinder. Because biodiesel burns cleaner throughout this process, the exhaust gasses released are far cleaner than petroleum based diesel.
Myths And Truths
One of the more prominent myths surrounding biodiesel is the notion that it is raw vegetable oil mixed with petroleum based diesel fuel. In reality, the ‘bio’ in biodiesel is derived from components found in vegetable oil and animal fat. These components have similar combustibility properties as petroleum based diesel. Before being added to diesel though, the components are refined in such a way that will make them compliant with national diesel standards for safe operation of your diesel-based auto.
Some companies manufacture kits to allow a standard diesel engine to run on raw vegetable oil. However, even though these kits may save the individual money and lessen the harm inflicted on the environment, running strictly on pure vegetable oil is illegal. Doing so is illegal because vegetable oil is not taxed under federal and provincial (state) motor fuel tax laws. For those running such a kit, you risk being visited by your nation’s fuel taxing authority.
Maintenance Issues With Biodiesel
As biodiesel becomes more prominent, diesel owners should be aware of the potential maintenance issues involved with the regular use of biodiesel. One of the more common complaints that I have encountered on the internet and from countless individuals who repair diesel engines has to do with increased frequency of fuel filter replacement. I, personally, do not own a diesel, however, their experiences may, in fact, be related to the “cleaning effect” of biodiesel. That is, biodiesel tends to dislodge particle deposits within the fuel tank and fuel lines from petroleum based diesel. Because of this effect, it is recommended that a diesel owner replace their fuel filter after filling up on their first tank of biodiesel.
Another minor issue to be aware of, especially for those who own older diesel vehicles, is that biodiesel tends to degrade various fuel systems components (usually rubber based components). So be sure to keep an eye out for leaks if you have an older diesel vehicle if you run biodiesel on a consistent basis.
Photo: www.treehugger.com
Sources:
www.caltex.com
auto.howstuffworks.com
www.biodiesel.org
www.epa.gov
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