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11. What are Bio-Fuels ?These are liquid fuels used for road transport (e.g. cars, buses and trucks) which have been made from a plant (occasionally) animal source. They fall into two general categories: bio-alcohols - mostly used for spark-ignition engines which otherwise burn petrol; and bio-diesel - mostly derived from vegetable oils and used in diesel engines in trucks and buses (and some cars). The aim of bio-fuels is to replace oil-based fuels that are derived from petroleum, a dwindling natural resource, with fuels from renewable sources, such as plants
For some consumers the concept of sustainable resource management is important, and this is also linked to the fact that use of bio-fuels decreases the overall rate of release of carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) into the atmosphere. These benefits have also attracted the attention of governments and other political bodies. Targets for their use (e.g. a % of total fuel used should be from a renewable source) have been set in some countries. In these countries there is usually a tax advantage applied to bio-fuels, in order to stimulate their use through cost-reduction.
A car (or motorcycle) with a petrol engine (spark ignition) can use gasohol (gasoline containing up to 20% bio-alcohol) without modification. For higher percentages of alcohol the engine, ignition and fuel systems has to be modified, or a Flex-Fuel or dedicated alcohol-engined car used. This is because alcohol contains less energy per litre than gasoline, so a greater fuel volume has to be burnt for the same distance travelled. On the other hand, alcohols have a very high octane rating, which, combined with higher engine compression ratios, gives a higher engine efficiency. In many countries the unleaded gasoline specification (for ULG 95) allows the addition of up to 5% bio-alcohol as a blend component. Alcohol is blended into the gasoline, by the fuel company, in order to boost the octane number and so many motorists are already using bio-alcohol without even knowing it.
Diesel engines can burn bio-diesel without any modification to the engine or fuel system. In fact, when Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine, he used peanut oil as t he fuel. Correctly speaking, bio-diesel is the methyl or ethyl ester of a vegetable oil (or animal fat), and NOT unprocessed vegetable oil. This difference is important, the esterification reaction lowers the fuel's viscosity so that it forms a good aerosol spray when injected into the engine. Engines which are run on unprocessed vegetable oil run the risk of injector fouling and worse mechanical problems. As with bio-alcohol, bio-diesel is often sold blended with diesel fuel from petroleum, e.g B10 (10% bio-diesel 90% automotive gas oil). This type of bio-diesel is just as good as normal diesel fuel.
Yes, as long as you are using a fuel suitable for your vehicle and the fuel is from a reputable supplier. You should be aware, however, that:
Bio-alcohols are flammable liquids and burn with a virtually invisible flame
Methanol (a bio-alcohol) is very toxic
But bio-alcohols blended with gasoline (i.e.gasohol) is relatively safe.
And
Bio-diesel is safe to useIn some countries you can buy gasoline already containing bio-alcohol as a blend component. You will probably not be informed of the presence of bio-alcohol in this case, as the fuel is sold as normal gasoline. In a few countries you can now buy bio-alcohol as a fuel in its own right. This is typically 85% alcohol (in USA and Europe) and suitable ONLY for cars designed to use bio-alcohol (e.g..Flex-Fuel cars). In Brasil you can buy "alcool hidratado", which is 85-93% ethanol and again destined for use only in Flex-Fuel cars or dedicated alcohol fuel cars (which have very high compression ratio engines).
f you buy E85 (85% ethanol) then you must have a car designed to use bio-alcohol (Flex-Fuel or dedicated alcohol car). You cannot readily retro-fit the fuel handling systems onto a normal gasoline-engined car to then accept bio-alcohol fuel.
In many countries you can buy B5 or B10 bio-diesel (5 or 10% bio-diesel in gas oil). In a few countries B100 is available. Avoid buying fuel made from unprocessed vegetable oil.
Yes, but only if it is a diesel-engined car. Both B5 and B10 are suitable for virtually every diesel engine; in cars, vans, trucks and buses. If you sue B100, then you should check with the manufacturer of your vehicle. It is quite likely that the service and oil drain intervals will be shorter.
It is possible, but Gulf Oil International does not recommend this. You have to handle dangerous chemicals (methanol is very toxic, caustic soda or potash is very corrosive) and you have to dispose of the hazardous waste safely. You will need to find a use, or buyer, for the glycerine by-product (or dispose of it in a safe manner). You will need to take good care of the quality of the process, to ensure complete esterification and purification of the bio-diesel. This is even more difficult if your raw material is used cooking oil, which will be of inconsistent composition and have many impurities.
one of the causes of the climate change commonly known as global warming is the rise in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This gas allows radiation from the very hot sun's surface to penetrate through to the earth, but reflects the longer wavelength heat radiation given off by the cooler earth surface. carbon dioxide is largely a by-product of fuel combustion, principally coal and oil, in man;s quest for more and more energy.
All vehicle engines burning bio-fuels emit carbon dioxide, which is an important greenhouse gas and a cause of global warming, just as they would if running on regular oil-derived gasoline or diesel fuel. But the plants used to generate the bio-fuel absorbed carbon dioxide from the atmosphere - an essential element of the bio-synthesis process. Thus, on an overall balance, use of bio-fuels instead of petroleum reduces the amount of carbon dioxide being added to the atmosphere (per vehicle-kilometre driven). In Brasil where nearly 50% of the fuel used in cars is bio-ethanol, the overall national carbon dioxide emissions have been reduced by 13% (compared to a baseline case where no bio-fuel would be used).
So, bio-fuels themselves will not stop global warming, but their use will mitigate one of the principle causes.