Biodiesel can be pumped, stored and burned just like petroleum diesel fuel, and can be used pure, or in blends with petroleum diesel fuel in any proportion. Power and fuel economy using biodiesel is practically identical to petroleum diesel fuel, and year round operation can be achieved by blending with diesel fuel. All diesel engines and vehicles can use biodiesel or biodiesel blends. Certain older vehicles built before may require replacement of fuel lines which contain natural rubber, as biodiesel can cause these lines to swell or crack.
Over time the engine oil could be diluted by the fuel if certain precautions are not taken. One recommendation is to ensure you are running your diesel engine regularly.
Contact our biodiesel fuel experts here if you have any questions. Blends are indicated by B , which correspond to the percentage of biodiesel in the blended fuel. When biodiesel is first used in a vehicle, it may release fuel tank deposits which can lead to fuel filter plugging. After this initial period, a user can switch between biodiesel and petroleum diesel whenever needed or desired, without modification. The presence of biodiesel pumps at fueling stations across the country grows daily.
To find sources of biodiesel near you, click here. Many alternative fuels have difficulty gaining acceptance because they do not provide similar performance to their petroleum counterparts.
Pure biodiesel and biodiesel blended with petroleum diesel fuel provide very similar horsepower, torque, and fuel mileage compared to petroleum diesel fuel. The injection system of many diesel engines relies on the fuel to lubricate its parts. The degree to which fuel provides proper lubrication is its lubricity. Low lubricity petroleum diesel fuel can cause premature failure of injection system components and decreased performance.
Biodiesel provides excellent lubricity to the fuel injection system. Recently, with the introduction of low sulfur and ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, many of the compounds which previously provided lubricating properties to petrodiesel fuel have been removed. Just like petroleum diesel fuel, biodiesel can gel in cold weather. The best way to use biodiesel during the colder months is to blend it with winterized diesel fuel.
Biodiesel provides significantly reduced emissions of carbon monoxide, particulate matter, unburned hydrocarbons, and sulfates compared to petroleum diesel fuel.
When blended with petroleum diesel fuel, these emissions reductions are generally directly proportional to the amount of biodiesel in the blend. The reduced particulate and unburned hydrocarbons emissions that result when using biodiesel are a welcome relief in environments where workers and pedestrians are in close proximity to diesel engines, including public transport, mining, and construction.
In addition, when high blends of biodiesel are used, the exhaust from diesel engines is often described as smelling like fried food, which aside from causing increased hunger in those nearby, is a welcome relief from the smell of diesel fuel exhaust. However, with the advent of newer diesel engines equipped with exhaust gas recirculation EGR , particulate filters, and catalytic converters, clean diesel technology provides incredible fuel efficiency with ultra low emissions levels.
When coupled with the use of biodiesel, both new and old diesel engines can significantly reduce emissions, including particulate matter black smoke. Studies on biodiesel emissions have been conducted for almost 20 years. In that time biodiesel has undergone the most rigorous testing of any alternative fuel, having been the first and only fuel to be evaluated by the EPA under the Clean Air Act Section b.
This study examined the impact of hundreds of regulated and non-regulated exhaust emissions, as well as the potential health effects of these emissions. Transportation technologies in the United States are changing rapidly. In five years, the choices available to the American driver are likely to be different.
Biodiesel pumps will likely be more widely available, ethanol may become a cleaner and more efficient fuel as innovators bring down the cost of producing ethanol from waste, and automobile companies will hopefully complete the development of hybrid diesels, which would combine the benefits of both our current best choices. Also in development are hybrid cars that can be recharged through plug-in power, which, when powered by solar or wind, will become the most sustainable option of all.
In the short term, however, biodiesel remains cleaner and more efficient than gasoline, ethanol, or conventional diesel, while ethanol is cleaner and more efficient than gasoline, but on a smaller scale. Until other options become available, and in cases where biodiesel is not a feasible option, then the best bet for the health of the planet is to reduce the amount of fuel you must use— by driving a hybrid, and by cultivating a lifestyle that depends on cars as little as possible.
Water is life. Some of us drink it straight from our faucet without a second thought. Others go to great lengths to buy enough jugs or bottles from the store to always have on hand.
Green America's website is sponsored by Green America members and. Help us meet our Matching Gift Challenge! Why Biodiesel? Recycled Waste Oil as Fuel Taking an even bigger step toward sustainability, some drivers bypass fueling at the pump or ordering a drum from a supplier and make their own biodiesel from the waste oil produced by local restaurants, converting what would have been garbage into a usable product.
Stay Tuned Transportation technologies in the United States are changing rapidly. Learn about our sponsor. It is safer than petroleum diesel because it is less combustible.
Biodiesel is safe to handle, store, and transport. For additional guidance on handling, storing, and transporting biodiesel, reference the Biodiesel Handling and Use Guide Fifth Edition. More Biodiesel Publications All Publications. More in this section Biodiesel Benefits and Considerations Biodiesel is a domestically produced, clean-burning, renewable substitute for petroleum diesel. Air Quality Engines manufactured in and later must meet the same emissions standards, whether running on biodiesel, diesel, or any alternative fuel.
Central Queensland University. Oxford Academic. Revision received:. Cite Cite P. Select Format Select format. Permissions Icon Permissions. Abstract Biodiesel, an alternative fuel of petroleum diesel, is mainly used to reduce the environmental impact of emissions without modifying engines.
Performances of a compression ignition CI engine are tested by running them at different loads and speeds and taking sufficient data for performance criteria. Engine performance depends on the testing conditions and the form in which the engine is tested such as fully or partly loaded. The power output changes with the change of pressure, temperature and humidity [ 8 ]. Artificially improving the volumetric efficiency increases the amount of air that the internal combustion engine ICE has available for combustion.
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In this study, Kubota V indirect injection, four cylinder, naturally aspirated, CI engine as shown in Figure 1 , was used to investigate the performance and emissions of test fuels. The rated power output is Table 1 shows the specifications of Kubota V The three main parameters that characterize the performance of a diesel engine are brake power, torque and specific fuel consumption which have been investigated in this experiment.
Specific fuel consumption is defined by the mass flow rate of fuel consumed per unit power output. The brake power and torque are evaluated by a dynamometer. Specific fuel consumption is evaluated by measuring the flow rate of fuel being supplied to the engine with a fuel flow meter. In the case of an absorption dynamometer, the torque is obtained by the net load at a known radius, given by.
Table 1. Vertical, four-cycle liquid cooled diesel. Open in new tab. Figure 1. Open in new tab Download slide. Figure 2. Figure 3. Figure 4. Comparison of NO x emissions. Figure 5. Comparison of carbon monoxide emissions. Figure 6. Figure 7. Comparison of carbon dioxide emissions.
A study on emission performance of a diesel engine fueled with five typical methyl ester biodiesels. Google Scholar Crossref. Search ADS.
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