The increasing use of fossil fuels by vehicles and industry globally, has resulted in enormous increase of greenhouse gases in the environment. Greenhouse gases contribute in a big way to global warming, which is a serious issue and needs to be addressed by one and all.
Global warming is increasing the temperatures of surface air and oceans and is causing melting of ice glaciers, raise in sea level, changes in rainfall patterns, extreme weather conditions, and formation of dry lands, etc.
The world runs on fossil fuels, like diesel or petroleum. Vehicles that run on fossil fuels, which are highly depleting, facilitate transport of goods and humans. In the international oil market, nations have no choice but to shell out precious dollars to buy oil, and provide energy security to their economiesUsing fossil fuels has had dangerous fallout, environmental pollution beyond acceptable limits leading to global warming and climate change, and taking its toll of human health with increasing incidence of cancer and breathing problems.
Biodiesel: The clean and eco-friendly fuel
In simple terms, biodiesel is non-petroleum based diesel fuel used to run any unmodified diesel engine. It is produced from vegetable oil or animal fat, which can be re-grown, and hence not depleting like fossil fuels. Biodiesel is a clean fuel. It is environment friendly, and bio-degradable.
Production Process
Universal Biofuels produces biodiesel from any vegetable oil like palm oil, and also is technically equipped to produce biodiesel from non-edible oils like Jatropa, Pongamia, etc. Environmental concerns and food security are duly taken into consideration in building feedstocks for the production of biodiesel.
Biodiesel is made from any vegetable oil (edible or non edible). When oil is treated with methyl alcohol in the presence of catalyst sodium methoxide, the oil splits into Glycerol and fatty acids. The fatty acids attach with methyl alcohol forming(FAME) Fatty Acid Methyl Esters called biodiesel.
The biodiesel is further subjected to heat treatment to free it from methyl alcohol and then water washed, dried and stored. Glycerol separates out as crude byproduct which is further refined into Pharma grade glycerol.
Why Biodiesel?
- Biodiesel is a much cleaner fuel than fossil fuel, for the carbon dioxide produced by burning biodiesel is again absorbed by plants thereby keeping the net carbon dioxide stock constant. Additional greenery is going to reduce the CO2 stock.
- Fossil diesel liberated carbon dioxide adds to the stock of atmospheric carbon dioxide.
- Biodiesel emissions are less in hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.
- Biodiesel emissions are sulphur free as vegetable oils does not contain sulphur.
- Biodiesel emissions are not irritating to eye.
- Biodiesel is having better lubricating quality and increases engine life considerably.
- Biodiesel can be mixed with fossil diesel in any proportion with out any additives.
- Biodiesel has higher cetane number than fossil fuel which helps in easy ignition of fuel.
Properties
- Improved lubricity
- No Sulphur content
- Color: Golden and dark brown
- Immiscible in water
- High boiling point
- Low vapor pressure
- Flash point: (>130 °C, >266 °F)
The benefits galore
Amongst all other fuels available, biodiesel is the only fuel that can be used readily for running diesel engines without any mechanical or process modifications. Majority of the diesel engines run smoothly on biodiesel, with a greater assurance of engine performance. Biodiesel offers many benefits
- Biodiesel’s eco-friendly nature is the chief benefit, which it offers to entire humanity. Fossil fuel extracted from crude reserves upon burning liberates carbon dioxide which keeps on adding to the atmospheric carbon dioxide. Whereas biodiesel which has plant origins, upon burning also liberates carbon dioxide, but the carbon dioxide (we all know plants absorb carbon dioxide) is reabsorbed by the fresh stock of plants, and so the net stock of carbon dioxide in atmosphere does not increase. As Biodiesel does not contain sulphur, SO2 reduction also happens which is why biodiesel emissions do not cause any eye irritations
- Gives opportunity to farmers to produce Jatropa, canola, corn, soy, palm etc.,
- Opens profitable markets for farmers’ produce
- Generates employment opportunities within the country as marginal or barren lands can be brought under cultivation with plants like jatropa, Pongamia etc
- Reduces economy’s excessive dependence on fossil fuels
- Cuts down the use of fossil fuels by industry
- Leaves industry with sizable gains to invest by virtue of carbon credits trading
- Provides energy security to nations
- Strengthens the balance of trade of nations
- Redraws international relations
- Creates balanced global economic scenario
Global Standards
The production, distribution and use of biodiesel is guided by established global standards. Biodiesel is the only fuel that qualified the health effects testing requirements of Clean Air Act Amendments.
Biodiesel produced can be registered with Environmental Protection Agency as a legal motor fuel only after confirming to ASTM and EN standards. Universal Biofuels strictly adheres with EN [European] and ASTM [US] global biodiesel standards.
Biodiesel is defined as a pure fuel which is free of any mixes, diesel or any other fossil fuels. BX and BXX are biodiesel blends, which contain biodiesel and diesel in fixed proportions. Universal Biofuels produces B100 category biodiesel under strict international guidelines and established standards.
Global Biodiesel Standards
| Specifications | Units | EN14214 |
| Ester content | % | 96.5% |
| Desnsity at 150C | kg/m3 | 860 |
| Viscosity at 400C | mm2/s | 3.5 |
| Flash Point | 0C | >101 |
| Sulphur Content | mg/kg | 10 |
| Tar remnant | %m/m | 0.3 |
| Cetane Number | 51 | |
| Sulphated ash | %m/m | 0.02 |
| Water Content | mg/kg | 500 |
| Total Contamination | mg/kg | 24 |
| Copper band corrosion | Rating | Class 1 |
| Thermal Stability | ||
| Oxidation Stability,1100C | Hours | 6 |
| Acid Value | mg/KOH/g | 0.5 |
| Iodine Value | No | 120 |
| Linilenic acid methyl ester | %m/m | 12 |
| Polyunsaturated methyl ester | %m/m | 1 |
| Methanol Content | %m/m | 0.2 |
| Monoglyceride Content | %m/m | 0.8 |
| Diglyceride Content | %m/m | 0.2 |
| Triglyceride Content | %m/m | 0.2 |
| Free Glycerine | %m/m | 0.02 |
| Total Glycerine | %m/m | 0.25 |
| Alkali metals | mg/kg | 5 |
| Phosphorous Content | mg/kg | 10 |
