Bio-diesel Technology-An Alternative to Fossil Fuels

Abstract

Bio-diesel is fatty acid ethyl or methyl ester made from virgin or used vegetable oils (both edible & non-edible) and animal fats. The main commodity sources for bio-diesel in India can be non-edible oils obtained from plant species such as Jatropha Curcas (Ratanjyo t), Pongamia Pinnata (Karanj), Calophyllum inophyllum (Nagchampa), Hevca brasiliensis (Rubber) etc. . Bio-diesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a bio-diesel blend or can be used in its pure form. Just like petroleum diesel, bio-diesel operates in compression ignition engine; which essentially require very little or no engine modifications because bio-diesel has properties similar to petroleum diesel fuels. It can be stored just like the petroleum diesel fuel and hence does not require separate infrastructure. The use of bio-diesel in conventional diesel engines results in substantial reduction of un-burnt hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and particulate matters. Bio-diesel is considered as clean fuel since it has no sulphur, no aromatics and has about 10 % built- in oxygen, which helps it to burn fully . Its higher cetane number improves the ignition quality even when blended in the Petroleum diesel.