What Is Biodiesel Fuel And What Is It Made From
With the world becoming so developed and the process of development continuing at such a fast pace, the scientists have begun to worry about the natural resources such as fuel and the rate at which they are being depleted. They are also concerned about the damage that is being caused by the utilisation of current resources such as petroleum diesel fuel, which releases harmful chemical agents upon combustion. It is for these reasons that a lot of research is being done on finding alternative sources of energy. So far, one of the most environment-friendly and viable alternative that has been discovered is biodiesel fuel.
Instructions
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Biodiesel fuel is a cleaner-burning alternative for petroleum diesel fuel, as it is both non-toxic and biodegradable.
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The domestic fuel alternative for diesel fuel is both natural and renewable, which combines with its environment friendliness to make it a desirable source of energy for engines.
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Biodiesel fuel is manufactured from vegetable oil, animal fats, or even recycled restaurant grease. In all three cases, the oil or fats are put through a chemical process in order to convert them into usable fuel.
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In order to make biodiesel fuel from vegetable oil, animal fats or recycled restaurant grease, alcohol such as methanol is used in a chemical process that involves separating methyl esters and glycerine from the source. The fatty acids alkyl esters, long chain mono alkyl esters, or fatty acid methyl esters make up the liquid biodiesel fuel, while glycerine is considered a by-product or a waste product.
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Glycerine may actually be a waste product of the chemical process that converts oils and fats into biodiesel fuel, but it is sometimes referred to as by-product because of its use in the manufacturing of soaps and other marketable products. As a result, not only is it extremely convenient to get rid of glycerine, it is regarded as a waste product of great utility.
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Biodiesel fuel burns more cleanly than petroleum diesel fuel, which means that it releases lesser pollutants in the atmosphere. The reduction of pollutants released by the burning of fuel is extremely important, as the pollutants are responsible for the damaging of ozone layer, contribute to smog and play a huge role in global warming. Additionally, the pollutants also contain chemical agents that can result in cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Clean Air Act have approved biodiesel fuel as one of the cleanest fuels available today.
