BIODIESEL

Biodiesel is defined as the mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids derived

from vegetable oils or animal fats. It’s known chemically as a 'methyl ester'.
In simpler terms, Biodiesel is the product you get when a vegetable oil or
animal fat is chemically reacted with an alcohol to produce a new compound
that is known as a fatty acid methyl ester. To achieve this reaction a
‘catalyst’ such as sodium hydroxide (Lye) or Potassium Hydroxide (KOH)
must be added to the alcohol.
Biodiesel can be made from Methanol or Ethanol (derived from crops
such as corn). When made from methanol its called Methyl Esters, when
made from Ethanol its called ethyl esters.Due to the large price difference,
Biodiesel is usually made from methanol.

Methods for Biodiesel Production

1.Pyrolysis
2.Microemulsification
3.Transesterification

Apart from these methods Transesterificationis better than first two as it

shows properties close to diesel

Transesterification.

Transesterification is the process in which an ester group is exchanged

with that of another, higher alcohol to form a new ester.

Triglyceride Sources:
Rendered animal fats: beef tallow, lard
Vegetable oils: soybean, canola, palm, etc.
Chicken fat
Rendered greases: yellow grease (multiple sources)
Recovered materials: brown grease, soapstock, etc.
The factors affecting the transesterification process are

1. Oil temp.
2. Reaction temp.
3. Ratio of alcohol to oil
4. Catalyst type & concentration
5. Intensity of mixing
6. Purity of reactants

Biodiesel must meet the specifications of ASTM D 6751

Property Standards Specified by ASTM for Biodiesel:

Property Method Limits Units
Flash point, closed cup D 93 130 min °C
Water and sediment D 2709 0.050 max % volume

Kinematic viscosity, 40 ° C D 445 1.9 – 6.0 mm2/s

Sulfated ash D 874 0.020 max wt. %

wt. %
Total Sulfur D 5453 0.05 max

Copper strip corrosion D 130 No. 3 max

Cetane number D 613 47 min
Cloud point D 2500 Report to customer °C
Carbon residue D 4530 0.050 max wt. %
Acid number D 664 0.80 max mg KOH/g
Free glycerin D 6584 0.020 wt. %
Total glycerin D 6584 0.240 wt. %
Phosphorus D 4951 0.0010 wt. %
360 °C max, at
Vacuum distillation end point D 1160 % distilled
T-90

Production of Biodiesel:

• Preparation: The amount of water and free fatty acids in the

incoming biolipid (oil or fat) should be optimum. If the free fatty acid
level or water level is too high it may cause problems with soap
formation (saponification) and the separation of the glycerin by-
product downstream.
• Catalyst is dissolved in the alcohol using a standard agitator or mixer.

• The alcohol/catalyst mix is then charged into a closed reaction vessel

and the biolipid (vegetable or animal oil or fat) is added. The system
from here on is totally closed to the atmosphere to prevent the loss of
alcohol.

The reaction mix is kept just above the boiling point of the alcohol
(around 70 °C, 158 °F) to speed up the reaction though some systems
recommend the reaction take place anywhere from room temperature
to 55 °C (131 °F) for safety reasons. Recommended reaction time
varies from 1 to 8 hours; under normal conditions the reaction rate
will double with every 10 °C increase in reaction temperature. Excess
alcohol is normally used to ensure total conversion of the fat or oil to
its esters.

• The glycerin phase is much denser than biodiesel phase and the two
can be gravity separated with glycerin simply drawn off the bottom of
the settling vessel. In some cases, a centrifuge is used to separate the
two materials faster.

• Once the glycerin and biodiesel phases have been separated, the
excess alcohol in each phase is removed with a flash evaporation
process or by distillation. In other systems, the alcohol is removed and
the mixture neutralized before the glycerin and esters have been
separated. In either case, the alcohol is recovered using distillation
equipment and is re-used. Care must be taken to ensure no water
accumulates in the recovered alcohol stream.

• The glycerin by-product contains unused catalyst and soaps that are
neutralized with an acid and sent to storage as crude glycerin (water
and alcohol are removed later, chiefly using evaporation, to produce
80-88% pure glycerin).

• Once separated from the glycerin, the biodiesel is sometimes purified

by washing gently with warm water to remove residual catalyst or
soaps, dried, and sent to storage
Biodiesel: Physical Characteristics

Properties Values
Specific gravity 0.87 to 0.89
Kinematic viscosity@ 40°C 3.7 to 5.8
Cetane number 46 to 70
Higher heating value (Btu/lb) 16,928 - 17,996
Lower heating value (Btu/lb) 15,700 - 16,735
Sulphur wt % 0.00 - 0.0024
Cloud point °C -11 to 16
Pour point °C -15 to 13
Iodine number 60 - 135

Biodiesel in C.I Engine:

Biodiesel offers similar power to diesel fuel:

One of the major advantages of biodiesel is the fact that it can be used
in existing engines and fuel injection equipment with little impact to
operating performance. Biodiesel has a higher cetane number than most
diesel fuel. In more than 50 million on-road miles and countless marine and
off-road applications, biodiesel shows similar fuel consumption, horsepower,
torque.

Biodiesel provides significant lubricity improvement over petroleum

diesel fuel:
Lubricity results of biodiesel and petroleum diesel using industry test
methods indicate that there is a marked improvement in lubricity when
biodiesel is added to conventional diesel fuel. Even biodiesel levels as low as
one percent can provide up to a 65 percent increase in lubricity in distillate
fuels.

Compatibility of biodiesel with engine components:

In general, pure biodiesel will soften and degrade certain types of
elastomers and natural rubber compounds over time. Using high percent
blends can impact fuel system components (primarily fuel hoses and fuel
pump seals), that contain elastomer compounds incompatible with biodiesel.
Manufacturers recommend that natural or butyl rubbers not be allowed to
come in contact with pure biodiesel. Blends of B20 or lower have not
exhibited elastomer degradation and need no changes. If a fuel system does
contain these materials and users wish to fuel with blends over B20,
replacement with compatible
elastomers is recommended.

Biodiesel in cold weather:

Cold weather can cloud and even gel any diesel fuel, including
biodiesel. Users of a 20 percent biodiesel blend with #2 diesel will usually
experience an increase of the cold flow properties (cold filter plugging point,
cloud point, pour point) approximately 2 to 10° Fahrenheit. Precautions
employed for petroleum diesel are needed for fueling with 20 percent blends.
Neat (100 percent) biodiesel will gel faster than petrodiesel in cold weather
operations. Solutions for winter operability with neat biodiesel are much the
same as that for low-sulfur #2 diesels (i.e., blending with #1 diesel,
utilization of fuel heaters, and storage of the vehicle in or near a building).
These same solutions work well with biodiesel blends, as do the use of cold
flow improvement additives.

Different Oil’s Properties

1) Rapeseed oil
•Readily available
•Good combustion characteristics, oxidation stability and cold
temperature behavior

2) Sunflower oil
•Better availability but it is a edible oil

3) Soybean oil
•Iodine value 121-149 g I /100 g

4) Plamoil
•High yield but shows high values of cold properties

Effect of Different properties on engine Performance:

1. Density
Because of higher density of Biodiesel as compared to Diesel it
BSFC is higher than diesel
2. Kinematic Viscosity
Poor fuel atomization and incomplete combustion resultingin
gradual coking of injector tips High drag in injection pump Injection
timing and Ignition tends to be slightly advanced
3) Flash point
Higher than 120 Considered as important safety asset
4) Sulfur content
Lower sulfur content about 10 ppmwith good lubricity
5) Carbon Residue
Less carbon residue gives less deposition injector tips and inside
combustion chamber
6) CetaneNumber
 Higher cetanenumber ensure good cold start behavior and smooth
run of engine without noise
7) Ash Content
Higher ash contents leads to engine deposits
8) Water Content
Free water present may cause biological growth which may cause
blockage of fuel filters and fuel lines
9) Total Contamination
Higher concentration of insoluble impurities tends to cause
blockage of fuel filters and fuel lines and injection pumps
10) Copper Strip Corrosion
It is more than class 1 for some Biodiesel
11) Fuel stability
More sensitive to oxidative Degradation than fossil diesel so
some fuel additives are required
12) Cold Temperature properties
Partial solidification in cold weather may cause blockage of fuel
lines and problems during cold startup
13) Distillation Characteristics
Higher distillation curve gives higher boiling point Gradual
dilution of lubrication oil Shows unburned fuel in biodieselexhaust at
low temperature working
14) Heating value and fuel consumption
Lower heating values gives Less power and torque and Higher
fuel consumption
15) Lubricity
Good lubricity with lower sulfur content. It can be used as Blend
in Low Sulfur Diesel for improving Lubricity
16) Ester Content
It gives amount of methyl or ethyl ester present in fuel
It should be higher than 96.5 % for better fuel properties
17) Free Glycerol
Which can react with different compounds and cause damage to
injection system, increased aldehydeemission and deposits in fuel filter
18) Mono-Di-Tri-Glycerides
Fuels existing limits are prone to coking and may thus cause
formation of deposits on Injector
19) Methanol
Higher methanol Content gives higher Flash point

20) Iodine Number

Fuel with higher Iodine numbers are tends to polymerize. Forms
deposits on Injector nozzles Piston rings and piston ring grooves
21) Linolenic acid Methyl Ester
Shows Reduced oxidation Satiability
22) Acid Value
High Acid Value leads with corrosion and formation of deposits
within engine
23) Group I and Group II Metals
Group I (Na+K) –Formation of ash
Group II (Ca+Mg)–Injection pump sticking
24) Total Contamination
Blockage of fuel filter and pumps

Effect of Biodiesel Fuel Properties on Engine Performance and

emission parameter

1) Effect on BSFC
BSFC for biodiesel is higher as compared to diesel Because of
Higher Density and Injection is based on Volumetric Basis.
2) Thermal Efficiency
Lower thermal efficiency compared with diesel because of Poor
fuel combustion characteristics because of their higher viscosity and
volatility as compared with diesel
3) Effect on BSEC
Higher energy consumption because of Lower calorific value it
requires more amount of fuel to give same power output.
4) Effect on Exhaust Gas Temperature
Exhaust gas temperature is lower than diesel.
5) Effect on Smoke
Decrease in smoke with use of biodiesel because of presence of
oxygen in biodiesel fuel
6) Lubricating oil temperature
 Lubricating oil temperature is less in case of biodiesel as
compared with diesel because of higher viscosity and Lubricity helps in
reduced friction in engine which leads to reduced heat carried away by
lubricating oil
Benefits of Usage of Biodiesel:
Reduction in toxic engine-emissions: (because Bio-diesel contains
oxygen) :
Unburnthydrocarbons (HC) , Particulate Matter (PM) & Carbon-
monoxide (CO)….up to 50 % with pure Bio-Diesel

Reduction in engine-emissions of CO2 & due to plantations

Reduction in global-warming problem.

No sulphur-dioxide emissions
Reduction in acid-rain problem.No poisoning of Catalytic
Converter.
Greater lubricity
Improved life and performance of fuel-pump & injectors.
Higher flash point of bio-diesel
Improves safety of operation.
Nontoxic & bio-degradable.
Bio-diesel is a Renewable fuel.
Displaces petroleum-derived diesel fuel:
Reduces need for petroleum imports