Biodiesel With Justin Lilly

What is Biodiesel? A diesel-equivalent biofuel made from renewable materials Made from vegetable oils or animal fats Several types of fuels are called biodiesel: usually “biodiesel” refers to an ester, or an oxygenate, made from the oil and methanol

Biodiesel Facts Biodiesel is less toxic than table salt and biodegrades as quickly as sugar Biodiesel works in modern diesel engines without modifications The flashpoint is 160 Centigrade Biodiesel can be distributed using today’s infrastructure

Why Biodiesel Reduces Emissions of CO by ~50% and CO2 by ~78% No Sulfur emissions, fewer Aromatic hydrocarbons Reduces emission of particulates by ~65% Higher cetane rating than petrodiesel It is biodegradable It is the only alternative fuel to have successfully completed the Health Effects Testing requirements of the Clean Air Act (1990)

Crop-Biodiesel Efficiency Soybeans 40-50 gal/acre Rapeseed 110-145 gal/acre Mustard 140 gal/acre Jatropha 175 gal/acre Palm Oil 650 gal/acre Algae 10,000-20,000 gal/acre To be renewable, plants must be considered due to their use of photosynthesis. Different plants produce oil at different annual rates: Data: http://www.journeytoforever.org/ Algae data: www.eere.energy.gov

How is Biodiesel Made? Transesterification:

How is Biodiesel Made? There are a number of base oils that can be used to make biodiesel: soybeans, rapeseed, mustard, palm oil, hemp, Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO), animal fats, and algae Chemical process requires only heating of oil to a designated temperature then addition of a catalyst and alcohol. These chemicals are mixed then allowed to settle. Next is to separate and wash the biodiesel It takes anywhere from a couple of days to a week depending on batch size (usually biodiesel is made in batches between 20 and 100 gallons)

Making Your Own Biodiesel: Equipment: To make biodiesel requires nothing more than a 2 liter soda bottle Large batches can use elaborate processors with separate tanks. Most homebrewers use premade processing kits which range in price from $500 to thousands of dollars http://www.biodieselgear.com/equipment/index.htm

Making Your Own Biodiesel:

Making Your Own Biodiesel

Making Your Own Biodiesel

Biodiesel and Purdue Purdue: the Purdue Agricultural Center grows soy beans to make the biodiesel needed to fuel all of Purdue’s diesel engine vehicles and all the equipment needed to farm it.

Biodiesel and the US Biodiesel is available in most states that produce oilseed. In 2004, almost 30 mil. Gallons of commercially produced biodiesel were sold in the US (less than 0.1 million sold in 1998). By 2010, this market is expected to grow to 1 to 2 billion gallons. In 1997, biodiesel was $3.50 per gallon. In 2002, it was $1.85 per gallon (current diesel prices rest around $2.40 per gallon) Willie Nelson sells 20% biodiesel blends through a company called BioWillie (by 2005 it was available at 13 gas stations and truck stops)

Biodiesel and the US

Overview Biodiesel is much more environment friendly than petrodiesel. Biodiesel is easy to make on an industrial scale and on a minor scale. There could be enough plant oils made to support the world’s use of energy.

References http://www.dangerouslaboratories.org/biodiesel.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biodiesel http://www.biodieselcommunity.org/gettingstarted/ http://biofuelsystems.com/index.html http://www.agriculture.purdue.edu/agricultures/spring2005/spotlight1.htm