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Biodiesel is an alternative fuel for diesel engines that is receiving great attention worldwide. Although it attracts the most attention because it is renewable, other attributes include that it can be used either pure or in blends with diesel fuel in unmodified diesel engines, and it reduces some exhaust pollutants. Biodiesel is also attractive because it can be produced easily from common feedstocks. However, the relative simplicity of Biodiesel production can disguise the importance of maintaining high quality standards for any fuel supplied to a modern diesel engine. It is essential to the growth of the Biodiesel industry that all the fuel produced and sold meet these quality standards.
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| What it takes to make Biodiesel |
Biodiesel is defined as the mono-alkyl esters of fatty acids derived from vegetable oils or animal fats. In simple terms, Biodiesel is the product obtained when a vegetable oil or animal fat is chemically reacted with an alcohol to produce fatty acid alkyl esters. A catalyst such as sodium or potassium hydroxide is required. Glycerol is produced as a co-product. The approximate proportions of the reaction are:
100 lbs of oil +10 lbs of Methanol = 100 lbs of Biodiesel + 10 lbs of Glycerol.
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| For more information on Biodiesel |
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