What is Bio Diesel?
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Biodiesel refers to a non-petroleum-based diesel fuel consisting of short chain alkyl (methyl or ethyl) esters, made by transesterification of vegetable oil, which can be used (alone, or blended with conventional petrodiesel) in unmodified diesel-engine vehicles. Biodiesel is distinguished from the straight vegetable oil (SVO) (sometimes referred to as “waste vegetable oil”, “WVO”, “used vegetable oil”, “UVO”, “pure plant oil”, “PPO”) used (alone, or blended) as fuels in some converted diesel vehicles. “Biodiesel” is standardized as mono-alkyl ester and other kinds of diesel-grade fuels of biological origin are not included.
Blends of biodiesel and conventional hydrocarbon-based diesel are products most commonly distributed for use in the retail diesel fuel marketplace. Much of the world uses a system known as the “B” factor to state the amount of biodiesel in any fuel mix: fuel containing 20% biodiesel is labeled B20, while pure biodiesel is referred to as B100. It is common to see B99, since 1% petrodiesel is sufficiently toxic to retard mold. Blends of 20 percent biodiesel with 80 percent petroleum diesel (B20) can generally be used in unmodified diesel engines. Biodiesel can also be used in its pure form (B100), but may require certain engine modifications to avoid maintenance and performance problems. Blending B100 with petro diesel may be accomplished by:
* Mixing in tanks at manufacturing point prior to delivery to tanker truck
* Splash mixing in the tanker truck (adding specific percentages of Biodiesel and Petro Diesel)
* In-line mixing, two components arrive at tanker truck simultaneously.
