What is Biodiesel?
Perhaps you've seen it. Perhaps you haven't. A local gas station opens a new pump offering E85 a new, environmentally friendly and renewable fuel source! Naturally, you think of filling up at that pump instead of the usual grades of gas. Word of warning: DON'T DO IT! Unless you're one of the few people driving the right car, called a flex-fuel vehicle, that is.
In addition to E85, which is a mixture of 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline, another biofuel is becoming available at some filling
stations. It is called
'biodiesel'. Although both E85 and biodiesel are made
from biomass, there are major differences between biodiesel vs. ethanol and you can learn more about it from that link and a bit later in this article. Whereas E85 comes primarily from corn, biodiesel is manufactured mostly from crops like soybeans, rapeseed, and peanut oil and it can be used in diesel engines with little or no modification needed but it tends to be thicker than regular diesel so certain cars work better than others... Although biodiesel can be used in its pure form, it usually blended with standard diesel fuel. Blends are indicated by the abbreviation Bxx, where xx is the percentage of biodiesel in the mixture. For example, the most common blend is B20, or 20% biodiesel to 80% petroleum-based diesel. So, B100 refers to pure biodiesel."
Ethanol and biodiesel fuels produce fewer emissions. For further details checkout this PDF
It is worth noting that these biofuels burn differently than conventional gasoline. This is where putting it in your gas tank can burn your wallet. Biodiesel can be used in any equipment with a diesel engine without making any modifications to the engine. However, even diesel owners must watch for signs that fuel filters and systems are clogging, particularly when biodiesel is first used. Biodiesel can act as a detergent, which means that it can loosen deposits that are stuck in fuel lines and in the fuel tank, which in turn could clog fuel filters, injectors or other parts of the fuel system.
Vehicles that run on gasoline have spark-ignition engines. These engines use spark plugs to ignite the fuel. They are designed to use very thin, explosive fuel. Diesel engines are compression-ignition engines. Instead of a spark plug, they use high compression to ignite the fuel. They are generally heavier, sturdier engines that are designed to run on thick, viscous fuels like vegetable oil-derived biodiesel. That's why some people claim that biodiesel cars smell like french fries!
If you want to ride on the latest alternative fuel, you'll have to wait until your car can withstand the ride. And be sure to check the label before you put the spigot in your gas tank. The wrong fuel is a disaster for your car - and your budget.
In addition to E85, which is a mixture of 85%
ethanol and 15% gasoline, another biofuel is becoming available at some filling
stations. It is called
'biodiesel'. Although both E85 and biodiesel are made
from biomass, there are major differences between biodiesel vs. ethanol and you can learn more about it from that link and a bit later in this article. Whereas E85 comes primarily from corn, biodiesel is manufactured mostly from crops like soybeans, rapeseed, and peanut oil and it can be used in diesel engines with little or no modification needed but it tends to be thicker than regular diesel so certain cars work better than others... Although biodiesel can be used in its pure form, it usually blended with standard diesel fuel. Blends are indicated by the abbreviation Bxx, where xx is the percentage of biodiesel in the mixture. For example, the most common blend is B20, or 20% biodiesel to 80% petroleum-based diesel. So, B100 refers to pure biodiesel." Ethanol and biodiesel fuels produce fewer emissions. For further details checkout this PDF
It is worth noting that these biofuels burn differently than conventional gasoline. This is where putting it in your gas tank can burn your wallet. Biodiesel can be used in any equipment with a diesel engine without making any modifications to the engine. However, even diesel owners must watch for signs that fuel filters and systems are clogging, particularly when biodiesel is first used. Biodiesel can act as a detergent, which means that it can loosen deposits that are stuck in fuel lines and in the fuel tank, which in turn could clog fuel filters, injectors or other parts of the fuel system.
Vehicles that run on gasoline have spark-ignition engines. These engines use spark plugs to ignite the fuel. They are designed to use very thin, explosive fuel. Diesel engines are compression-ignition engines. Instead of a spark plug, they use high compression to ignite the fuel. They are generally heavier, sturdier engines that are designed to run on thick, viscous fuels like vegetable oil-derived biodiesel. That's why some people claim that biodiesel cars smell like french fries!
If you want to ride on the latest alternative fuel, you'll have to wait until your car can withstand the ride. And be sure to check the label before you put the spigot in your gas tank. The wrong fuel is a disaster for your car - and your budget.
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