Biodiesel fuel stations - Bio diesel garages and information

Is Biodiesel safe to use in your car or van?

Regular Diesel Engine Cars Can Run On Biodiesel Fuel

A car with a diesel engine does not need to be converted into biodiesel. However it is recommended that the hoses be replaced on any diesel car that was made before 1990. When the diesel engine was created in 1892, it was designed to run on peanut oil before diesel fuel, making it the changes unnecessary.

It is however recommended that the engines of vehicles to be converted do not have rubber seals in them, as over time the oil will deteriorate the seals.

Biodiesel cars are very easy to maintain. The only major problem that has been reported is that when the weather turns cold, the oil turns cloudy and in temperatures below 35 degrees, the oil can crystallize. The potential problem with this is that the crystals can plug the engine and not allow the fuel to flow properly.

Special heating units are sold to keep the oil at a constant temperature.

The general public is being encouraged to purchase biodiesel cars. As an incentive, the government is offering special tax write offs for those who purchase biodiesel cars.

In Hollywood, celebrities and activists who are earth conscience have made the commitment to drive biodiesel cars. At the moment, California has more biodiesel cars on the road than all other states combined.

Daimler Chrysler will introduce its version of the biodiesel vehicle in the 2007. The Jeep Grand Cherokee CDR will be the first biodiesel SUV to hit the market.

It will run on soybean and vegetable oil, as well as grease from fast food restaurants. It is a little humorous to think that you will be able to order dinner and fill your fuel tank in the same place, but that may possible in the not too distant future.

With the growth of the biodiesel automobile, biodiesel fuel manufacturers are needed. Currently in the United States, there are sixty-five biodiesel producing plants and about eight hundred and fifty biodiesel service stations. Experts predict that a lot more will be opening over the next few years.

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Biodiesel is an alternative fuel made from the natural oils of organic matter, such as vegetables, seeds and beans. The main benefit is that it’s produced from renewable resources which are biodegradable, non-toxic, and naturally free from sulphur.

However, biodiesel is more expensive to produce than conventional diesel, which is why it isn’t in wider use. One of its main drawbacks is that it starts to solidify at zero degrees centigrade, which limits its use in countries with cold climates.

Biodiesel’s properties are similar to those of normal diesel, so it can be used in existing diesel engines with modifications, and can replace it in most applications. It is most often used as an additive to normal diesel, improving lubrication and lowering the sulphur content.

However, blends of over 5% biodiesel do not meet the British Standard specification for diesel (BSEN590) and are usually not supported by most car manufacturers.

Some European manufacturers have modified their diesel engines to allow them to run on biodiesel, but many have not. There is a shift towards making engines compatible, and this generally only involves the use of appropriate synthetic rubbers for seals, fuel hoses and gaskets.

Until 2004, the Volkswagen Group approved its diesel engines to run on biodiesel, but it has now changed its policy over concerns about the sensitivity of the latest-generation of fuel injection systems, and the quality of the biodiesel fuels available. It now only warrants its diesel engines for a 5% blend.

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Straight Vegetable Oil

Vegetable oil is more viscous than mineral diesel - i.e. it is thicker. Particularly on cold days and when the engine is cold you would have difficulties starting a car on vegetable oil. However, once the engine (or fuel) is warm everything should run as it would (or better than it did) on diesel. Therefore there are a few options to consider:

Dual Fuel System

Start the car with diesel/biodiesel and then switching to SVO when everything is warmed up. Before turning off the engine you need to switch back to diesel so that the injectors and fuel lines contain diesel. This means the engine will start next time you use the car, and it will prevent fuel freezing in the fuel lines during cold weather conditions.

Mixed Fuel

Vegtable oil can be mixed with diesel in the main tank at different ratios depending on the weather conditions. The warmer the weather, the higher the percentage of vegetable oil that can be used.

Conversion

Fit a fuel preheater in the tank, a heat exchanger to warm fuel, and/or a heated fuel filter.

A typical straight vegetable oil conversion will have a fuel preheater which warms up the SVO sufficiently to get the engine started, and then a heat exchanger which uses the heat from the water in the radiator to warm the SVO fuel while the engine is running.

Waste Vegetable Oil

Waste vegetable oil is the cheapest fuel to use, but requires the most work on the part of the car owner. If you car runs on straight vegetable oil, then it should run without problem on waste vegetable oil - as long as the oil is correctly processed before use. Find out more about Processing Waste Vegetable Oil here.

NEW Click here to read about a Vegetable Oil Two Tank Conversion.

Maintenance

An engine will usually run more smoothly on vegetable oil, and be better lubricated than with mineral diesel therefore lasting much longer. However, it is essential that you continue to maintain your engine properly and always keep a spare fuel filter handy in case you suffer from a blockage. In very cold weather you should add some mineral diesel to your fuel to prevent problems with freezing.

Biofuels and UK Law

Unfortunately you cannot just pop to your local supermarket and stock up on cheap vegetable oil and fill your vehicle. Tax must be paid on any oil of any origin which is used to power a road vehicle. Click here to read our article Tax on Biofuels (UK specific information).

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What are biodiesel cars like to drive?

In general, unmodified cars running on pure biodiesel may be difficult to start in cold weather. However, this can be alleviated through the use of fuel blends or heaters located on the fuel lines or in the tank (see above). That said, driving on biodiesel is virtually indiscernible from using mineral fuel with the exception (for SVOs) of the occasional smell of frying food!

How do I refuel a biodiesel car?

As biodiesel is a liquid at room temperature, it is dispensed from fuel pumps in the same way as conventional diesel. Although to be confirmed, it is likely that future biodiesel hoses and fuel nozzles will be colour coded in orange, the percentage of biodiesel also being displayed.

How is biodiesel produced?

Biodiesel is commercially produced by the esterification of energy crops such as oil seed rape (producing RME) or from waste vegetable and animal oils (from the food industry). The oils are filtered and pre-processed to remove water and contaminants and are then mixed with an alcohol (usually methanol) and a catalyst. This breaks up the oil molecules, which are first reformed into fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) and glycerol, before being separated and purified. The industrial production of biodiesel has two valuable by-products: glycerine (used in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics) and cattle cake made from the remaining plant material.

Are biodiesel cars better for the environment?

The great promise of biodiesel is its potential to be 'carbon-neutral' on a life cycle basis; all the carbon dioxide emitted during use of the fuel being balanced by the absorption from the atmosphere during the fuel crop's growth. However, in practice the process of growing the crop requires the input of fossil fuels for fertilisers, harvesting, processing and fuel distribution. The actual extent of total life cycle greenhouse gas emissions is therefore strongly dependent on the crop grown and the fuel processing employed.

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