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...made from the transesterification of vegetable oils or animal fats.

On August 31, 1937, G. Chavanne of the University of Brussels (Belgium) was granted a patent for a 'Procedure for the transformation of vegetable oils for their uses as fuels' (fr. 'Procédé de Transformation d’Huiles Végétales en Vue de Leur Utilisation comme Carburants') Belgian Patent 422,877. This patent described the alcoholysis (often referred to as transesterification) of vegetable oils using ethanol (and mentions methanol) in order to separate the fatty acids from the glycerol by replacing the glycerol with short linear alcohols. This appears to be the first account of the production of what is known as 'biodiesel' today.

Biodiesel is biodegradable and non-toxic, and typically produces about 60% less net lifecycle carbon dioxide emissions, and 35% greater smog forming hydrocarbon emissions due to greater Nitrogen Oxide emissions, than petroleum-based diesel, as it is itself produced from atmospheric carbon dioxide via photosynthesis in plants. Though this figure can actually differ widely between fuels depending upon production and processing methods employed in their creation. Pure biodiesel is available at many gas stations in Germany.

Some vehicle manufacturers are positive about the use of biodiesel, citing lower engine wear as one of the fuel's benefits. Biodiesel is a better solvent than standard diesel, as it 'cleans' the engine, removing deposits in the fuel lines. However, this may cause blockages in the fuel injectors if an engine has been previously run on petroleum diesel for years. For this reason, car manufacturers recommend that the fuel filter be changed a few months after switching to biodiesel (the fuel filter, as part of a routine maintenance plan, is generally replaced anyway). Most manufacturers release lists of the cars that will run on 100% biodiesel.

Other vehicle manufacturers remain cautious over use of biodiesel. In the UK many only maintain their engine warranties for use with maximum 5% biodiesel — blended in with 95% conventional diesel — although this position is generally considered to be overly cautious.Scania and Volkswagen are exceptions, allowing most of their engines to operate on 100% biodiesel. Peugeot and Citroën are also exceptions in that they have both recently announced that their PSA HDi engine can run on 30% biodiesel. The Ford Focus has recently been converted to run on Biodiesel.

The British business man RIchard Branson's Virgin Voyager train, number 220007 Thames Voyager [citation needed] was converted to run on Biodiesel, although an adverse effect occurred when it was proven to reduce reliability and to raise costs of maintenance significantly.

Biodiesel can also be used as a heating fuel in domestic and commercial boilers. Existing oil boilers may contain rubber parts and may require conversion to run on biodiesel, but the conversion process is usually relatively simple-- involving the exchanging of rubber parts for synthetic ones due to biodiesel being a strong solvent. One should not burn B100 in an existing home heater without breaking it in, as biodiesel will disolve coagulated heating oil, which can break off in chunks and cause problems. It is suggested to start by using biodiesel as an additive, and then work your way up to burning biodiesel/petrodiesel mixes of stronger amounts. However, thanks to its strong solvent power, burning biodiesel will incrase the efficiency of your home heater.

Biodiesel can be distributed using today's infrastructure, and its use and production are increasing rapidly. Fuel stations are beginning to make biodiesel available to consumers, and a growing number of transport fleets use it as an additive in their fuel. Biodiesel is generally more expensive to purchase than petroleum diesel but this differential may diminish due to economies of scale, the rising cost of petroleum and government tax subsidies. In Germany, biodiesel is generally cheaper than normal diesel at gas stations that sell both products.

Description

Biodiesel is a liquid which varies in color — between golden and dark brown — depending on the production feedstock. It is practically immiscible with water, has a high boiling point and low vapor pressure. Typical methyl ester biodiesel has a flash point of ~ 150 °C (300 °F), making it rather non-flammable. Biodiesel has a density of ~ 0.88 g/cm³, less than that of water. Biodiesel uncontaminated with starting material can be regarded as non-toxic.

Biodiesel has a viscosity similar to petrodiesel, the current industry term for diesel produced from petroleum. It can be used as an additive in formulations of diesel to increase the lubricity of pure Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel, which is advantageous because it has virtually no sulfur content. Much of the world uses a system known as the "B" factor to state the amount of biodiesel in any fuel mix, in contrast to the "BA" or "E" system used for ethanol mixes. For example, fuel containing 20% biodiesel is labeled B20. Pure biodiesel is referred to as B100.

Biodiesel is a renewable fuel that can be manufactured from algae, vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled restaurant greases; it can be produced locally in most countries. It is safe, biodegradable and reduces air pollutants, such as particulates, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. 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. Biodiesel has about 5–8% less energy density, but better lubricity and more complete combustion can make the energy output of a diesel engine only 2% less per volume when compared to petrodiesel — or about 35 MJ/L.

Technical Standards

The common international standard for biodiesel is EN 14214.

There are additional national specifications. ASTM D 6751 is the most common standard referenced in the United States and Canada. In Germany, the requirements for biodiesel are fixed in the DIN EN 14214 standard and in the UK the requirements for biodiesel is fixed in the BS EN 14214 standard, although these last two standards are essentially the same as EN 14214 and are just prefixed with the respective national standards institution codes.

There are standards for three different varieties of biodiesel, which are made of different oils:

* RME (rapeseed methyl ester, according to DIN E 51606) * PME (vegetable methyl ester, purely vegetable products, according to DIN E 51606) * FME (fat methyl ester, vegetable and animal products, according to DIN V 51606)

The standards ensure that the following important factors in the fuel production process are satisfied:

* Complete reaction. * Removal of glycerin. * Removal of catalyst. * Removal of alcohol. * Absence of free fatty acids. * Low sulfur content.

Basic industrial tests to determine whether the products conform to the standards typically include gas chromatography, a test that verifies only the more important of the variables above. Tests that are more complete are more expensive. Fuel meeting the quality standards is very non-toxic, with a toxicity rating (LD50) of greater than 50 mL/kg.

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