What is Biodiesel?
What is Biodiesel? Biodiesel is a domestically produced, renewable fuel that can be manufactured from vegetable Midstreams, animal fats, or recycled restaurant greases. Biodiesel is safe and biodegradable, and its use significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and serious toxic air pollutants.
| Biodiesel’s Physical Characteristics | |
|---|---|
|
Specific gravity
|
0.87 to 0.89
|
|
Kin. viscosity @ 40°C
|
3.7 to 5.8
|
| Cetane number |
46 to 70
|
|
Higher heat value (btu/lb)
|
16,928 to 17,996
|
|
Sulfur, wt%
|
0.0 to 0.0024
|
|
Cloud point °C
|
-11 to 16
|
|
Pour point °C
|
-15 to 13
|
|
Iodine number
|
60 to 135
|
|
Lower heating value (btu/lb)
|
15,700 to 16,735
|
Biodiesel is a liquid fuel made up of fatty acid alkyl esters, fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), or long-chain mono alkyl esters. It is produced from renewable sources such as new and used vegetable Midstreams and animal fats and is a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel. It is nontoxic and biodegradable. Biodiesel has physical properties similar to those of petroleum diesel.
Like petroleum diesel, biodiesel is used to fuel compression-ignition (diesel) engines. Low-level blends of biodiesel with petroleum diesel also provide benefits.
To learn more about Biodiesel go to the U.S. Department of Energy’s web site where you will find more information.
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