|
Bio Diesel The Next Generation Sustainable Fuel What is Bio Diesel? The concept dates back to 1885 when Dr. Rudolf Diesel built the first diesel engine with the full intention of running it on vegetative source. He first displayed his engine at the
Paris show of 1900 and astounded everyone when he ran the patented
engine on any hydrocarbon fuel available - which included gasoline
and peanut oil. In 1912 he stated " … the use of vegetable oils for
engine fuels may seem insignificant today. But such oils may in the
course of time become as important as petroleum and the coal tar
products of present time." Scientists discovered that the viscosity ( thicKness) of vegetable oils could be reduced in a simple chemical process In 1970 and that it could work well as diesel fuel in modern engine. This fuel is called Bio- Diesel. Since than the technical developments have largely been completed. Plant oil is highly valued as Bio fuel "Diesel" and transformed into Bio Diesel in most industrialised Please note !! * This vegetable oil can be used as
it is crushed – ie - unrefined in the engines of cars Bio Diesel is asubstitute for, or an additive to, diesel fuel that is derived from the oils and fats of plants, like Sunflower, Canola or Jatropha. It is an alternative fuel that can be used in diesel engines and provides power similar to conventional diesel fuel. Bio Diesel is arenewable domestically produced liquid fuel that can help reduce the countries dependence on foreign oil imports. Recent environmental and economic concerns (Kyoto Protocol) have prompted resurgence in the use of biodiesel throughout the world. In 1991, the European Community, (EC) Proposed a 90% tax reduction for the use of biofuels, including biodiesel. To day, 21 countries worldwide, produce Biodiesel. The Advantages of Bio Diesel Bio Diesel is the most valuable form of renewable energy that can be used directly in any existing, unmodified diesel engine. Bio Diesel fuel and can be produced from oilseed plants such as rape seeds, sunflower, canola and or JATROPHA CURCAS. Bio Diesel is environmental friendly
and ideal for heavily polluted cities. The process of converting vegetable oil into biodiesel fuel is called Transesterification and is luckily less complex then it sounds. Chemically, Transesterification means taking a triglyceride molecule, or a complex fatty acid, neutralizing the free fatty acids, removing the glycerin, and creating an alcohol ester. This is accomplished by mixing methanol with sodium hydroxide to make sodium methoxide. This liquid is then mixed into the vegetable oil. After the mixture has settled, Glycerin is left on the bottom and methyl esters, or biodiesel is left on top and is washed and filtered. The final product Bio Diesel fuel, when used directly in a Diesel Engine will burn up to 75% cleaner then mineral oil Diesel fuel. The Technology Presently, the indigenously designed bio-fuel plant for 250 lt./day is in operation. We have to design and develop bio-fuel plants of 3 to 10 tones per day capacity for installation in different parts of the country. Effective marketing chain needs to be planned for enabling farmers to reap the benefits directly. Bio-fuel mission will provide technological and employment generation focuses for the rural sector. Use of eleven million hectares of wasteland for Jetropha cultivation can lead to generation of minimum twelve million jobs The Cost The cost of Bio Diesel is largely dependent on the choice of feedstock and the size of the production facility. If Jatropha feedstock is used, the fuel will cost depending on the country approximately US $ 0,40 per liter plus tax when applicable. International Laws and regulation Several countries have active Biodiesel programmes. Such countries also have given legislative support and have drawn up national polices on biodiesel development. Wide variety of motives for action taken can observe like Increase of energy supply security As India is deficient in edible
oils, non-edible oil is the main choice for producing biodiesel.
According to Indian government policy and Indian technology effects.
Some development works have been carried out with regards to the
production of transesterfied non edible oil and its use in biodiesel
by units such as Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Tamilnadu
Agriculture University Coimbatore and Kumaraguru College of
Technology in association with Pan horti consultants. Coimbatore.
Generally a Blend of 5% to 20% is used in India (B5 to B20). Indian
Oil Corporation has taken up Research and development work to
establish the parameters of the production of tranesterified
Jatropha Vegetable oil and use of bio diesel in its R&D center at
Faridabad. Research is carried out in Kumaraguru College of
Technology for marginally altering the engine parameters to suit the
Indian Jatropha seeds and to minimize the cost of
transesterification. Bio Diesel Experiments Initially 5% of the bio diesel was blended with High-speed diesel and later increased to 20%. The railway and Indian oil corporation has successfully used 10% blended biodiesel fuel in train running between Amritsar and New Delhi in the month of Feb 2003. At Kumaraguru College of Technology an auto rickshaw was run on pure biodiesel (B100) prepared from Jatropha oil. Conclusion As a substitute for fast depleting fossil fuel. Bio diesel had come to stay. In future, it should also serve to reduce and maintain the price of automobile fuel. The under exploited and un exploited vegetable oils are good sources of biofuel. Our country is endowed with many such plants. Research is being carried out now to convert vegetable oils into biodiesel through biotechnological processes using biodiesel. With a concentrated and coordinated effort. Wide use of bio diesel in our country is going to be a reality in the days to come. A national mission on Bio-Diesel has already been proposed by the committee comprising six micro missions covering all aspects of plantation, procurement of seed, extraction of oil, trans-esterification, blending & trade, and research and development. Diesel forms nearly 40% of the energy consumed in the form of hydrocarbon fuels, and its demand is estimated at 40 million tons. Therefore blending becomes the important National Issue which apart from giving the dividends , it saves the country's exchequer. India has vast stretches of degraded land, mostly in areas with adverse agro- climatic conditions, where species of Jatropha , Mahua etc can be grown easily. Even 30 million hectares planted for bio- diesel can completely replace the current use of biofuels. The production of Bio fuels will also boost the rural economy which will bring more enthusiasm in more than one billion lives in the area THE PLANT- PROFILE 1.INTRODUCTION Jatropha curcus is a drought-resistant perennial, growing well in marginal/poor soil. It is easy to establish, grows relatively quickly and lives, producing seeds for 50 years. Jatropha the wonder plant produces seeds with an oil content of 37%. The oil can be combusted as fuel without being refined. It burns with clear smoke-free flame, tested successfully as fuel for simple diesel engine. The by-products are press cake a good organic fertilizer, oil contains also insecticide. It is found to be growing in many parts of the country, rugged in nature and can survive with minimum inputs and easy to propagate. Medically it is used for diseases like cancer, piles, snakebite, paralysis, dropsy etc. Jatropha grows wild in many areas of India and even thrives on infertile soil. A good crop can be obtained with little effort. Depending on soil quality and rainfall, oil can be extracted from the jatropha nuts after two to five years. The annual nut yield ranges from 0.5 to 12 tons. The kernels consist of oil to about 60 percent; this can be transformed into biodiesel fuel through esterification. Family: Euphorbiaceae
Synonyms: Curcas purgans Medic. Vernacular/common names: English-
physic nut, purging nut; Hindi - Ratanjyot Jangli erandi; Malayalam
- Katamanak; Tamil - Kattamanakku; Telugu - Pepalam; Kannada -
Kadaharalu; Gujarathi - Jepal; Sanskrit - Kanana randa. Distribution and habitat It is still uncertain where the centre of origin is,
but it is believed to be Mexico and Central America. It has been
introduced to Africa and Asia and is now culti-vated world-wide.
This highly drought-resistant spe-cies is adapted to arid and
semi-arid conditions. The current distribution shows that
introduction has been most successful in the drier regions of the
tropics with annual rainfall of 300-1000 mm. It occurs mainly at
lower altitudes (0-500 m) in areas with average an-nual temperatures
well above 20°C but can grow at higher altitudes and tolerates
slight frost. It grows on well-drained soils with good aeration and
is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient content. Botanical Features It is a small tree or shrub with smooth gray bark,
which exudes a whitish colored, watery, latex when cut. Normally, it
grows between three and five meters in height, but can attain a
height of up to eight or ten meters under favourable conditions. Leaves It has large green to pale-green leaves, alternate to sub-opposite, three-to five-lobed with a spiral phyllotaxis. Flowers The petiole length ranges between 6-23 mm. The inflorescence is formed in the leaf axil. Flowers are formed terminally, individually, with female flowers usually slightly larger and occurs in the hot seasons. In conditions where continuous growth occurs, an unbalance of pistillate or staminate flower production results in a higher number of female flowers. Fruits Fruits are produced in winter when the shrub is leafless, or it may produce several crops during the year if soil moisture is good and temperatures are sufficiently high. Each inflorescence yields a bunch of approximately 10 or more ovoid fruits. A three, bi-valved cocci is formed after the seeds mature and the fleshy exocarp dries. Seeds The seeds become mature when the capsule changes
from green to yellow, after two to four months Flowering and fruiting habit The trees are deciduous, shedding the leaves in the
dry season. Flowering occurs during the wet season and two flowering
peaks are often seen. In permanently hu-mid regions, flowering
occurs throughout the year. The seeds mature about three months
after flowering. Early growth is fast and with good rainfall
conditions nursery plants may bear fruits after the first rainy
season, direct sown plants after the second rainy season. The
flowers are pollinated by insects especially honey bees. Ecological Requirements Jatropha curcas grows almost anywhere , even on gravelly, sandy and saline soils. It can thrive on the poorest stony soil. It can grow even in the crevices of rocks. The leaves shed during the winter months form mulch around the base of the plant. The organic matter from shed leaves enhance earth-worm activity in the soil around the root-zone of the plants, which improves the fertility of the soil. Regarding climate, Jatropha curcas is found in the tropics and subtropics and likes heat, although it does well even in lower temperatures and can withstand a light frost. Its water requirement is extremely low and it can stand long periods of drought by shedding most of its leaves to reduce transpiration loss. Jatropha is also suitable for preventing soil erosion and shifting of sand dunes.
Biophysical limits Altitude: 0-500 m, Mean annual temperature: 20-28 deg. C, Mean annual rainfall: 300-1000 mm or more. Soil type: Grows on well-drained soils with good aeration and is well adapted to marginal soils with low nutrient content. On heavy soils, root formation is reduced. Jatropha is a highly adaptable species, but its strength as a crop comes from its ability to grow on very poor and dry sites. BIODIESEL - World Wide Activities In these years Biodiesel has steadily emerged from a trial production in back-yard type pilot plants to full industrial type production and marketing with wide and increasing acceptance by the Diesel vehicle industry, the fuel trade, and the end-user in a wide variety of market segments. In 21 out of the researched 28 countries Biodiesel was produced and testedwithin the period of the last 6 years.Those activities have led or most probably will lead to commercial projects in countries with different structure e.g. Austria, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy,Malaysia, Nicaragua, Sweden, USA and the INDIA. Motivational Factors: The strongest motivation in the past was the concern about the vulnerable sup-ply security of liquid fuels for the transport sector, as experienced world-wide by the oil supply shocks of the 70s and the Gulf war.As this coincided with an expensive agricultural overproduction in Europe, Bio-diesel became the flagship of all non-food projects utilising set-aside land for energy production, which is today the second strongest reason; similarly the surplus in soybeanoil is the driving force in the US. Today however, environmental concerns about global and local pollution have taken the lead as a motivational factor. But with the burden of high unemployment levels, the creation of additional jobs through local production of energy as liquid fuel has gained in weight signifi-cantly. Raw Materials :
Capacity And Production : In total, 85 Biodiesel production plants were identified, of which there were re-corded a number of pilot plants, over 40 small capacity (mostly farmers? co-operative)plants in the range of 500 - 3.000 tons, and big scale industrial plants in the capacity range of approx. 5.000 - 120.000 tons. Production capacity rose from 75.000 tons in 1991 to 1,286.OOO tons in 1996,while actual production developed from 10.000 tons to 591.000 tons in the same period. Quality Management : The assurance for high quality was a key issue for developing customer confi-dence. Austria developed the first standard ON C 1190 for Biodiesel, followed by others in Czechia, France, Italy, leading into the German DIN E 51606 as the probably most elaborate standard for Fatty-acid-methyl-ester (FAME) to-day. Marketing Strategy : Local levels of taxation and national tax exemptions led to different marketing decisions e.g., use as heating oil in Italy, a 5 %-blend to fossil Diesel in France,a 20 %-blend and 100 % neat in the USA and the 100 % use in Austria and Germany targeting the environmentally sensitive areas such as water protection areas or smog-risk cities. Barriers And Measures For Improvement : High cost of raw materials is today the strongest barrier and sufficient detaxa-tion of well-founded internalisation of all the external cost (environment, supply security, renewable energy, new jobs, etc.) is seen as an effective tool. Global Development And Trends : October 2004 saw the record of US55 for a barrel of oil broken. Of major concern is that this is not just Another 1970s/80s oil crisis, and that the world has moved to a point where oil discoveries are smaller and Failing to match both traditional demand and the energy demands large growing economies such as China and India. For many governments around the world this has been a clear signal to accelerate the development of Alternative fuels such as ethanol, biodiesel, LPG, and CNG that will be needed to bridge the transition to new future fuel technologies over the next 30 years. Furthermore, there are many other factors, which are driving greater interest in renewable fuel sources.These include future energy security, reductions in vehicle exhaust emissions that create air pollution and pose a direct threat to human health, significant greenhouse benefits compared to petroleum fuels and new economic and jobs growth in regional and rural communities Motivational factors : 1. Renewable energy : It appears that the strongest motive for most of the Biodiesel producers is that it is as a renewable form of energy, especially when it has become obvious that fossil resources are finite and supply security of mineral oils is an increasing risk 2. Environmental benefits : Obviously all the environmental benefits (less greenhouse effect, less local air pollution, less contamination for water and soil, less health risks) are seen as convincing motivational factors with some variation by country. 3. Utilisation of agricultural surpluses : Increased production of agricultural crops for non-food purposes has offered the opportunity to utilise land, which otherwise would be set-aside as an unex-ploited resource. It is no surprise that this argument it seen as a strong motive in favour of Biodiesel. 4. Creation of a pioneer image: Developing a new challenging idea and the related positive image can be a strong driving force 5. Scientific interest For this new research & development field in renewable energy 6. Political reasons 7. State incentives 8.Creating additional employment 9.Reduced import dependency. Following is a summary of steps being taken by a growing number of governments to promote the development of sustainable renewable fuels worldwide. United States
Brazil
Canada
Japan
European Union The EU has approved a Directive that stipulates that the energy-based share of biofuels should be 2% by the end of 2005, increasing 0.75% per year until it reaches 5.75% by the end of 2010. Biodiesel production is experiencing higher growth in Europe than ethanol.
China
Thailand
South Korea
Columbia
Mexico
Czech Republic
United Kingdom
South Africa
Australia
World Bank The Chief Scientist of the World Bank has stated the global challenge is to produce energy from fossil fuels more efficiently, without emitting CO2 in the air, and also produce energy from renewable fuel technologies. |
