The Difference Between Biodiesel and Diesel

Biodiesel is the fuel of the future. It's effective and safer for the environment.

Have you heard of biodiesel? It is been in the market for some years but many do not know what it really is and how it is different from your normal diesel.

It consists of animal fat and or vegetable oil.  These are chemically reacting lipids.  It is made by adding a certain type of alcohol plus the animal fat and or vegetable oil.  Standard diesel engines can use this fuel.  It is said that you can use biodiesel by its self, or you can combine it with the petro diesel.  It has been proven that it is safe and more economical to use biodiesel alone.

The normal diesel on the other hand consists of paraffin and cyclo-paraffin hydrocarbons.  The combustion results to residual smoke particles.  It also emits dangerous materials like sulfur which contributes in creating acid rains.  This is primarily why ecologists dislike this form of diesel and promotes biodiesel fuel instead.

The color of biodiesel is golden brown.  It has a low vapor pressure and high boiling point.  It also has almost zero sulfur which is excellent because it reduces harmful gases in our environment.

If you are thinking of switching to biodiesel, here is a tip that you should really take note of.  You should change your fuel filters on engines right after you change to biodiesel.  It has been discovered that biodiesel breaks down deposits left behind by normal diesel in fuel lines.  This may lead to the clogging of fuel filters.  After doing so, this will improve the performance of your engine.  Another clear and noticeable difference is that biodiesel fuel reduces smoke emissions.

Biodiesel is already used on trains and aircrafts.  In the near future, we might see this as the leading type of fuel unless there is a new fuel based chemical discovered that is more eco-friendly and less expensive.  For now, it is safe to say that biodiesel fuel is science, technology, and ecology at work today.

Trigger Man uses biodiesel in his truck. He is also fond of using Diesel Performance Parts.

License: You have permission to republish this article in any format, even commercially, but you must keep all links intact. Attribution required.