Biodiesel facts for kids
Biodiesel is a special kind of fuel. It's made from things like vegetable oil, animal fat, or even tiny algae. It's a renewable energy source because it comes from living plants and animals.
This fuel can power engines, especially in vehicles like cars and airplanes. Biodiesel is a replacement for regular diesel fuel. Regular diesel comes from petroleum, which is a fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are not renewable.
It's important to know that biodiesel is different from other biofuels. Some biofuels are made from biomass (like plant waste). These don't start from oil and use different chemical steps to become fuel.
Contents
Why Use Biodiesel?
Cleaner Fuel for Engines
Biodiesel is much cleaner than regular diesel fuel. It causes less pollution when it burns. This helps keep our air cleaner.
Biodiesel also acts like a cleaning soap inside an engine. It can clean out old dirt. Sometimes, this dirt might clog the engine's filters at first. But once the filters are changed, the engine runs smoothly.
Making Fuel More Slippery
In places like the United States, new rules say that regular diesel fuel must have very little sulfur. Removing sulfur helps stop acid rain. But it also makes the fuel less slippery.
Adding biodiesel to regular diesel helps. It makes the fuel slippery again. This helps the engine parts move easily and work well.
Where Does Biodiesel Come From?
Most biodiesel comes from plants. This means that a lot of farmland is used to grow plants for fuel. This land could also be used to grow food for people or animals.
Scientists and engineers are looking for new ways to make biodiesel. They are studying how to use algae and saltwater plants. Growing these would not take away land used for food.
Some biodiesel also comes from waste oil. This includes used cooking oil and animal fat. These would normally be thrown away. For example, NASA is even testing biodiesel made from chicken fat for airplanes.
Cold Weather Challenges
All diesel fuels can have trouble starting engines in cold weather. Biodiesel has this problem more than regular diesel.
One solution is to mix biodiesel with regular diesel. The right mix helps it work better in the cold. Another way is to heat the fuel before the engine uses it. Some vehicles might even have a special heater built in for this.
Biodiesel from Plants and Seeds
Most biodiesel is made from special plants called oilseeds. An oilseed is any seed that has enough oil to be useful for making vegetable oil.
Different countries use different plants:
- In Brazil, castor beans are often used.
- In Germany, rapeseeds are common.
- In the United States, soybeans and sunflower seeds are popular.
- In Thailand, people often use palm oil, coconut oil, Jatropha oil, and animal fat.
- Jatropha trees also grow in India and Africa.
Some people even make their own biodiesel. They convert old cooking oil from restaurants. When engines run on this homemade fuel, the exhaust can smell a bit like french fries!
Biodiesel from Algae
Someday, algae might be a huge source for biodiesel. Algae can grow in places where food crops cannot. This means it wouldn't take away farmland used for food.
Right now, making biodiesel from algae is still quite expensive. But scientists are working hard to find cheaper and better ways to do it.
Images for kids
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Experimental French Régiolis Class train using B100 as substitute of Diesel
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Space-filling model of methyl linoleate, or linoleic acid methyl ester, a common methyl ester produced from soybean or canola oil and methanol
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Space-filling model of ethyl stearate, or stearic acid ethyl ester, an ethyl ester produced from soybean or canola oil and ethanol
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Biodiesel sample
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Rudolf Diesel
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Targray Biofuels railcar transporting Biodiesel.
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Biodiesel locomotive and its external fuel tank at Mount Washington Cog Railway
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Biodiesel is also used in rental generators
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Pure biodiesel (B-100) made from soybeans
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Jatropha Biodiesel from DRDO, India.
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See also
In Spanish: Biodiésel para niños
