Cooking oil Replacing auto Fuel
Lab Rat
_fuel_020801/
Cooking oil could one day replace fossil fuels
Related Video; CTV News: Biodiesel proponents turn fryer fat into
car fuel 1:38
CTV News Staff
Vegetable oil has long been used to make french fries and donuts. But
it's also growing in popularity as a cleaner burning fuel source for
diesel engine cars. However, there are some challenges to overcome.
Made from new or used vegetable oils or animal fats, such as soybean
oil or canola, these renewable resources are essentially combined with
alcohol and a catalyst and stirred.
While it could be several years before biodiesel is available at the
pump, Jamie Delaney uses a homemade biodiesel fuel to run his 1996
Volkswagen Jetta.
"It smells like donuts. I wouldn't say french fries -- Chinese food or
donuts -- take your pick," Delaney said.
There are many benefits to biodiesel fuel. It reduces emissions, is
biodegradable, reduces dependence on imports and extends the life of
diesel engines because it is more lubricating than petroleum diesel
fuel.
The production of biodiesel from recycled vegetable oils or soy would
also benefit the agriculture industry.
However, there are some challenges, such as cost. Biodiesel fuel costs
about two times as much as fossil diesel fuel. However, that problem
could soon be solved.
University of Toronto professor David Boocock has discovered a cheaper
way to manufacture biodiesel and Brampton-based BIOX Corporation is
marketing it.
"We're in that position now where we can buy a great renewable fuel
and not have to pay a premium for the privilege," says Tim Haig,
president of BIOX Corp.
Boocock found that by using an inert, cheap, recyclable co-solvent,
the reaction becomes one phase instead of two, which means the fuel
can be produced in minutes, rather than hours as under the current
process, called transesterification.
BIOX says it intends to create plants that will produce biodiesel from
any vegetable and animal fat at a cost of 15 to 20 cents per litre
Cdn, which compares to the current cost of approximately 45 cents per
litre.
Some other challenges to the wide-spread use of biodiesel fuel include
temperature. Cold causes the biodiesel to form small, solid, waxy
crystals that block fuel lines and filters.
Another company, called Big K Fuels Inc., is working on that problem
and have been able to produce biodiesel fuels that started engines at
temperatures as low as 5 degrees F, which is comparable to
petroleum-based diesel fuels.
They do that by using a three-step winterization process of mixing in
additives, chilling the fuel and filtering out solids.
Despite any obstacles, biodiesel fuel is already popular in the U.S.
and several European countries. France is currently the world's
largest producer of the fuel, using it as heating oil and also it in
50 per cent blends with petrodiesel.
It's also gaining popularity in Canada. In June, the biodiesel
industry recently got a boost when the Ontario government announced it
was removing a 14.3 cent per liter fuel tax on biodiesel fuels. It is
the first province to do so.
In Toronto, the entire diesel fleet of 400 Toronto Hydro vehicles are
also now powered by biodiesel fuel, which delivers the same torque,
horsepower and kilometres per litre as petroleum-powered diesels
Blerp
> donuts -- take your pick," Delaney said.
I don't care if it smells like donuts...but if it MAKES donuts, now, that's
the bomb. I'm in!
Zaphod
my dinner in ?
No wonder those onions tasted funny !
Reason
"Blerp" <mickeymows@*pleasedontspamme*hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:0wW59.130795$v53.6...@news3.calgary.shaw.ca...
Reminds me of the time my brother ran out of oil for his motorcycle, and
used cooking oil instead. Every time he went by, it smelled like french
fries.