414
Alternative Fuels for Transportation
The disadvantages of bio-DME include
• DME has poor lubricating properties whereas diesel has good
lubricating properties. Hence, lubricating additives need to be added
to DME to avoid problems in fuel injectors and other components of
the engine. Research is going on to develop DME injectors for better
performance.
• DME has a low boiling point (–23°C) and hence at atmosphere it is in
a gaseous state and its liquid also has a very low density (approximately 0.67 g/cm 3 ).
13.6 Algae Biodiesel
Biodiesel is generally produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel
produced from algae is known as algae biodiesel. Algae grows naturally all
over the world. Under optimal conditions, it can be grown in massive, almost
limitless amounts. Half of algae’s composition, by weight, is lipid oil. For
its growth (photosynthesis), algae consumes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere replacing it with oxygen. Recycling carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
reduces environmental pollution and greenhouse gas effects (Wagner 2007).
Algae have emerged as one of the most promising sources especially for
biodiesel production because of the following (www.castoroil.in):
• Yields of oil from algae are orders of magnitude higher than those
for traditional oilseeds.
• Algae can grow in places away from farmlands and forests, thus minimizing damages caused to the ecological and food chain systems.
• Algae can be grown in sewages and next to power plant smoke stacks
where they digest pollutants and give us oil.
Biodiesel makers claim that they will be able to produce more than 100,000
gallons of algae oil per acre per year depending on the type of algae being
used, the way the algae is grown, and the method of oil extraction. It has
been estimated that 100-acre algae biodiesel plants could produce 10 million
gallons of biodiesel in a year and 140 billion gallons of algae biodiesel to
replace petroleum-based products each year. Since algae can be grown anywhere indoors, it is a promising alternative fuel source.
13.6.1 Cultivation of Algae
Algae can grow in open ponds or closed, controlled atmospheres. Like plants,
algae require primarily three components to grow: sunlight, carbon dioxide,
Alternative Fuels for Transportation
The disadvantages of bio-DME include
• DME has poor lubricating properties whereas diesel has good
lubricating properties. Hence, lubricating additives need to be added
to DME to avoid problems in fuel injectors and other components of
the engine. Research is going on to develop DME injectors for better
performance.
• DME has a low boiling point (–23°C) and hence at atmosphere it is in
a gaseous state and its liquid also has a very low density (approximately 0.67 g/cm 3 ).
13.6 Algae Biodiesel
Biodiesel is generally produced from vegetable oils and animal fats. Biodiesel
produced from algae is known as algae biodiesel. Algae grows naturally all
over the world. Under optimal conditions, it can be grown in massive, almost
limitless amounts. Half of algae’s composition, by weight, is lipid oil. For
its growth (photosynthesis), algae consumes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere replacing it with oxygen. Recycling carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
reduces environmental pollution and greenhouse gas effects (Wagner 2007).
Algae have emerged as one of the most promising sources especially for
biodiesel production because of the following (www.castoroil.in):
• Yields of oil from algae are orders of magnitude higher than those
for traditional oilseeds.
• Algae can grow in places away from farmlands and forests, thus minimizing damages caused to the ecological and food chain systems.
• Algae can be grown in sewages and next to power plant smoke stacks
where they digest pollutants and give us oil.
Biodiesel makers claim that they will be able to produce more than 100,000
gallons of algae oil per acre per year depending on the type of algae being
used, the way the algae is grown, and the method of oil extraction. It has
been estimated that 100-acre algae biodiesel plants could produce 10 million
gallons of biodiesel in a year and 140 billion gallons of algae biodiesel to
replace petroleum-based products each year. Since algae can be grown anywhere indoors, it is a promising alternative fuel source.
13.6.1 Cultivation of Algae
Algae can grow in open ponds or closed, controlled atmospheres. Like plants,
algae require primarily three components to grow: sunlight, carbon dioxide,