An Overview of Production, Properties, and Uses of Biodiesel from Vegetable Oil

The search for alternative fuels is continuously increasing owing to the ever growing energy demand worldwide. Vegetable oils and their derivatives (particularly methyl esters), commonly referred to as biodiesel, are prominent candidates as alternative to diesel fuel. In addition to its advantages as a renewable and domestic fuel resource, biodiesel use reduces emission of environmental pollutants. Moreover, engine performance and fuel economy due to biodiesel are nearly identical compared to those with conventional fuels. It can even be used directly in most diesel engines without requiring extensive engine modifications. Recent research studies have shown that it has advanced from being a purely experimental fuel to initial stages of commercialization. However, large scale application of this biofuel is still limited due to its economics, combustion value, emissions and low-temperature properties. This chapter presents an overview of history, different sources, properties and uses of biodiesel. Besides, this work deals with vegetable oil as an efficient feed stock for biodiesel production and different factors influencing the production of biodiesel from vegetable oil. Also, the economics of biodiesel as a transportation fuel is discussed and compared with that of the conventional petro-diesel.

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Authors and Affiliations

1. Department of Biosceinces and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati, 781039, Assam, India Arindam Sinha Roy, Akoijam Chingkheihunba & Kannan Pakshirajan

1. Arindam Sinha Roy