Biodiesel Production and Its Use in Diesel Engines as an Alternative Fuel

Mustafa Çanakcı

Assistant Professor , Department of Mechanical Education,
Technical Education Faculty, Kocaeli University, Anıtpark Yanı İzmit, Kocaeli, TURKEY

Necati Özsezen

Department of Mechanical Education, Technical Education Faculty,
Kocaeli University, Anıtpark Yanı İzmit, Kocaeli, TURKEY
e-mail: nozsezen@hotmail.com

Cenk Sayın

Department of Mechanical Education, Technical Education Faculty,
Kocaeli University, Anıtpark Yanı İzmit, Kocaeli, TURKEY
e-mail: sayincenk@yahoo.com

Abstract

This paper is about biodiesel production, its properties and use in diesel engines as an alternative fuel. A primary path to produce biodiesel is transesterification. The transesterification reaction is affected by parameters such as free fatty acid level of oil, chemical structure of alcohol, catalyst type, reaction temperature and reaction time. Although the heating value of vegetable oils is smaller than that of diesel fuel, the main advantage of biodiesel fuel is lower concentration of greenhouse gases (especially CO2) and other pollutants in exhaust emissions compared to petroleum diesel fuel.