Biofuel for cars. Fuel of the XXI century

The need for sustainable energy sources has grown in importance recently as the globe struggles to adapt to the effects of climate change. As a major contributor to global carbon emissions, the transportation sector is one area of focus in this endeavor. With conventional fossil fuels still causing environmental damage, the hunt for more environmentally friendly fuels has become more intense.

Car biofuel is one interesting future solution. Biofuels, which are frequently heralded as the fuel of the twenty-first century, provide an environmentally responsible and renewable substitute for traditional gasoline and diesel. Biofuels, which are derived from organic matter like plants, algae, or waste products, harness the power of the natural world to power vehicles without emitting the harmful emissions that come with fossil fuels.

The benefits of biofuels include their adaptability and compatibility with current infrastructure, in addition to their potential to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Biofuels, in contrast to certain other renewable energy sources, are easily incorporated into the current transportation infrastructure with little to no changes needed to cars and fueling stations.

Moreover, by lowering dependency on limited and politically delicate oil reserves, biofuels present the alluring possibility of energy independence. Investing in domestic biofuel production facilities and growing biomass sourced locally can help countries create jobs and boost economic growth, all while enhancing energy security.

Pros and cons of using homemade biofuel

Most biofuels are produced industrially using specialized equipment. Naturally, an attempt to apply these technologies for a private household resident or a beginning farmer may not be feasible. When using other, at first glance, more technically simple methods of obtaining fuel from biomaterials, there are difficulties in ensuring fire safety, protection from poisoning by poisonous, flammable substances when working with raw materials for biofuel. For this reason, it is desirable for villagers, farmers, dacha owners to start their innovative activity not with cold nuclear fusion, but with something simpler. For example, there are already working models of biogas production, charcoal, briquetting of waste and sawdust for fireplaces and bio-fireplaces, operation of internal combustion engines on wood gas.

If there is a cheap raw material base with energy value that is unsuitable for use without prior processing or preparation, then it makes sense to produce and use biofuels independently. If we look at this question more broadly, this type can include things like water, sawdust, silage, bilge water, etc. that have energy value but are difficult to release heat energy from without the right tools.

Advantages

From a private individual’s perspective, the evident benefits of producing and utilizing homemade biofuel are as follows:

• feedstock availability
• low cost
• ease of manufacture.

Certain biofuels, such as biodiesel and biogas, exhibit comparable characteristics to industrial samples in terms of their specific heat capacity, combustion temperature, anti-detonation properties, and environmental friendliness. Compared to gasoline, diesel fuel, coal, or firewood, obtaining sawdust, silage, and manure is far simpler and less expensive for farmers, carpenters, joiners, and rural residents. Folk artisans typically employ tried-and-true, relatively safe technologies.

Disadvantages

The following are drawbacks of using biofuel:

• Some disadvantages are directly related to the production of homemade biofuels: the lack of automatic systems for controlling pressure and temperature places higher demands on the equipment used and its installation
• The equipment for biofuel production itself is not certified, it is usually made in a homemade way by a local "left-handed person"
• Some of the substances produced (biomethane, carbon monoxide) are poisonous
• fuel has low density, concentration, and therefore must be used immediately, because after a while it delaminates and absorbs moisture, turning into an emulsion.

Making a briquette

It is comparatively simpler to set up at home to produce biofuel from sawdust, straw, and other waste materials. The only tool required is a hand press designed specifically for this use. It can be ordered from artisans, bought ready-made, or, with the right tools, made by you if you have the necessary abilities. You will save the most money by choosing the last option because factory ready presses are expensive.

The preparation of mixture is the first step in the production of briquettes. Raw materials include sawdust, straw, husks from seeds, and even soaked waste paper. Naturally, this type of fuel burns extremely well in a stove or solid fuel boiler, but you will need to load the furnace more frequently due to its low bulk density. Straw or sawdust-based solid biofuel will burn for a significantly longer time when finished.

The mixture is made up of water, raw materials, and clay that acts as a binder. After pre-shredding straw or paper, combine it with water and clay in a 10:1 ratio (one kilogram of clay for every ten kilograms of waste). The right amount of water should be added to the mixture to guarantee even mixing and molding capabilities. Remember that the clay will remain in your boiler as ash, so don’t add too much of it to the mixture.

After the mixture is put into a unique mold, the press is used to press it. The briquette is carefully removed after pressing and set out to dry in the sun. The pressing process is shown in the following video:

Advantages of biodiesel

The most important advantage is the use of renewable resources as feedstock, which in the long term can provide energy security for the whole world. Despite the rapid growth in the popularity of electric-powered vehicles, the internal combustion engine will continue to play a crucial role in the global economy for a very long time to come. It is unlikely that large ocean-going ships even in the distant future can be transferred to electric propulsion. Potential producers of biodiesel in our country are farms and collective farms. After all, fuel supply to these entities is an extremely acute issue in the run-up to the sowing campaigns. If the farms are provided with the necessary technological equipment and specialists, they could quite easily become self-sufficient in fuel supply. This event would have a positive impact on the dynamics of price growth. As a result of this set of measures, the competitiveness of the enterprise will increase significantly.

The fact that biodiesel is made from biodiesel is a crucial characteristic; growing these crops improves the fertility of the land rather than depleting it. Thus, oils such as peanut, soybean, mustard, rapeseed, and others can be used to produce fuel.

There have been reports of attempts to turn animal fats into biodiesel. Still unclear, though, is how economically viable this is.

What are biofuels?

Because the energy found in plant mass comes from our sun, it is nearly limitless. Plants are able to recycle solar energy and use it for growth. In response, animals and birds consume biomass to get energy while also generating waste. By definition, biofuels are fuels made from waste materials, different biomass processing industries, and feedstocks from plants or animals.

Biofuel can be produced in three different forms thanks to modern technologies: solid, liquid, and gaseous. The majority of the time, solid fuels come to us in the form of pellets and different types of briquettes made by pressing. In the post-Soviet countries, liquid fuel (biodiesel) is still uncommon because fossil hydrocarbons can be obtained in large quantities at reasonable prices. Even so, making liquid biofuel from vegetable oil is a costly and challenging technological process.

Combustible biogas production is becoming more and more popular because it is much easier and less expensive. Farm owners who raise cattle and poultry are considering buying a biogas plant more often because they have access to large amounts of manure and dung, which are ideal for this use.

Listing every kind of plant raw material that can be converted into fuel, along with its sources and methods of production, is pointless. Only those biofuels that can be successfully obtained at home without requiring significant financial investments are of interest to us. These are as follows:

• Biogas extracted from the products of life activity of domestic animals and poultry;
• briquettes made from various waste products of plant origin;
• charcoal.

Naturally, you can make your own pellets, eco-diesel, and even eco-gasoline if you really put a lot of effort into it. Individuals devote years of their lives—and frequently a significant amount of money—to these pastimes. Since these advanced technologies are not generally accessible to a large number of users, we will not take them into consideration.

Trends in the development of the global biofuel market

The World Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that the oil shortage in 2025 will be estimated at 14%. According to the IEA, even if the total production of biofuels (including bioethanol and biodiesel) by 2021 will amount to 220 billion tons of biomass, the share of renewable energy sources will reach 47.7% and biomass – 8%. liters, its production will cover only 7% of the world"s fuel demand. The growth rate of biofuel production is far behind the growth rate of demand for biofuels. This is due to the availability of cheap raw materials and lack of funding. The mass commercialization of biofuels will be determined by the achievement of price equilibrium with traditional fuels derived from oil. According to scientists" forecasts, the share of renewable energy sources will reach 47.7% by 2040, and biomass – 23.8%.

The production of biofuels will make up a very small portion of the world’s energy supply at the current rate of technological advancement, and energy prices will have an impact on the price of agricultural raw materials. Biofuels can have a variety of effects on food security. While they can benefit food importers by driving up commodity prices, they can also encourage small farms to produce more food domestically.

What is biogas

A mixture of numerous volatile, highly flammable organic compounds is referred to as biogas. Any organic matter that is breaking down can produce it in an anaerobic environment. High humidity and a lack of oxygen are the primary requirements. Any organic substrate, including manure, plant waste, grass, sawdust, wood waste, straw, and even household waste, can be used as the raw material for the production of biogas. It is possible to successfully use all of this to heat entire houses as well as greenhouses and outbuildings.

Global organic reserves and the yield of biogas from specific substrates

Methane, carbon dioxide, and other gaseous impurities like hydrogen sulfide are the main components of any biogas. The product’s quality increases with decreasing carbon dioxide content. Ultimately, carbon dioxide is an inflammable gas. 500 grams of biofuel can often be obtained from one kilogram of organic material. It is uncommon to find an indicator this high in other places.

Fundamental technologies for producing biofuels

Biofuel from sawdust or alcohol as it is

These are the most well-known types of biofuels, and they seem to have been among the first fuels used by engines. Among its many varieties, biobutanol, biomethanol, and bioethanol are noteworthy.

1. The history of the automotive industry is well-known with regard to ethanol, or regular alcohol. Let’s just sum up by saying that Henry Ford coordinated the building of facilities to produce alcohol for use as fuel during his lifetime. Experts estimate that ethanol is currently produced in large quantities in Brazil, where 40% of cars run on pure ethanol and 60% use it in combination with gasoline.

What is used nowadays to make ethanol? While agricultural products are the most widely used raw material, bioethanol is also made in Brazil using similar raw materials such as sugar cane, straw, and wood waste. Sawdust can also be used in the hydrolysis plant to produce ethanol.

Why is it so effective that everyone uses it? Here’s what we should focus on:

1. detonation resistance;
2. heat of combustion;
3. heat of vaporization.

Such biofuel has intrinsic anti-detonation properties that are higher than those of regular gasoline, regardless of the material it is made of—sawdust or cane. This enables an engine running on ethanol to run at a higher power level by increasing the compression ratio. Alcohol-air mixtures have a slightly different heat of combustion than traditional fuel-air mixtures, and because alcohol vaporizes easily, better cylinder filling and full combustion are guaranteed.

One of the more significant drawbacks of ethanol is that it can be more damaging to certain non-ferrous metals, rubber, and plastics, necessitating a partial engine refinish. The primary drawback of this type of fuel is that it is highly hygroscopic, meaning that it readily absorbs water.This causes the mixture to stratify in the tank, resulting in the tank being mostly filled with water. Using alcohol and gasoline blends is one way to counter this; adding up to 10% ethanol to regular gasoline only makes it better.

It’s also important to remember that making bioethanol as a fuel differs from making drinkable alcohol, even though both are made from sawdust. Fuel alcohol has a strong smell and a high methanol content, making it unfit for human consumption.

2. Despite all of its benefits, methyl alcohol, or methanol, is toxic. Biomethanol is not typically used as a fuel, despite the fact that it can be produced from waste—the same sawdust. 3. Biobutanol. It is even more appropriate than bioethanol as a vehicle biofuel. It is similar to butanol produced using conventional methods and can be produced from biomass and sawdust.

Among its advantages are the following:

• high energy value;
• less aggressiveness;
• the ability to be mixed with gasoline;
• the ability to directly and completely replace gasoline without modifying the vehicle.

When thinking about using alcohol in place of gasoline, keep in mind that there are clear benefits and drawbacks to this kind of biofuel, all of which can be effectively mitigated if needed. Currently, though, this type of biofuel is mostly used in combination with regular gasoline, even though technologies for producing it—like sawdust—allow for the complete utilization of biomass and the elimination of oil usage.

How to make with your own hands

People occasionally use biofuels in their daily lives; solid fuels like firewood, sawdust, straw, etc. are fully responsible for this. Anyone with wood processing products and a desire to manufacture fuel briquettes can do so without the need for special devices and mechanisms.

The process of turning agricultural animal manure into biofuel is more intricate. In this instance, biogas is created, which can be burned to heat water in hot water supply systems or serve as a heat carrier in building and structure heating systems.

Finding the location of the installation is the first step in the process. The location that is chosen needs to be far away from residential structures in order to avoid bothering people with the smells that are released when biomass ferments.

In the designated area, a pit is excavated, and a storage tank and waterproofing are constructed inside. Brick with waterproofing, metal, or rings of reinforced concrete with sealed joints can be used to construct the tank. At the top of the tank, there is a hatch and a lid. The resultant gas is removed by installing pipelines.

The built-in container is filled with manure, potato haulm, and other vegetable waste before water is added. Biogas will begin to be released from the tank when the fermentation process begins.

Methane, carbon dioxide, and combinations of other gases will make up the gas produced in this manner.

One kilogram of organic matter can yield about 0.5 kg of biogas.

Criteria for the composition of manure mass

It is not appropriate to view the mass of manure that is loaded into the bioreactor as merely a raw material that can be used in any way. For the fermentation process to occur, the substance’s composition is crucial. It has been observed in practice that increased process efficiency is correlated with a decrease in substrate particles.

The primary factors that cause the manure mass to break down quickly are the substrate’s expressed fibrousness and an expansion of the bacterial contact area. When heated and stirred in this state, the slurry does not precipitate or form a film on the surface, making the process of filtering the gas mixture easier.

Mass of manure being prepared for reactor loading

When it comes to getting a substantial amount of biofuel in a short amount of time, this process is given equal weight with everything else.

The length of fermentation is influenced by the degree of grinding of the raw materials, which also has an impact on the volume of gas that is produced.

Therefore, it is imperative to grind the raw material finely in order to shorten the fermentation period.The higher the quality of grinding, the shorter the fermentation period.

The amount of gas produced is influenced by the length of fermentation, which is determined by how finely ground the raw material is. Therefore, it is essential to grind the raw material finely in order to shorten the fermentation period.The finer the grinding, the shorter the fermentation period.

Charcoal production

Homeowners are interested in using charcoal as a fuel for their indoor barbecues. It goes without saying that purchasing such coal from a store is highly costly, whereas burning it at home only requires your time. It is much easier to put regular firewood in the furnace; burning it in solid fuel boilers or stoves is pointless.

There are two ways to burn charcoal out of wood:

For the first method, you’ll need a domestic vacuum cleaner and a standard 200-liter steel barrel. Since the latter will be used for air injection, the barrel’s bottom needs to be cut to accommodate a pipe for its connection. Create a fire in the bottom of the container, add firewood to halfway fill it, and turn on the vacuum cleaner. After that, the wood is placed on top, a lid is placed over it, and clay is applied. Sorting is done to separate the charcoal from the ash after everything has burned and the barrel has cooled.

The wood is burned in a pit similarly. The final one is 0.8 meters in diameter and 0.6 meters deep at most. After tamping down the pit’s bottom, wood stacked in layers up to 30 cm long is lit on fire. As the previous layer burns, filling takes place; the entire process takes roughly three hours. Eventually, earth covers the top of the pit and branches and moss cover it. The coating can be taken off and the coals can be chosen after two days.

Making fuel for bio-fireplaces

Liquid biofuels are derived from a variety of organic oils. In addition to various alcohol-containing substances, alkalis are added for biodiesel. This is a fairly involved procedure. Making liquid biofuel for the fireplace at home is the simplest method. The "bio-installations" don’t look any different from regular devices at all. But instead of burning wood, they burn biofuel, which ensures that there is no carbon monoxide, soot, or ash.

Because they eliminate the need for wood cutting and ash cleanup, biofireplaces provide their owners with convenience and ecological purity. Biofuel burns to produce carbon dioxide and water, both of which are perfectly safe for human consumption. The flame appears colorless and lacks the distinctive yellow-orange hue. This severely detracts from the fireplace’s aesthetic and gives it an artificial appearance. As a result, the biofuel must contain unique additives that color the flame.

It would take 96% ethanol to make such fuel. You can buy it from a pharmacy. You can use highly purified gasoline as an additive for flame coloring. It will be appropriate to use high-quality household brand B-70 along with branded lighter refills. Such gasoline should have no distinct smell and be entirely transparent on the outside. 50 to 100 grams of gasoline are needed for every liter of alcohol. The final mixture is thoroughly blended.

An ideal replacement for conventional appliances are eco fireplaces. They run on safe, environmentally friendly biofuel that can be produced on their own.

It should be remembered that storing the composition will cause it to stratify over time. The ideal time to combine the ingredients is right before you refuel the fireplace. The final mixture can be used in spaces without chimneys or hoods, but ventilation is still required. An hour of eco-fireplace operation will require 400–500 ml of homemade biofuel on average. Additionally, conventional "kerosene" can be made with the same mixture. We are left with a flawlessly bright lamp free of carbon deposits, soot, and bad smells.

Title: "Biofuel for Cars: The Fuel of the 21st Century"In today"s world, the quest for sustainable energy sources has led to the emergence of biofuel as a promising alternative for powering our cars. Biofuel, derived from organic matter such as plants and agricultural waste, offers a cleaner and renewable option compared to traditional fossil fuels. This shift towards biofuels represents a significant step in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and combating climate change. Not only does biofuel have the potential to decrease our reliance on finite resources like oil, but it also promotes agricultural sustainability by utilizing crops and residues that might otherwise go to waste. As technology advances, the efficiency and viability of biofuel production continue to improve, making it a compelling choice for the future of transportation. Embracing biofuel for cars is not just about driving cleaner—it"s about steering towards a greener, more sustainable future for generations to come.

Unusual, exotic and forgotten types of biofuels

Wood is a good example of a material that can be used as biofuel here. The turpentine-alcohol mixture, which was utilized as fuel back in 1826, must be mentioned first. But wood is pyrolyzed to produce turpentine. Different references claim that a liquid with properties akin to oil was condensed through the so-called "fast" high-temperature pyrolysis process.

It is important to keep in mind that wood was once directly used as engine fuel. Carbon monoxide is produced when wood burns and is used as fuel. Germany made extensive use of such engines in its passenger cars during World War II. The Soviet Union produced the ZIS 21, ZIS 13, and GAZ 42 gas-generator cars.

Their work involved regular wood chips. Although one refueling of the gas-generator unit was sufficient for ninety kilometers of travel, the engine power, speed, and carrying capacity all decreased when gasoline was substituted with gas. Nevertheless, these cars functioned admirably in remote areas and during times of war when other fuels were scarce. Moreover, buses with gas generators were present in Moscow during the war.

Alternative fuel sources are continuously being looked for, even though gasoline and diesel oil are widely used as fuel for internal combustion engines. Furthermore, a variety of biofuels are already available to guarantee internal combustion engine operation under all circumstances.

Biodiesel at home

Although it can be challenging, making biodiesel at home is feasible. It could be a straightforward experiment or an effort to make your own cheap fuel. It is important to keep in mind that methanol and lye are used in the work, both of which pose serious health risks. Therefore, using protective gear and adhering to safety procedures are essential.

The following procedures are involved in the production of biodiesel:

1. Oil purification.
2. Adding the lye.
3. Transesterification.
4. Removal of the glycerin.

Any type of oil can be used to produce biodiesel, along with an alkali (potassium or sodium hydroxide is suggested). Methanol is a good choice for the role of catalyst, which is required to initiate the cooking process.

Crucial! Filtration is required to get rid of contaminants if waste oil is to be used.

Prior to beginning, make sure the liquid is completely free of water. It must be heated to 120°C in order for it to boil off for this use. Because the oil will splash during the process, it’s crucial to complete the evaporation in a container that is partially empty and away from the fire.

After that, the oil is mixed with lye and ethanol. The percentage of alkali is 1% and is dependent on the working body’s mass. So, there are roughly 3.5 grams of lye per liter of vegetable oil. Titration is used in this procedure to ascertain the necessary proportion of alkali and the amount of fatty acids.

Transesterification is then completed. To expedite the reaction, the mixture is heated to as high as 70°C during this process. While heating to 80°C is permitted and greatly accelerates the rate of reaction, it is not suitable for other purposes. To lessen alcohol vaporization, it’s crucial to close the container, but make sure the pressure is released to prevent an explosion.

The result is that glycerin is positioned underneath the biodiesel, which floats on top. Because of their distinct densities, it is simple to tell them apart. A distinct line exists between them. Glycerine solidifies at temperatures lower than 38°C and is significantly darker than fuel. With an extra hose, it can be taken out.

Because soap residues from the reaction process were dissolved, the resulting fuel is not entirely clean. Under ideal circumstances, where all of the water evaporates, soap does not form; however, with self-cooking, this issue frequently arises. While there are a few methods for getting rid of the residue, settling the resulting biodiesel is the most efficient. A week is sufficient to allow all impurities to sink to the bottom of the fuel.

An easy test for acidity can be used to determine the quality of the biodiesel that is produced. Litmus paper must be dipped into the liquid in order to assess the medium’s condition. The neutral acidity of 7.0 is the ideal value.

Production by means of installations

If you decide to run your car exclusively on biodiesel, you can purchase a specific installation to expedite the production process and save costs. It enables you to produce this product in your home, as near to industrial settings as possible. Given the difficulty of producing fuel without the necessary equipment and the low cost of the solution, this option is best for long-term savings.

When compared to biodiesel produced under "artisanal" conditions, biodiesel derived from such installations has far superior qualities and purity. Because there is less water in it, the engine will sustain less damage while operating. These plants are becoming more widespread and are thought to be the best option in the absence of biodiesel.

This article describes the intricacies of the process of turning waste oil into fuel. Watch this video to gain a better understanding of the production process and properties of biodiesel:

• What is the difference between a gear starter and an ordinary starter
• Why there is no pressure in the cooling system or it is excessive
• Why does the starter bendix slip?

What is biodiesel

Although the word appears to be quite clear at first glance, clarification is necessary. A methyl ester, which is what biodiesel is, is created when specific chemical reactions take place. Animal fats and vegetable oils are both utilized as sources.

Given that it completely decomposes in a month, it is impossible to overlook the fact that biodiesel is an environmentally friendly fuel.

Use of the device

The topic of biodiesel application is also quite fascinating. It should be mentioned that there are a lot of different applications for this fuel. The most prevalent ones are:

• Gasoline substitution. This method of using this fuel has significant disadvantages, which are associated with the fact that it has an increased viscosity, and this can lead to the appearance of all kinds of deposits on the rings, injectors and pistons. In addition, the fuel will not burn completely.
• Mixture with diesel fuel or kerosene. This direction of using biodiesel in the mixture is one of the most promising ones. Especially actively use this type of fuel in the United States.

Solid biofuel

Just like it did centuries ago, people still use firewood to generate heat and electricity. The Austrian CHP plant is one of the biggest biomass power plants in Europe. It can hold 66 megawatts.

Although efforts to establish energy forests where woody biomass is grown are being actively developed and funded worldwide, there is a growing interest in the use of various byproducts of the wood processing industry for biofuels. These businesses are already fairly established and actively provide their products to the market.

Fuel briquettes and fuel pellets are two examples of these.

Various bio-wastes, including poultry manure, are dried and compressed to create fuel briquettes. The resulting briquettes are used to heat buildings, both commercial and residential.

In a similar manner. Sawdust, wood chips, bark, inferior wood, straw, and agricultural waste (sunflower husks and nut shells) are used to make them. In order to create pellets, the biomass is first ground into flour, which is then put through a dryer and, finally, a special press where the pressure and high temperature cause the lignin found in wood waste to become sticky. It enables access to the biofuel cylinders that are ready for output. Fuel pellets stand out due to their low ash content, which is only 3%.

Obtaining fuel peat for residential heating also involves simple technology. The raw material is transported straight from the mine site to a peat processing facility, where it is dried, sieved to remove foreign objects, and then compressed into briquettes.

In Europe, large CHP plants with a capacity of one to several megawatts use wood chips, another type of biofuel. Wood chips can be made on-site at logging sites or in a production facility with the use of specialized shredders. Typically, logging residues such as bark, stumps, and fine wood are utilized as raw materials.

Green technologies. Biofuels Video

2.1.1. Biofuel from manure

Waste from the food and agriculture sectors was once only used to make fertilizers, but these days, it is also possible to produce biofuel from these wastes. Manure from cattle and poultry, beer pellets, slaughterhouse waste, post-alcoholic bard, sewage, beet cake, and other materials can all be utilized as raw materials to produce fuel.

Gaseous biofuels are created during the processing of these wastes through fermentation. The resultant biogas can be used in boiler rooms to heat homes or to generate electricity. These fuels are also utilized in autos.

It should be mentioned, though, that the biogas produced during fermentation needs to be separated from CO2 and then transformed into methane gas in order to produce gaseous biofuel for automobiles.

2.2. Second generation biofuels

Second generation biofuel, as opposed to ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and other fuels, is made from renewable non-food feedstock. Any biomass, including sawdust, algae, and straw, can be utilized as feedstock to create second-generation biofuels.

This fuel has the major benefit of being made from continuously renewed and readily available materials. Many scientists believe that the second generation of biofuel will be the solution to the energy crisis.

2.2.1. Biofuel from algae

As of right now, researchers have created a unique method for turning algae into second-generation biofuels. The advancement of this technology has the potential to bring about a significant revolution in the biofuels industry since algae, the primary raw material, don’t need fertilizers or special handling; instead, they only need water and sunlight to grow. Furthermore, they thrive in all types of water—fresh, salty, clean, and dirty. Algae can also aid in sewer line cleaning.

The fact that algae are made of simple chemical components that are simple to process and decompose is another benefit of producing biofuel from them. As a result of all the benefits, the technology for producing biofuel from algae has the most promise.

Liquid biofuel

Because they are safe and environmentally friendly, liquid biofuels are gaining popularity. It is primarily employed in engines with internal combustion. This kind of fuel is produced by processing different plant-based raw materials.

Liquid biofuel comes in various forms:

1. Bioethanol
2. Biobutanol
3. Biomethanol
4. Biodiesel

Bioethanol

Assumes the top spot on the list of biofuels that are liquid. Its application is limited to traditional cars, but it has also seen use recently as a biofuel for residential fireplaces. When blended with regular gasoline, bioethanol offers several benefits over traditional gasoline, including enhanced engine performance, increased power, prevention of engine overheating, and the absence of soot, smoke, and soot formation.

For those who love fireplaces, bioethanol is an excellent substitute. because during combustion, it releases very little carbon dioxide and produces no smoke or soot. even in apartment buildings, fireplaces can be heated with this method. As is typically the case with traditional fireplaces with a chimney, there is no loss of heat.

It is made by fermenting alcohol with starchy or sugary raw materials, such as corn, cereals, sugar cane, and sugar beets. Making ethanol from cellulose-containing raw materials makes sense financially.

Biobutanol

As an engine fuel, it is better than bioethanol because it blends more easily with gasoline and can be used independently. Traditional crops like sugar cane, corn, wheat, and sugar beets are used in its production. Much less common than bioethanol, though.

Biomethanol

Its production technology is still far from perfect, and many more creative breakthroughs must be made. It is believed to be produced by the biochemical conversion of marine phytoplankton grown in designated reservoirs. However, setting up industrial production has not been feasible thus far. The applications for biomethanol are identical to those for traditional methanol. Formaldehyde, methyl methacrylate, methylamines, acetic acid, and other chemicals are produced for use as antifreeze and solvents.

Biodiesel

It can be used alone or in combination with regular diesel fuel in automotive engines. Numerous studies have shown that biodiesel has an additional benefit in addition to having no adverse environmental effects. Because biodiesel has less sulfur, it is more lubricating and helps prolong the life of serial engines. Plants (cotton, soybean, rapeseed) and fatty oils (palm, rapeseed, coconut) can be used as raw materials to produce biodiesel.

Pros and cons of biodiesel

The main benefit of using this kind of fuel is that it emits fewer emissions into the atmosphere. The amount of carbon dioxide produced during fuel combustion is theoretically equal to the amount of carbon dioxide that oil crops absorb from the atmosphere when viewed as a whole. It can be said that equilibrium is preserved, but only when biodiesel is burned in boilers, which have a high efficiency. However, internal combustion engines only have a 60% efficiency rate, which leads to the formation of carbon monoxide, which pollutes the atmosphere in addition to carbon dioxide.

Because the fuel’s sulfur content is extremely low, using biodiesel has a significantly lower negative environmental impact. Upon entering the water, the fuel does not contaminate it; instead, microorganisms break it down over time. Furthermore, since vegetable fuel has a higher cetane number (51) than petroleum fuel (42-45), the engine runs more smoothly when using it. Among the negatives, it is important to note:

• higher cost compared to conventional fuels;
• impossibility of long-term storage, after 3 months the process of its decomposition begins;
• large sown areas for growing raw materials.

The technological waste of biodiesel produced by hand takes the form of glycerine phase, which is unprocessable at home. Furthermore, home-extracted fuel is of a lower quality than fuel from a factory and can cause numerous issues when operating an internal combustion engine. Consequently, it is recommended that artisans involved in this industry filter the oil as much as possible before pouring it into the tank; this recommendation also holds true for the finished product.

What it is and what biofuels are made of

Renewable and non-renewable resources can be used to categorize all of the Earth’s resources. Nature does not regenerate coal, oil, or metal, but it can continually produce firewood, corn, and manure. Renewable energy comes from anything that grows or is a waste product of these raw materials. People have been using these bioresources, including biofuels, to get the things they need to survive since prehistoric times.

First generation biofuels

However, the individual types of biofuels also differ from each other, let us say, in terms of the importance of the sources of raw materials for biofuels. It is connected with the resources used. For example, to get biofuel from rapeseed, it must first be grown, and then the seeds must be sent for processing. To grow such a crop, the cultivated area is involved, and in fact it is a question of prioritizing what we want to have, food or biofuel. In addition, the production of biomass for biofuel production is connected with the use of specialized fertilizers, which causes certain harm to the land and the environment. This type of feedstock belongs to the first generation.

Second generation

Biofuels, however, can also be derived from other sources, like leftovers from other industries. For instance, sawdust is used to make it, but it is also made from husks left over from processing cereals, leftover stalks, and a variety of other materials. All of this results in the so-called second-generation biofuel, which can be produced using the waste products of other industries and does not require the special cultivation of raw materials.

Third generation

Third-generation biofuels represented the next phase of development. Algae are its source. Some of them have substantial vegetable fat contents that can be used to produce the same kind of biodiesel. Of course, growing algae is necessary to extract biofuel from them, but crop cultivation is not necessary in this process. Algae can grow in areas of the earth’s surface and seabed that are not used for food production, such as ponds, bioreactors, the seabed, or specially designed bays. Therefore, third-generation biofuels should be acknowledged as the most promising even though production technology is still in its early stages of development.

Types of biofuel

Since humans first discovered how to control fire, firewood has been used.

The first biofuel that humans used was just regular firewood, even though at the time few people had heard of the term "biofuel."

Indeed, despite how counterintuitive it may seem, going back to the source of bioenergy is currently one of the development’s prospects. Firewood was previously disregarded as a mass fuel for two reasons:

• First, the energy value of firewood is relatively low. In conventional combustion, only part of the wood mass is involved in combustion, the rest is deposited in the form of soot. This, among other things, makes it necessary to periodically clean the firebox of a heating device that uses wood as fuel. The first reason for abandoning firewood is largely solved by using the principle of two-stage combustion or pyrolysis.

The solid biofuel—wood, sawdust, pellets, etc.—is used as fuel in the first stage.д.) are first heated through a process called pyrolysis that uses a limited amount of oxygen. The fuel produces combustible gas during the pyrolysis process. Conventional gas combustion with an adequate oxygen supply, typically with forced air injection, is the second stage.

The problem of cleaning the furnace was also resolved by two-stage pyrolysis, which allows the fuel to burn almost entirely and extract the maximum amount of energy. The second point is trickier to understand.

• Secondly, firewood has a long replenishment time. Of course, it does not take millions of years to replenish wood, but for the dynamic modern energy industry, the 5-10 years it takes for a seed to turn into an adult tree is still an unacceptably long period of time. Therefore, the search for biofuels suitable for industrial use had to continue.

Ways of manufacturing with your own hands

There are numerous ways to make biofuels at home. These are the options that we will examine.

Biofuel from manure

Manure can be converted to biofuel by fermenting organic waste. The mixture is kept for a long time in a unique, hermetically sealed hopper. The process of evaporation releases a gas that can be utilized as liquid fertilizer, the foundation of organic farming, or for cooking and heating living areas.

Comparing produce grown with pesticides and other chemical fertilizers, that grown with these fertilizers is more environmentally friendly and has a higher market value.

Biogas production

Gas is the second byproduct of the fermentation of manure.

From this raw material, gas is produced by using:

• manure;
• poultry droppings;
• toilet drains;
• food waste;
• plant mass;

To prevent clogging in the pipes intended for the output of spent raw materials, all raw materials must be shred.

At home, gas can be produced. To do this, you will need to buy a gas-tight container. Since the gas produced must remain sealed, this container needs to be hermetically sealed.

After that, the raw material (manure) must be placed inside the container, slightly heated, and left for five days. The produced gas is then gathered in a container and put to use as needed. The biogas production device can be bought from a company that specializes in selling such equipment, or it can be assembled independently.

Charcoal for biogas production

In order to produce biofuel, charcoal—the same kind of coal that nature uses exclusively for frying vegetables and kebabs—can be useful. You can make it yourself, or you can buy it from a store.

There are two methods to make charcoal at home:

Let’s examine each approach in turn. You will then be able to produce coal on your own.

In actuality, a 200-liter barrel is what you’ll need to make charcoal in a barrel. Create an oxygen injection connection at the bottom of the barrel. Next, start a fire in the barrel and add logs one at a time.

Once the barrel is halfway full of firewood, we start applying oxygen pressure. You can use a vacuum cleaner for this. Following this, there will be less smoke and a better burn from the fire. After the logs start to burn a little, you must cover the existing cracks in the barrel with wet clay or earth and close it with a lid. Hold off until the charcoal is ready and the barrel has completely cooled.

Digging a pit with beveled walls and a diameter of 0.8 meters is required to produce charcoal in a pit. However, gather enough logs, dried wood, and tree branches to use as coal before starting a fire.

Layers of wood should be added to the fire carefully and sequentially. After the firewood has burned completely, which should take three hours, cover the logs with moss or dry leaves, cover everything with earth, and tamp everything down thoroughly. The charcoal is ready in two days.

Rapeseed biofuel

Rape seeds fed into the oil mill are converted into oil and meal. Additionally, this oil is sent to a unique facility where it undergoes a series of chemical reactions to produce methyl ether, or biodiesel, from rapeseed oil.

It needs to be filtered before use. When it comes to flammability, this kind of diesel fuel is superior to regular diesel fuel.

What are the advantages of using biofuel

Using biogas has a lot of benefits.

• The cost of biogas today is at parity with gasoline, but at the same time its purity is much higher, which gives good savings on maintenance of heating boilers that operate on this type of fuel.
• There is no dependence on the availability and cost of oil products.
• Sources of biofuel production can be considered renewable, unlike hydrocarbons. After all, biomass decomposition will always take place as long as there is life on Earth. Oil, gas and coal will sooner or later run out in the subsoil, because they were formed for millions of years in strictly defined conditions, which are no longer on the planet today.
• The total amount of harmful emissions into the atmosphere is reduced by about 65%.
• Possibility of independent production. It is impossible to extract oil and make gasoline from it with your own hands, but everyone can produce biofuel with certain knowledge. Moreover, you do not have to search for raw materials for production for a long time.

Biofuels are an accessible and inexhaustible resource

Biofuels are materials derived from plants or animals that are used to generate thermal energy.

Biofuel production can benefit from the utilization of renewable natural resources as well as waste products derived from the pulp and paper industry, wood, and human consumption.

Biofuels can be solid, liquid, or gaseous in their aggregate states, depending on the application and goal.

Solid

Right now, solid biofuels are the most widely used kind of alternative fuel.

Biomass derived from plant leftovers, rape, corn stalks and seeds, straw, sawdust, chips, needles, and leaves, as well as knots, branches, bark, board trimmings, rejected wood pieces, manure, peat, and other materials, is used as feedstock for the production of solid biofuel. The first generation of solid biofuels consists of sawdust, chips, straw, leaves, needles, and other agricultural residues. Biomass is either briquetted or compressed into fuel pellets.

Energy forests, which are composed of groups of quickly growing trees and shrubs, contribute to the preservation of the feedstock balance by offering the required quantity of material for the production of biofuels.

Planting fast-growing trees now will provide feedstock for the production of biofuels in the future.

Liquid

Alcohols, esters, and oils are examples of liquid biofuels. The feedstock is the same biomass that includes plant leftovers, cake, pomace, molasses, and the stalks and seeds of corn, rapeseed, sugar beet, and sugar cane, among other things. We refer to this procedure as esterification. д.

Alcoholic fermentation of biological mass with a high starch and/or sugar content, combined with hydrolysis, forms the fuel. Following purification and distillation, the fermentation solution is transformed into bioethanol, biobutanol, biomethanol, and biodiesel.

The most basic anaerobic fermentation apparatus

Gaseous

Anaerobic fermentation of organic matter results in the production of gaseous biofuel, also known as biogas. Biogas is produced by hydrolyzing, acid-forming, or methane-forming bacteria.

Positioning of ecologically friendly production

Apart from the widely recognized one, another classification scheme for biofuels based on generation is also employed:

• The first generation includes biofuels produced from biological raw materials through fermentation;
• second-generation biofuels are produced from non-hazardous production and consumption waste;
• The third generation includes the production of biofuels from vegetable fats found in algae.

How diesel biofuel is produced

Any crop that yields a significant amount of vegetable oil can be used as the raw material for this kind of fuel. The most common ones are soybean and rape because their processing yields the highest amount of raw materials and, thus, the highest amount of biodiesel as the end product.

Additionally used are animal fats, which are leftovers from tanneries, meat processing facilities, and other businesses. Vegetable oils that have burned off from restaurants and other catering businesses are also appropriate.

It should be mentioned that a comparatively straightforward process is used to create biodiesel from vegetable and animal oil. The following are the key phases of the technological process:

• coarse and fine purification of raw materials (oil) from the smallest impurities;
• mixing oil and methyl alcohol with the addition of an alkaline catalyst in a reactor. The proportions of raw materials and methanol are 9 : 1, the catalyst is sodium or potassium hydroxide;
• heating to 60 ° C and stirring at this temperature for about 2 hours. The stage is called esterification;
• The obtained substance is settled in a separate container and stratified into 2 substances – glycerine fraction and biodiesel itself;
• substances are separated in a separator, after which the fuel undergoes thermal treatment to evaporate water from it.

Note: More processing is required to release the pure glycerol from the substance; it is not yet present in the glycerol phase. Thus, the entire cycle scheme appears considerably more intricate:

The technological equipment used in the production of biodiesel is likewise not very complex; it consists of multiple tanks connected by pipelines and multiple dosing pumps in addition to the main pump. The reactor and other tanks have temperature and level sensors, and a controller regulates the pumps because every step of the process is automated. The operator’s screen shows all of the process data.

Generations of alternative fuel

Many plant species that are utilized as biomass raw materials are typically separated into multiple generations.

Crops with high starch, sugar, fat, and other content percentages are included in the first generation. These include well-known plants like soybeans, canola, sugar beets, and corn. Scientists are working to replace these crops with other forms of biomass because growing them damages the climate and removing them from the market affects product pricing.

Nowadays, practically all forms of contemporary liquid fuels are made from agricultural plants that belong to the first generation of feedstock (biodiesel, ethanol)

The second generation of biomass consists of wood, grass, and agricultural waste (husks and shells). While producing combustible materials, the process of obtaining biofuels from such raw materials is costly, it resolves the problem of using non-food residues.

The presence of lignin and cellulose in crops makes them unique to this variety. They enable the burning, gasification, and pyrolysis of biomass to create liquid fuel. The primary drawback of second generation biomass is thought to be its low yield per unit area, which necessitates the allocation of significant land resources for these crops.

Algae are farmed on an industrial scale, in open water bodies, for example, and are used as raw materials to produce third-generation biofuels.

Monocellular algae-derived biofuels are thought to be the most promising alternative. These plants grow large quickly, and fertile land is not necessary for their cultivation.

Although there is a lot of promise for this practice, the necessary technologies are still being developed. Researchers are also working on developing processes for the production of fourth- and even fifth-generation biofuels.

Is it possible to make biofuel with your own hands

Given that a crisis fuel will likely occur soon, it is time to consider alternative energy sources. Perhaps these are the resources that can aid in our own survival? But it’s important to think about whether anything will take the place of gas or oil. For now, a few encouraging choices are offered. Solar, wind, and other forms of energy are taken into consideration among these options.

Scientists claim that biofuels can be used successfully. This indicates that it can be made using a range of raw materials. It’s also regarded as the most economical choice. In this article, we’ll look at the possibility of using manure to produce biofuel. You can do this on your own as well.

Biogas production at home

1. Dig a hole for the tank. The walls of the tank can be made of any material, the main thing is that it should be airtight. The volume of the tank depends on your needs (one kilogram of biological waste produces half a kilogram of biogas).
2. Fill the tank with bio-waste (plant and animal waste), fill with water and seal it with a lid (remembering to make a channel through which the gas will enter the storage tank.
3. Through a metal pipe we connect the tank for fermentation of biomass with a storage tank.
4. Connecting the system to a gas boiler for heating. Don"t forget about pressure regulators. It is better to entrust this stage to a specialist! Improper operation of the system can lead to gas leakage and explosion.

Biofuel Type	Advantages
Ethanol	Renewable, reduces greenhouse gases, supports agriculture
Biodiesel	Decreases dependence on fossil fuels, biodegradable, reduces emissions

Biofuel appears to be a viable answer for the automotive sector in the twenty-first century as we work to mitigate the effects of climate change and find sustainable substitutes for fossil fuels. Biofuels, as an environmentally friendly and cleaner substitute for conventional gasoline and diesel, are produced from renewable organic materials like plants, algae, and waste.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is one of the main benefits of biofuels. Biofuels release carbon dioxide that has recently been absorbed by the plants during their growth cycle, in contrast to fossil fuels, which when burned release carbon dioxide and other pollutants. By doing this, the net increase in greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere is effectively minimized by creating a closed carbon cycle.

Furthermore promoting energy independence is the diversification of fuel production sources that biofuels provide. Relying on renewable resources instead of depleting fossil fuel reserves can help nations become less reliant on foreign oil imports and improve their energy security. This reduces geopolitical risks and, by growing and processing feedstocks for biofuels, stimulates regional economic growth.

Furthermore, the productivity and scalability of production processes are continually being enhanced by developments in biofuel technology. Researchers are looking into creative ways to improve the energy density and performance of biofuels while lowering production costs and environmental effects. These approaches apply to bioethanol, biodiesel, and emerging biofuel variants.

In summary, biofuel offers a viable route to a more resilient and sustainable automotive sector in the twenty-first century. Utilizing the potential of organic materials that are renewable, we can lower emissions, improve energy security, and move toward a more environmentally friendly and cleaner future for transportation. Biofuel could significantly influence the fuel landscape of the future with continued research and investment.

Video on the topic

Ideal fuel

Can alcohol gasoline and ordinary gasoline be mixed?

DOCK FUEL IS REAL | DISASSEMBLY

NEVER FILL ALCOHOL GASOLINE AND BIOFUELS ?

Ethanol is good or bad? | Science Garage in Russian

Zlatoust resident invented a device that can save gasoline

Why BIOFUEL is a Deception?