Tag: alternative fuels and energy sources

Biodiesel blend is a mixer of methyl or ethyl esters derived from a broad variety of renewable sources such as vegetable oil, animal fat and recycled cooking oil. These esters are oxygenated organic compounds that can be used in compression ignition engines. Blend of 20% to 80 % with petroleum diesel significantly reduces carcinogenic emissions and gases that contribute to global warming. It can be used as a 20% blend in most diesel equipment with no or only minor modifications. B20 is the most commonly used biodiesel blend in the United States because it provides a good balance between material compatibility, cold weather operability, performance, emission benefits and costs. 

Biodiesel is a renewable alternative fuel created from vegetable oils, animal fats and greases through a chemical process. The chemical process involves reaction of natural oils with an alcohol in the presence of a catalyst (usually sodium hydroxide [$NaOH$] or potassium hydroxide [$KOH$] and then refining the mixture to create molecules which can be easily burned in a diesel engine.

The following is/are true for hydrogen as the future fuel.
Efforts are being taken to reduce the cost of production of hydrogen.
Better and safer methods of transportation and storage of hydrogen are being worked out.
If these problems are solved, hydrogen will prove to be an ideal fuel not only for rockets but also for vehicles and domestic use.

Sewer gases may include hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, esters, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Sewer gas is a generic name for the collection of gases and airborne agents
that often accompany sewage and the natural processes and reactions associated with sewage processing and the decomposition of organic materials.

Sewer gas is a complex mixture of toxic and nontoxic gases produced and collected in sewage systems by the decomposition of organic household or industrial wastes, typical components of sewage. Sewer gases may include hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, methane, esters, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

The following are the advantages of using hydrogen as an automobile fuel.
The amount of energy released per unit weight of the fuel is very high.
The combustion hydrogen does not produce polluting emissions of CO, $CO _2$, oxides of nitrogen, and sulphur, aldehydes etc. Here, combustion product of hydrogen is water with few traces of nitrogen oxides. So no pollution is caused.
The technology required for use of hydrogen fuel is simple and cost effective.
The fuel cells using catalytic combustion of hydrogen have efficiency of 70-80 percent.

Molasses is a factory waste from sugar industry. It does not contain any traces of methane. So, methane is not obtained from molasses.

Hydrogen gas is considered as the cleanest fuel because when hydrogen burns in air, it produces nothing but water vapour.

Wars between countries can also hamper supply of energy specially if it happens in Middle East countries like Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Kuwait, UAE or Qatar. Thats what happened during 1990 Gulf war when price of oil reached its peak causing global shortages and created major problem for energy consumers.

Higher the methane content, higher the calorific value. Pure $CH _4$ has a Gross Calorific Value of 39.8 $MJ/m^3$. the rate of combustion of biogas is quite high as it is produced by anaerobic decomposition of animal and plant waste.
It does not leave any ash behind after burning as cow dung and other organic matter is used in the preparation of biogas.