Bio fuels
An Alternate Fuel
Mian Shafiq
General Science & Ability
A post-petroleum future?
Our modern societies are dependent on high energy use
D e fi n i ti o n
• Biofuels are solid, liquid, or gaseous fuels consisting of, or
derived directly or indirectly from biomass, or biological
materials.
• Biofuel is a renewable form of energy
• Biofuels are derived from biomass formed through a process
of carbon fixation.
How biofuel is made
• A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through
contemporary biological processes, such as
agriculture and anaerobic digestion
• biodiesel is made through a chemical process
called transesterification which essentially
splits the oil into two parts: alkyl esters and
glycerine; the esters are the fuel
What is BIOMASS
• Biomass is biological material derived from
living, or recently living organisms. In the
context of biomass for energy this is often
used to mean plant based material, but
biomass can equally apply to both animal and
vegetable derived material.
FUELS
• Biofuel is the fuel which is produced from organic products
and wastes.
• The common commercially used biofuels are bioethanol,
biodiesel and biomethane.
Bioethanol is made from sugar, algae, wheat and sugar
beet
Biodiesel is made from vegetable oil, algal lipids, animal
fats
Biomethane can be produced from waste organic material,
sewage, agriculture waste and domestic wastes.
Biofuel Feedstock
Soybean Corn Sugarcane Sugar beet
Switchgrass Jatropha Camelina Algae
Biofuel Feedstock
Cassava Palm oil Certain fungi
Animal fat Agricultural wastes
Classification of Biofuels
1st Generation Biofuels
Also called conventional biofuels. It includes sugar, starch, or
vegetable oil
2nd Generation Biofuels
known as advanced biofuels and can be manufactured from
different types of biomass. These are non Food biomass The
biomass contains lignocellulosic material like wood, straw and
waste plastic
3rd Generation Biofuels
Extract from algae mostly marine algae
Advantages of Biofuels over Fossil Fuels
• Lower emissions Green gas
• Renewable
• Biodegradable
• Safer
Common Types of Biofuels
Bioethanol
Biobutanol Biofuels Biodiesel
Biogas
Bioethanol
Bioethanol is produced by the fermentation of
carbohydrate rich source which includes sugar
cane, sugar beet, corn etc
It is colorless and clear liquid
One of the widely used alternative automotive
fuel in the world
Bioethanol
Milling ( sugarcane stem &
separation of juice and bagasse)
Fermentation (conversion of sugar
into alcohol, production of
ethanol)
Distillation (separation of ethanol)
Dehydration
(azeotropic mixture)
Bioethanol
C12H22O11 + H2O C6H12Invertase
O6 + C6H12O6
Sucrose Glucose Fructose
C6H12O6 C2HZymase
5OH + CO2
Glucose Ethanol
• Fermentation process requires 3 days to complete and is carried
out at a temperature of between 250°C and 300°C.
Ad-Disadvantages of Bioethanol
Advantages Disadvantages
Ethanol is a renewable resource Large amounts leading to problems
such as soil erosion, deforestation.
Ethanol burns more cleanly in air Typical current engines would require
than petroleum modification
The use of ethanol reduce carbon Expensive
dioxide emissions
Biodiesel
• Biodiesel, an alternative diesel fuel, is made from re-
new able biological sources such as vegetable oils
and animal fats.
• Similar to petroleum diesel fuel in structure (straight
chain) and number of carbon atoms (10 to 21)
• The Biodiesel can be prepared by Transesterification.
Biodiesel from Different Oil
Plant Oil Alcohol Temperature Reaction Time Catalyst
Soybean and Ethyl 70 3 Hours NaOH
Castor (Brazil)
Wastes frying oil Methyl 60 1 Hours NaOH
Rapeseed Methyl 60 33 mins KOH
Sunflower Methyl 25 45 mins KOH
Application of Biodiesel
• Railway usage
• Aircraft use
• As a heating oil
• Cleaning oil spills
• Biodiesel in generators
• Vehicles
Advantages-Disadvantages of Biodiesel
Can be used pure biodiesel B100. Biodiesel is significantly more
expensive compared to standard
diesel
Biodiesel has shorter ignition delay Biodiesel can release nitrogen oxide
compared to standard diesel which can lead to the formation of
smog.
Biodiesel has no sulfur content, and so Pure biodiesel has significant
it doesn't contribute to acid rain problems with low temperatures
formation
Biodiesel has good lubricating Food Shortage can be occurred
properties better than standard diesel
Comparison between Bioethanol & Biodiesel
Bioethanol Biodiesel
Process Fermentation Transesterification
Environmental Benefit Both reduce greenhouse gas emissions
Compatibility Blended E85 % B100 %
Costs Cheaper More expensive
Gallons per acre 420 gallons per acre 60 gallons per acre
soybeans.
Energy provides 93% more net produces only 25% more
energy per gallon net energy.
Biogas
• A mixture of CH4 , CO2 and other gases
Gas %
Methane 50–75
Carbon dioxide 25–50
Nitrogen 0–10
Hydrogen 0–1
Hydrogen sulfide 0–3
Oxygen 0–2
Biogas
• Biogas is a fuel used as domestic purpose
• Obtained from cow manure, fruit and vegetable
waste
• Biogas is produced by the breakdown of organic waste by
bacteria without oxygen anaerobic digestion
Biogas Plant
Gas to kitchen
Sludge used as a
fertiliser
Stops air getting into the
digester- creates
anaerobic condition
Advantages Biogas
• Reduce air and water pollution
• more environmentally friendly fertilizers
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• concerns about waste management in the
agriculture and food industry
• Energy security
Application of Biogas
• Cooking
• Lighting
• Fuel for engine
Advantages of Biofuels
• Renewable
• Reduce Greenhouse Gases
• Economic Security
• Easy to Source
• Lower level of Pollution
Disadvantages of Biofuel
• High Cost of Production
• Industrial Pollution
• Future Rise in Price
• Shortage of Food
• Use of Fertilizer
• Reduce wastes
• Cleaner air
• New agricultural markets
• Improve balance of payments
• global warming reduction
• Benefit developing nations
