Biodiesel is currently a vague term. Originally, it referred to the blend of 70-95% regular fuel an 30-5% vegetable oil.
Now the term biodiesel refers to a fuel made from animal fat or vegetable oil by transesterification.
Using biodiesel as marine fuel reduces the emission of practically all harmful substances usual for regular fuels. Due to natural origins of biodiesel, it is safer and less toxic to the environment. Biodiesel fuel can be completely decomposed by microbes in soil and water. As much as 99% of the fuel will is biodegraded in 28 days.
Another notable fact is good mixing ability of vegetable oil esters with regular diesel fuel and the stability of the resulting fuel even in the presence of solved water.
Other benefits of biodiesel are:
- good mixing qualities of biodiesel due to its chemical properties, even the comparatively lower sulfur content has no effect on this;
- cetane number above 51;
- high flashpoint (above 150º) makes biodiesel safer;
- oxygen in biodiesel molecules makes for efficient combustion;
- engine lifetime increase by as much as 60%.
The main feedstock for biodiesel production are such plants as rapeseed, soy, canola, castor, jatropha etc. Other oils are also being tested for suitability. Waste sunflower oil, animal fat, fish grease and algae are also possible feedstocks for biodiesel production.
GlobeCore employs controlled ultrasonic hydrodynamic stream cavitation for the production of biodiesel.
This technology offers significant advantages over the competing processes in terms of reaction speed and product quality.
The traditional methods of biodiesel production requires the oil to be heated to 70°С, which implies increased energy costs. Besides, the regular process requires complex methanol recuperation and extra transesterification. Vacuum drying involves significant energy costs as well. None of this is required with hydrodynamic cavitation, reducing power consumption tenfold. No expensive portioning pumps are necessary: the ejector draws the required amount of ingredients into the flow on its own.
The USB systems by GlobeCore can be operated by biodiesel production facilities, as well as oil refineries, food production facilities or even on farms.