How Does
How Do Biofuels Work in a Car?
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Biodiesel, a form of biofuel, essentially works as an alternative to standard car fuel. Unlike diesel fuel that is derived from petroleum or crude oil, biodiesel comes from plant and animal oils that are processed through a series of chemical reactions and is therefore renewable.
To use biodiesel in car engines, one will need to implement little to no modifications in his vehicle. While it is possible to use this fuel in its pure form, commercial biodiesel usually comes mixed with standard diesel. As such, you will find biodiesel blends indicated by Bxx where xx refers to the percentage concentration of biodiesel in the fuel. For instance, B20 means the fuel available contains 20% biodiesel mixed to 80% standard fuel. B100 means your fuel is purely made of biodiesel.
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Just like standard diesel fuel, biofuels work burn as a result of internal combustion in car engines. This is what powers the engine and makes the vehicle run. As earlier mentioned, you don't need to make major modifications on your car engine to make it run on biofuel because this type of fuel works practically in the same way as standard diesel. If anything, biofuel makes engines more efficient in converting and using energy.
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Combustion in biodiesel engines results from the heat of compression. Glow plugs in the engine increase the temperature of the fuel's vapors and compress it at the same time. This will produce the heat that is required for combustion to occur and for the engine to get the vehicle running.
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However, if biofuel in the form of vegetable oil is to be used directly a vehicle, the car's engine has to be modified because this oil is too viscous for the car to handle. In this case, a biodiesel converter needs to be installed in the engine. Biodiesel conversion kits are used to reduce the vegetable oil's viscosity before it reaches the engine injector where fuel is delivered and burned to produce power to make the vehicle run.
eHow Article: How Do Biofuels Work in a Car?
