BIOFUELS THE FUELS OF THE FUTURE

Aseem Kirtiman Chauhan

Student, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lingayas University, Faridabad, India
chauhanaseem@gmail.com

Abstract -- Biofuel is a type of fuel whose energy is derived from biological carbon fixation. Biofuels include fuels derived from biomass conversion, as well as solid biomass, liquid fuels and various biogases. Nowadays, liquid fuels are widely used in the transport sector. The advantage of liquid fuels is that they are easy to store and transport. Transport fuels are classified into two categories: Fossil Fuels which are mainly based on crude oil and natural gas and Biofuels made from renewable resources. The use of Biofuels largely depends on the potential of available feedstock sources. The overall Biofuel potential largely depends on climate, land availability and the productivity of dedicated energy crops. Biodiesel is quite similar to fossil diesel and has similar properties. Biofuels are gaining popularity because of its advantages of being cheaper than fossil fuels, are considered carbon neutral, reduce dependence on foreign fuels, etc. There is substantial scientific evidence that accelerating global warming is a cause of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One of the main greenhouse gas is Carbon Di-oxide (CO2), but also Nitrous Oxide (N20), Methane (CH4) and several other compounds are even more severe to global warming that CO2 International trade of Biofuels is small compared to international trade of fossil fuels. Biofuels are traded mainly between neighboring regions and countries. But since Biofuel production is growing continuously, new trading relationships will be established in future. Thus, also trade over long distances will increase. Biofuel development in India centers mainly around the cultivation and processing of Jatropha plant seeds which are very rich in oil. Keywords-- 1Biofuels, 2Biomass, 3Biodiesel,

Alcohol fuels can substitute for gasoline I spark ignition engines, while biodiesel, green diesel and DME are suitable for use in compression ignition engines. The Fischer Tropsch process can produce a variety of different hydrocarbon fuels, the primary one of which is a diesel like fuel for compression ignition engines. Biofuels can also be used for cooking, especially in rural areas of developing countries. In all cases, combustion of Biofuels for cooking will yield emissions of pollutants that are lower than emissions from cooking with solid fuels.

I.

INTRODUCTION
Fig 1. Showing comparison between petroleum and biofuels

Biofuels are drawing increasing attention worldwide as substitutes for petroleum derived transportation fuels to help address energy cost, energy security and global warming concerns associated with liquid fossil fuels. The term Biofuel is used here to mean any liquid fuel made from plant material that can be used as a substitute for petroleum-derived fuel. Biofuels are popularly classified as first generation and second-generation fuels. First Generation Biofuels (Conventional Biofuels) are made from sugars, grains or seeds. Second generation Biofuels are produced from sustainable feedstock. Second Generation Biofuels are not yet commercially produced in any country.

II. COMPARISON OF FIRST GENERATION AND SECOND GENERATION BIOFUELS A. First Generation Biofuels First Generation Biofuels are also called as Conventional Biofuels and are made from sugar, starch and vegetable oil.

1) Bio-alcohols: They are produced by the action of microorganisms and enzymes through the fermentation of sugars or starches, or cellulose. Ex. Bio-methanol, Bio-butanol and Ethanol Fuel 2) Biodiesel: It is the most common Biofuel in Europe. It is produced from oils or fats using transesterification and is a liquid similar in composition to fossil/mineral diesel. Chemically, it consists mostly of fatty acid methyl (or ethyl) esters (FAMEs). 3) Green Diesel: Green diesel, also known as renewable diesel, is a form of diesel fuel which is derived from renewable feedstock rather than the fossil feedstock used in most diesel fuels. 4) Bioethers: Bioethers are cost-effective compounds that act as octane rating enhancers. They also enhance engine performance, whilst significantly reducing engine wear and toxic exhaust emissions. 5) Biogas: Biogas is methane produced by the process of anaerobic digestion of organic material by anaerobes. It can be produced either from biodegradable waste materials or by the use of energy crops fed into anaerobic digesters to supplement gas yields. The solid byproduct, digestate, can be used as a Biofuel or a fertilizer. 6) Syngas: Syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and other hydrocarbons is produced by partial combustion of biomass, that is, combustion with an amount of oxygen that is not sufficient to convert the biomass completely to carbon dioxide and water. Before partial combustion the biomass is dried, and sometimes pyrolysed. The resulting gas mixture, syngas, is more efficient than direct combustion of the original Biofuel; more of the energy contained in the fuel is extracted. B. Second Generation Biofuels Second Generation Biofuels are also known as Advanced Biofuels. Second Generation Biofuels can supply a larger proportion of our fuel supply sustainably, affordably, and with greater environmental benefits. Second Generation Biofuels can be classified in terms of the process used to convert the biomass to fuel: Biochemical or Thermochemical. Second Generation alcohols are made via biochemical processing, while all other Second Generation Biofuels are made via thermochemical processing. The Second Generation thermochemical fuels include methanol, refined Fischer Tropsch Liquids (FTL), and dimethyl ether (DME). Mixed alcohols can also be made from fossil fuels, but there is no commercial production currently due to the immature state of some components of system for producing these. The other thermochemical Biofuel is green diesel, for which there is no

obvious fuel analog. Unrefined fuels, such as pyrolysis oils, are also produced thermochemically, but these require considerable refining before they can be used in engines. 1) Second Generation Biochemical Biofuels: The fuel properties of Second Generation ethanol or butanol are identical to those of the first generation equivalents, but because the starting feedstock is lignocelluose, Second Generation Biochemically produced alcohol fuels are often referred to as cellulosic ethanol and cellulosic biobutanol. The basic steps for producing these include pre-treatment, saccharification, fermentation, and distillation Pretreatment is designed to help separate cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin so that the complex carbohydrate molecules constituting the cellulose and hemicellulose can be broken down by enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis into their constituent simple sugars.

2) Second Generation Thermochemical Biofuels: Thermochemical biomass conversion involves processes at much higher temperatures and pressures than those found in Biochemical conversion systems. Thermochemical production of Biofuels begins with gasification or pyrolysis. The different Biofuels are Fisher-Tropsch Liquids (FTL), Dimethyl Ether (DME) and various alcohols. Fischer Tropsch Liquid (FTL) is a mixture of primarily straight-chain hydrocarbon compounds that resembles a semirefined crude oil. FTL is synthesized by Fischer Tropsch process. FT process is a collection of chemical reactions that converts mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen into liquid hydrocarbons. (2n+1) H2 + n CO CnH(2n+2) + n H2O (Where n is a positive integer) Dimethyl Ether (DME) , also known as methoxymethane, is the organic compound with the formula CH3OCH3. The simplest ether, it is a colorless gas that is a useful precursor to other organic compounds and an aerosol propellant. When combusted, DME produces minimal soot and CO, though HC and NOx formation is significant. DME can act as a clean fuel when burned in engines properly optimized for DME. Its physical properties make it a suitable substitute for LPG. It the DME blending level is limited to 15-25% by volume, mixtures of LPG and DME can be used with combustion equipment designed for LPG without changes to the equipment. Alcohol Fuels (CnH2n+1OH) have high octane number. The widely used alcohol fuels are Methanol, Ethanol, Propanol and Butanol. Butanol and the mixed -alcohol fuel have the potential to be used much the way ethanol is used today for blending with gasoline.

Biofuels readily usable in existing petroleum infrastructure Commercial Technology Available today Simple Conversion Process Markets for by-products of fuel Capital Investment per unit of production Feedstock cost per unit of production Total Cost of Production Minimum Scale for Optimum Economics Land-use Efficiency Direct food vs. fuel competition Feasibility of using marginal lands for feedstock production Ability to optimize feedstock choice for local conditions Potential for net reduction in petroleum use Potential for net reduction in fossil fuel use Potential for net reduction in greenhouse gas emissions

1st Generation Biofuels Yes Yes Yes Yes Lower Higher High Modest Low Yes Poor Limited Good Modest Modest

2nd Generation Biofuels No No No Yes/No Higher Lower Lower Large High No Good High Better High High

Table 1 First Generation vs. Second Generation Biofuels

III.

TRADE OPPORTUNITIES

Engineer, Shell Australia) for their constant encouragement and support. REFERENCES
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In 2010 worldwide Biofuel production reached 105 billion liters (28 billion gallons US), up 17% from 2009, and Biofuels provided 2.7% of the world's fuels for road transport, a contribution largely made up of ethanol and biodiesel. Global ethanol fuel production reached 86 billion liters (23 billion gallons US) in 2010, with the United States and Brazil as the world's top producers, accounting together for 90% of global production. The world's largest biodiesel producer is the European Union, accounting for 53% of all biodiesel production in 2010. Currently there exists a significant demand of Biofuels in industrialized countries, driven largely by regulatory mandates for blending of Biofuels into petroleum fuels. This demand is likely to grow considerably in the years ahead, driven by increasingly ambitious regulatory mandates, sustained high oil prices, and energy security concerns. Biofuel demands in many developing countries will also grow, driven by similar factors. Opportunities for trade in bio fuels or bio fuel feed stocks will be expanding. The development of bio fuels industries in developing countries supplying domestic and/or global markets. ACKNOWLEDGMENT I would like to thank the faculty and staff of Department of Mechanical Engineering, Lingayas University for their guidance and support. I would like to thank Mr. Rajan Mital (Jt. Registrar, Lingayas University) and Aman Shaktiman Chauhan (Reservoir