Alternative Fuels

How to make biodiesel

TRANSESTRIFICATION- where alcohol in ester compound swapped for another alcohol. Do this to veg oil, add methanol and catalyst, have similar combustion properties to petrol. Then mix with diesel before putting in car, so diesel last longer.

Advantages

• Porduces little SO2 and CO2
• CO2 neutral
• Less particulates produced than petrol~ less global dimming
• Less harmful if spillage
• Renewable

Disadvantages:

• Expensive
• Not widely avaible
• More NOx emissions

Uses

• Cleaning up tools and grease
• Removing paint and adhesives
• Adding lubricity to dieselfuel

How to make hydrogen

Steam reforming~ seperate hydrogen and carbom atoms in methane

OR

Electrolysis~ split hydrogen from water

Advantages

• No CO2 produced
• Easily produced in any country
• Can be cheaper

Disadvantages

• Flammable
• Can freeze in cold air

Uses

Make:

• Fertilisers
• Glass
• Amnonia

How to make ethanol

Non-renewable: ethene+steam+phosphoric acid catalyst=ethanol

Renewable: water+yeast+sugars=ethanol+CO2

Advantages

• Envirionmentally friendly
• Can mix with petrol (NOT diesel) to make it last longer
• Burns easily and cleanly

Disadvantages

• Requires a lot of land (growing sugar)
• Producing it needs more energy than you get at the other end

How to make manure

Get an animal, feed it, and ta da

Advantages

• Waste gases can be used to generate electricity
• Environmentally friendly
• Easy to produce

Disadvantages

• Smells
• Costs a lot to keep animals~ food etc
• Produces methane~ global warming

Uses

• Fertiliser
• Recycling
• Solid fuel

Uses

• Antidotes
• Antiseptics
• Perfumes