------------ INTRODUCTION ------------
Turbobits started making biodiesel in July 2006 and through its success a new company, TryBiodiesel, was born.
Trybiodiesel has gone from strength to strength and now operates from a dedicated factory at Lapford, 7 miles North of Crediton on the main A377 Barnstaple to Exeter Road.
CLICK HERE to go to www.trybiodiesel.co.uk
------------ ABOUT BIODIESEL ------------
Biodiesel is a clean burning bio-fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources such as waste vegetable oil from restaurants or oilseed crops such as rapeseed.
Biodiesel contains no petroleum but it can be blended, at any level, with normal pump diesel to create a biodiesel blend. It can be used in most diesel engines with no modifications. Biodiesel is simple to use, biodegradable, non toxic, carbon neutral and essentially free of sulphur and aromatics.
Biodiesel has been around for over a century. Dr. Rudolf Diesel actually invented the diesel to run on vegetable oil and in fact, when he presented his engine at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, his engine was running on a fuel derived from peanut oil.
Prior to his death in 1913 he stated that "The diesel engine can be fed with vegetable oils and would help considerably in the development of agriculture of the countries which use it." and "The use of vegetable oils for engine fuels may seem insignificant today but such oils may become, in course of time, as important as petroleum and the coal tar products of the present time." However due to the low cost of mineral oils at the time, his engine was modified to run such oils...
In European countries since the mid 1990's and in the UK since 2002 reductions in bio-fuel duty has made the use of bio-diesel economically viable as it is now seen to be the sustainable fuel of the future.
Biodiesel is made through a process called transesterification whereby the glycerine is separated from the vegetable oil. The process leaves behind two products - biodiesel and glycerine. Here at Turbobits we make Bio Diesel and sell it in the Mid-Devon area. We are also the South West's main dealers for Green Fuels Ltd, who manufacture the Fuelmeister range of bio-diesel processors as well as the small "Fuel Pod" for home biodiesel production.
------------ FREQENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ------------
1. ARE THERE ANY MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED IN MY DIESEL VEHICLE TO USE BIODIESEL?
2. CAN I MIX BIODIESEL WITH REGULAR (PUMP) FOSSIL DIESEL?
3. HOW SAFE IS BIO DIESEL TO HANDLE, WHAT ABOUT SPILLS?
4. WILL BIODIESEL VOID MY VEHICLE WARRANTY?
5. HOW LONG CAN I STORE BIODIESEL?
------------ANSWERS ------------
1. ARE THERE ANY MODIFICATIONS REQUIRED IN MY DIESEL VEHICLE TO USE BIODIESEL?
In most cases you can start using biodiesel immediately without any modification. The only exception is older (pre 1995) diesels which may have natural rubber fuel lines which are susceptible to slow degradation with bio diesel... just get your local garage to replace these with synthetic fuel lines and you're done.
We also recommend that you replace your fuel filter after your first tank of bio-diesel, since bio diesel is a very good solvent and will scrub out all the tars, varnishes and gum left by the fossil fuel that you have been using for years.
2. CAN I MIX BIODIESEL WITH REGULAR (PUMP) FOSSIL DIESEL?
You can mix biodiesel with fossil diesel in any ratio, back and forth, with no problems. You can run on 100% bio-diesel and then top up with fossil diesel from a fuel station if you are away from a biodiesel supply, then switch back to bio-diesel when you can get some again.
3. HOW SAFE IS BIO DIESEL TO HANDLE, WHAT ABOUT SPILLS?
Biodiesel is non toxic, fully biodegradable and safer to store than fossil diesel. It has a flash point more than twice that of fossil diesel (125C as compared to 50C).
4. WILL BIODIESEL VOID MY VEHICLE WARRANTY?
This is an ongoing issue and it varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and from country to country. It is best to check directly with your vehicle manufacturer.
5. HOW LONG CAN I STORE BIODIESEL?
You will minimize the possibility of any problems by using bio-diesel within 6 months of its manufacture. |
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