Abstract:
The increased demand for liquid petrol fuels, as well as their higher and higher price, the non-uniform allocation of petroleum reserves on the globe, corroborated with the restrictions imposed by environment conservation, have an impulse to the scientific researches regarding new unconventional energy sources and alternative fuels such as bio-diesel. Bio-diesel has been gaining worldwide popularity as an alternative energy source because it is non toxic, biodegradable and non flammable. The classic ways of producing bio-diesel have certain difficulties and disadvantages that determined researches for finding alternative technologies for its production. Thus, a new technology for second generation bio-diesel production has been proposed, that starts with the catalytic treatment of triglycerides contained in vegetable oils and animal fats with hydrogen enriched gas, obtaining fatty acids and glycerin. The hydrogen enriched gas is a gas obtained by the electrolysis of water. For obtaining the final product - “reformulated bio-diesel”, the catalytic hydrogenation is continued until reaching fat alcohols and superior alkanes. The enriched bio-diesel thus obtained will be tested with regard to the physical and chemical characteristics, the caloric power and cetane number and will be also tested on an engine, on a specialized stand.
Keywords:
Bio-diesel, hydrogenation, acids, fat alcohols, alkanes
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