Regan Brown
Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, originally designed it to run on peanut oil. However, the petroleum industry soon began using a byproduct of petroleum distillation to power the engine, which we now know as diesel fuel. Diesel engines can also run on straight vegetable oil (SVO) or biodiesel, though SVO will only burn if its viscosity is similar to that of petrodiesel. Biodiesel is produced from waste vegetable oil (WVO) or virgin oil feedstock, and has many advantages over petrodiesel, including being theoretically carbon-neutral and producing less asthma-causing particulate matter.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pros | Cheap, produces less emissions and hydrocarbons than diesel, safe for the environment |
| Cons | Not an OEM-recommended fuel type |
| Ideal for | Old diesel engine car or truck |
| Not ideal for | Primary and expensive cars like Mercedes or BMW |
| Autoignition temperature | Approximately 400-450°F (204-260°C) |
| Cold start | Requires diesel |
| Operating temperature | Vegetable oil needs heating |
| Viscosity | Must be brought down to a level similar to petro-diesel |
| Heating mechanism | Must be added to run engine on SVO |
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What You'll Learn
Cooking oil and diesel have a similar ignition temperature
It is possible to fuel a diesel engine with cooking oil, and this has been done since the invention of the diesel engine by Rudolph Diesel, who used peanut oil in his original design. The process is possible because cooking oil and diesel have a similar ignition temperature. Diesel fuel has a flashpoint between 52 and 96 °C (126 and 205 °F) and an auto-ignition temperature of approximately 210-280 °C (410-536 °F). Cooking oil has a similar auto-ignition temperature of 204-260 °C (400-450 °F).
The flash point of a material is the lowest temperature at which vapours are produced in a quantity large enough to ignite. The auto-ignition temperature is the temperature at which the material will spontaneously ignite without an external ignition source. Diesel engines have no ignition source, so diesel fuel must have a low auto-ignition temperature.
The similarity in auto-ignition temperatures between cooking oil and diesel means that cooking oil can be used as a substitute for diesel fuel in diesel engines. However, there are some differences in the combustion process. For example, diesel is a hydrocarbon, while cooking oil is not, so cooking oil produces fewer emissions and hydrocarbons when burned. In ideal combustion, cooking oil produces only CO₂ and H₂O, while diesel produces additional emissions such as CO, PM, and UHC.
Despite the advantages of using cooking oil as a fuel, there are some potential drawbacks. One issue is the different ignition ratios of the two fuels, which can cause problems during cold starts. To address this, some people modify their vehicles to include two fuel tanks: one for diesel and one for cooking oil. The vehicle is started on diesel and once the engine is heated up, it is switched to cooking oil. Additionally, before reaching your destination, it is necessary to switch back to diesel to clean out the injectors, as vegetable oil can clog them.
Overall, cooking oil can be a cheap and environmentally friendly alternative to diesel fuel for old diesel engine cars or trucks. However, it is not recommended for use in primary or expensive vehicles as it is not an OEM-approved fuel type.
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Pros and cons of using cooking oil as diesel fuel
Pros
Cooking oil can be a cheap and good alternative to diesel fuel. Used cooking oil can be obtained for free from your own home, or at a very low price from fast-food stalls and shops. Diesel engines can run on straight vegetable oil or filtered waste vegetable oil without any noticeable problems. This is because the combustion ratio and auto-ignition temperature of diesel and cooking oil are almost the same. This makes cooking oil a perfect way to limit one's carbon footprint by lessening fossil fuel usage.
Cons
Using cooking oil as fuel in diesel engines is not an OEM-recommended fuel type. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has banned the use of veggie-oil cars because accurate levels of pollution haven't been determined. The oil has to be warmed before use, which can be a cumbersome process. Additionally, before reaching your destination, you have to switch back to diesel to clean out your injectors, otherwise, the vegetable oil can clog them.
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How to modify your car to use cooking oil
Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine, originally designed it to run on peanut oil. However, the petroleum industry soon began using a byproduct of petroleum distillation to power the engine, which became known as diesel fuel.
Today, diesel engines can still be modified to run on vegetable oil, including used cooking oils. This can be done by adding a heating mechanism to the fuel line or tank, as vegetable oil needs to be heated to be aerosolized and injected into the pistons. This can be achieved by routing coolant around the fuel tank or using the sun to heat the fuel container.
Another option is to add a second fuel tank for vegetable oil, keeping the original diesel tank for cold starts. Once the engine is heated, you can switch to vegetable oil.
It is important to note that before reaching your destination, you should switch back to diesel to clean out your injectors, as vegetable oil can clog them.
While using vegetable oil as fuel has several advantages, including being cheaper and producing less emissions and hydrocarbons, it is not recommended for use in primary or expensive cars as it is not an OEM-recommended fuel type.
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Vegetable oil can be used as fuel
Most diesel car engines are suitable for the use of SVO, commonly called pure plant oil (PPO), with certain modifications. The viscosity and surface tension of the SVO/PPO must be reduced by preheating it, typically by using waste heat from the engine or electricity. This is because the vegetable oil needs to be heated to a high enough temperature to be sufficiently thinned. One common solution is to add a heat exchanger and an additional fuel tank for the petrodiesel or biodiesel blend and to switch between this additional tank and the main tank of SVO/PPO. The engine is started on diesel, switched over to vegetable oil once it is warmed up, and switched back to diesel shortly before being switched off to ensure no vegetable oil remains in the engine or fuel lines. In colder climates, it may be necessary to heat the vegetable oil fuel lines and tank as it can become very viscous and even solidify.
Many cars powered by indirect injection engines supplied by in-line injection pumps or mechanical Bosch injection pumps are capable of running on pure SVO/PPO in all but winter temperatures. The most popular of these are the OM616 and OM617 engines found in the Mercedes-Benz W123 and W124 vehicles manufactured from 1980 to 1985.
Used cooking oil can be used as fuel, which can be obtained from one's own home or purchased at a low price from fast-food stalls or shops. Cooking oil and diesel engines have almost the same ignition temperature, so cooking oil can work as well as diesel fuel. However, cooking oil will not cause a problem in cold start times, so people modify their cars and add another fuel tank in the boot. The vehicle is started on diesel, and once the vehicle is heated up, it is switched to cooking oil.
There are some downsides to using vegetable oil as fuel. One issue is that biodiesel is already having an impact on food crops, as farmers have more incentive to grow corn for diesel/alcohol than for food. Another issue is that using vegetable oil as fuel is not recommended for primary and expensive cars like Mercedes or BMW as it is not an OEM-recommended fuel type.
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Biodiesel vs petrodiesel
Biodiesel, which consists of chemicals called fatty acid methyl esters (FAME), can be used as an alternative to fuel diesel engines. Biodiesel has a higher lubricity than petrodiesel, which can reduce engine wear. Biodiesel also contains no sulfur, leading to reduced pollution. Additionally, biodiesel has a higher oxygen content, typically 10 to 12 percent, resulting in lower pollution emissions.
However, biodiesel causes a slight reduction in peak engine power, approximately 4 percent. One of the major drawbacks of biodiesel is its tendency to thicken and gel at low temperatures, which can be problematic for engines operated in cold climates. Biodiesel is also more chemically active as a solvent, which can be aggressive to certain materials. Furthermore, the quality of biodiesel can vary, especially in small-scale productions, and poor-quality biodiesel can negatively impact engine performance.
Petrodiesel, or petroleum diesel, on the other hand, consists mostly of saturated hydrocarbons with a small percentage of aromatic compounds. It has a more uniform and reliable quality compared to biodiesel. While petrodiesel is a hydrocarbon, biodiesel is derived from seeds or plants, resulting in lower emissions and no hydrocarbon production upon burning.
In terms of cost, biodiesel sourced from used cooking oil is significantly cheaper than diesel. Cooking oil can be obtained for free from households or at low prices from fast-food stalls. However, using cooking oil as fuel may not be recommended for newer or expensive vehicles. Additionally, modifications may be required to use cooking oil, such as adding a second fuel tank for cold starts, as cooking oil has a different ignition ratio.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, diesel engines can run on cooking oil. In fact, the inventor of the diesel engine, Rudolph Diesel, used peanut oil in his original design.
No, you can use new or used cooking oil.
Cooking oil produces fewer emissions and hydrocarbons than diesel. It is also cheaper and more environmentally friendly, producing only CO₂ and H₂O in ideal combustion.
Yes, cooking oil has a higher viscosity than diesel, so a heating mechanism needs to be added to the fuel line or tank to reduce its thickness. Additionally, before reaching your destination, you must switch back to diesel to clean out your injectors, as vegetable oil can clog them.
You can either modify your car to add a second fuel tank for cooking oil or start driving on diesel and switch to cooking oil once the engine is heated up.
