Characterization of Biodiesel Using Various Feedstocks

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in biodiesel as a source of renewable energy. It burns cleaner than petroleum and can be produced fairly easily with the right equipment. Biodiesel can be used in many applications such as in motor vehicles, aircraft, and as heating oil. One of the benefits of biodiesel is the fact that it can be made from a variety of feedstocks. There are several feeds that have been chosen to be tested. Corn is the most abundant feed in the Midwest, soybean has been chosen since it has become a standard in biodiesel production, canola oil is the most prominent feed used in Europe leading to the question of the quality difference, and used cooking oil to see if the waste can be put to good use. This project compares the characteristics of different biodiesels made from different feedstocks and will provide valuable insight on the optimal feedstock for diesel