Biodiesel Exhaust Emissions and Determination of their Environmental and Health Effects

Abstract

In Europe, the use of rapeseed oil fuels in diesel engines has been intensively investigated since the energy crisis of the early 1970s. In the beginning, the emphasis was placed on the technical possibilities associated with the use of rapeseed oil as a fuel. However, research has shown that pure rapeseed oil can only be used in specially designed engines. Research that followed indicated that rapeseed oil methylester (RME) was a suitable replacement for petroleum diesel fuel (DF) [30]. After this discovery, research has focused on the engine exhaust emissions that result when fueling with both unmodified rapeseed oil and RME [14]. In the USA research has focused on soybean oil methylester (SME). Both RME and SME are called Biodiesel. In Germany Biodiesel must fulfill the standard DIN V 51606.