Bio Diesel Is Much More Than Just Relabeled Vegetable Oil

Posted: Oct 13, 2013
Author: Bumgarner Oil

The original engine designed by Rudolf Diesel was designed to run on vegetable oil, and Diesel actually used peanut oil when he demonstrated the motor on several occasions. However, this does not mean that owners of modern diesel engines can simply dump raw vegetable oil into their vehicles and drive off.

Diesel engines have come a long way since the original design of the late 1800’s and are now lighter, more robust, and a lot more powerful than the early prototype developed by Mr. Diesel. As a result they are dependent on high-quality fuel to operate optimally and not become clogged or damaged.

None of this means that diesel engines can’t be powered with vegetable-based fuels – on the contrary, these fuels offer an increasingly viable, cost-effective and sustainable option, and we may well see more vehicles running on oil of vegetable origin than on petroleum diesel in the near future.

The fuel made from vegetable oil that is suitable for use in diesel engines is generally referred to as bio diesel. Although bio diesel is made from vegetable oils, it is not simply repackaged and given a new name; it is first subjected to a complex refining process that makes it suitable for use in modern diesel engines.

This video clip gives an overview of the basic processes used to convert raw vegetable oil into bio diesel.    

For bio diesel in Hickory NC, contact us at Bumgarner Oil. We have been servicing gas stations, commercial contracts, and residential homes since 1954. We're a local oil company that you can trust!