So what does this result in? Apart from being made from renewable sources that are already being recycled into a second life: Carbon monoxide emissions are reduced by 43%, hydrocarbons by 56%, particulates by 55%, and sulfurs (a key cause of acid rain) are reduced by 100%.
Green Machine Team Bermuda's focus at this time is upgrading diesel engine fuel systems (car, truck, marine, heavy equipment) to run on SVO. Following the upgrade, the vehicle can run on conventional petroleum diesel, SVO, bio-diesel, or any mix thereof. This is a two tank installation with NO modifications to the engine itself. While this may be a new idea to Bermuda, the technology has been proven over many years in other parts of the world.
Vegetable Oil – Biodisel, what’s the difference?
Chemically, the energy dense structure of vegetable oil makes for an attractive petroleum diesel substitute. In fact it always has, and for good reason. In 1898, Rudolph Diesel’s then new compression ignition engine design was first unveiled at the Paris world fair, and it ran on…Peanut Oil. Diesel’s vision was to empower farmers and small industry with independence from the growing monopolies of the time. Regrettably, this vision was not seen through due to an unexplained and untimely death. It would seem however that the climate has not changed much. OPEC anyone?
Today, the issue to overcome in utilizing SVO as fuel is the viscosity – oil is thick at room temperature, which is an issue in today’s modern engines and high pressure injection systems. The key here becomes to reduce the viscosity to overcome this and there are two ways to do this:
1) Biodiesel – Requires processing before use in any vehicle. This process includes a chemical reaction using highly flammable Methanol, which separates out the glycerin from the oil and thereby reduces the viscosity. It can then be run in a diesel engine without modification. The value added costs and labor required to make the fuel are incurred by the customer on each fill up. A good choice for those with limited fuel burn and seeking a green alternative, however, you will want to check with the manufacturer of your vehicle for the safe percentage of Biodiesel compatibility first.
2) SVO/WVO conversion; what we do – Alternatively, with a well designed conversion to a diesel’s fuel delivery system one can safely run on straight vegetable oil. We use exclusively Golden Fuel Systems components and are the authorized installer/dealer for Bermuda. Differing from Biodiesel, this is a one time conversion and a one time expense - a great savings for those that burn larger volumes of fuel. Just as with oil in a fry pan, as the temperature rises, the viscosity of the oil drops. By using waste heat from the engine and specialized components (including but not limited to custom insulated fuel lines, stainless steel tank mounted heating elements, brass/stainless electronic 3-way valves, and a GFS modified Racor filter) the correct temperature and viscosity fuel is achieved, and delivered to the engine. Again, there are NO modifications to the engine itself, and the operator can choose to run on conventional diesel at the flip of a switch. We can tell you, however, that driving down the road on vegetable oil is a very satisfying feeling. We can’t wait to flip the control switch to the 'green' position, saying goodbye to the smelly petroleum based variety and hello to the clean burning smell of french fries.
While this is not the end all solution for the world’s fuel needs, it is certainly a step in the right direction, and a step we can make today - with existing technology.
[CLICK Here] to find more information on Green Machine Team Bermuda website
