Diesel Argumentative Essay

Bio diesel is good for the economy because it is a fuel which can be created from locally available resources such as vegetable oils, coffee grounds, and animal fats. Biodiesel production and use

With the supply of fossil fuels steadily declining, gas and oil is becoming harder to harvest which means it is getting more expensive. Fossil fuels take millions of years to be naturally produced, yet each person burns gallons of gas per day (Maehlum par. 5). Though fossil fuels are produced naturally, when burned they release nitrogen oxides gases into the atmosphere, which contributes to the formation of smog and acid rain. According to the EPA, major sources of these nitrogen oxide emissions come from cars and trucks, coal-fire powered plants, large industrial operations, and ships and airplanes (EPA par 3). By reducing the number of gas powered cars on the road, we can reduce the amount of harmful chemicals we are releasing into our atmosphere.

Dane, John, and Kent J. Voorhees. "Investigation of Nitro-Organic Compounds in Diesel Engine Exhaust." National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2010). Print.

Since it is of plant origin it does not have sulfur. Diesel fuel has a considerable amount of sulfur in it and it gets converted to sulfur dioxide which is very harmful to the atmosphere and can cause acid rains and also lung problems for all americans. Since biodiesel is ultimately derived from animals or plants, it is renewable, unlike fossil fuels. The fact that it can be homegrown also could lessen dependence on foreign oil and support local farmers.

Whenever people think of diesel engines, they imagine black soot pouring out of a big rig on the interstate. While that has been correct in the past, the technology is arriving that changes people’s thoughts to that of a more ecologically friendly. Ever since Rudolf Diesel created the diesel engine, it has been written off as a smelly, inefficient, and dirty way of converting fossil fuels into power. Diesel noticed how the steam engines of the times were wasting 80-90% of the fuel they burn, making them very inefficient. After learning about how inefficient typical gas or steam engines were, he dedicated himself to create a clean burning engine. In the beginning, the stereotypes were completely accurate, but those same adjectives are simply incorrect in today’s times. These constant put downs by environmentalist are often uneducated and generalized by the small number of older, inefficient trucks that are still on the road. The modern diesel engine is an absolute marvel when it comes to the fuel efficiency, power output and societal benefits. While the light duty diesel pickup may be loud and intimidating, the benefits they provide society are vastly underappreciated and need to be more thoroughly recognized.

One resolution to the fuel pollution issue uses the idea of reinvention to curb the damage that smoke and fuel causes to the environment. A U.S. company, Sea Change LLC. paired with the Maine Maritime Academy to create a more friendly fuel (“1”). The engineering classes at the academy along with chemists created a fuel that burned cleaner and safer for the environment. The fuel used mirco-glycerol droplets mixed with ultra-low sulfur diesel to reduce harmful emissions and as a result found a reduction in smoke by 25 to 50 percent (“1”). In addition Nitrogen Oxide levels showed a reduction by 5 to 15 percent compared to regular low-sulfur diesel at equivalent horsepower (“1”). This hard work truly paid off big for these two entities and they showed that with some ingenuity safer ways of burning fuel just wait to be

As a result of EPA regulations, today’s diesel engines are more efficient than ever before seen in large and midsized trucks. Certain regulations restrict truck owners from using certain truck models, because of excess diesel emission. Increasing drastically as technology improves, cars and trucks produce less and less diesel exhausts and emissions. “But because diesel engines can operate for 30 years or more, millions of older, dirtier engines are still in use,” (Epa.Gov). Reducing exposure to diesel exhaust from these engines is especially important for the preservation of human health and the environment. According to the EPA, the United States Environmental Protection Agency,

1. Have you ever wondered how the things you buy get delivered to the stores? Semis, planes, trains, and sometimes boats. The majority of them run on diesel, because diesel is more efficient than a gasoline engine. With the number of diesels on the road everyday there is a high demand for mechanics that are properly trained to work on them. You have to be able to leave home on a moment’s notice to travel and repair trucks on the road. Being a diesel mechanic is very stressful and you never know what you will be working on day to day.

According to Peter Chaney, the automotive world can be a weird one, filled with a bunch of oddballs. There are chrome-loving low-riders, electric car fanatics, giant wheeled donkers and the list goes on. But there is nothing like coal rollers, a group that brings new meaning to the “dirty diesel.” It is impossible to drive through a small town in the south in a Prius. This is like painting a large bullseye on the windshield for coal rollers to roll coal on, since the black soot is referred to as “Prius Repellent” (Chaney). Should we be more harsh on the manufacturers of diesel engines to help regulate and prevent diesel exhaust from causing pollution?

Initial research has shown that biodiesel, liter for liter, generates about 90 percent of the heat of traditional fossil fuels, and the resulting air emissions are significantly lower in sulphur, carbon monoxide, and hydrocarbons. Burning these fuels also does not contribute to global warming. Fossil fuels increase the amount of carbon in the atmosphere because the carbon they release upon combustion has been locked away for millennia. The carbon released by the combustion of biodiesel first had to be removed from the atmosphere by the plant that produced the oils it was derived from. Thus, no net gain occurs when said carbon is released. Biodiesel is also safer for people and the environment since it is non-toxic and biodegradable. Oil spills will no longer be multi-million dollar environmental catastrophes.

Overall, I would say the diesel engine is the better of the two. Of course it all depends on the usage and perhaps the price of the vehicle but overall the diesel engine is more rugged and reliable, long-lasting, stronger, more efficient and requires less

There is also type of smog called photochemical smog which was recently discovered in the 1950’s. Aus-e-tute’s The Chemistry of Photochemical Smog refers to photochemical smog as, “a type of air pollution produced when sunlight acts upon motor vehicle exhaust gases to form harmful substances such as ozone (O3), aldehydes and peroxyacetylnitrate (PAN).” When some see this they think, wow, all the carbon being released from the burning of fossil fuels in cars can lead to these toxic chemicals. That is where they are wrong. Aus-e-tute also sets apart the type of gasses from cars that cause these chemicals. They explain that, “Motor vehicles produce exhaust gases containing oxides of nitrogen such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and nitric oxide (NO).” Again no carbon was the effect of a potentially harmful chemical byproduct.

A phrase that we often hear from customers who send their trucks for repair is, “This is a diesel engine; the problem should be easy to diagnose.” The right part about that statement is that the customer ¬realizes that he has a diesel engine. Simple operation, high reliability, high thermal efficiency and low fuel consumption are few key reasons for success of Diesel engines and its varied application from land based automotive and power generation to marine propulsion applications in deep sea. Engine’s continuous availability is a crucial aspect especially in transportation sector where movement of trucks and ships depends solely on the operation without any breakdown.

The burning of gasoline by automobiles releases carbon dioxide and other types of air pollution

What are the industrial uses for diesel? Diesel is used commonly as the fuel for motor vehicles like cars, SUVs, trucks, and buses. It is also a source of fuel in other industries besides transportation, like the construction industry and the use of diesel in power equipment such as forklifts and excavators, and it is used in the agriculture industry powering the tractors and other farming equipment, along with other industries. How good is diesel fuel for you or the environment? Are there concerns in using diesel? Diesel fuel was thought to be around since the mid 1800s but it wasn’t until the late 1800s when the diesel engine was invented. This invention was a very important one in terms of industry because it started the shift from coal to diesel powered engines. However, the shift to use more fuels like diesel has lead to a concern for how close are we to exhausting precious non-renewable energy sources. How much pollution is being released into the atmosphere? Is there an alternative renewable energy source? With the fear of global warming, all fuel sources, including diesel, are beginning to be replaced, or reinvented, with cleaner and safer alternatives. An example of these alternatives is biodiesel. Biodiesel is an alternative to diesel that can be produced from plant products, such as cornstarch and oils produced from soybean and other oil producing crops (Pittman, 2011). One obstacle that is present with biodiesel produced from plant products is the potential loss