Glossary
We hope the growing Glossary below is useful for those of you navigating through the realms of pure plant oil usage for the first time.
- a) PPO
- Pure Plant Oil, this is the common term amongst the European institutions studyng the use of vegetable oil as a fuel. In the United states the common term is Straight Vegetable Oil (SVO) and the two terms are interchangable.
- b) SVO
- Straight Vegetable Oil, this is the common term for Pure Plant Oil (PPO) in the states the terms are interchangable
- c) UCO
- Used Cooking Oil, is the same as Waste Vegetable Oil (WVO): used cooking oil can be turned into Rape-Methyl-Ester (RME) biodiesel. We used to make Bio-diesel to the En 14214 standard and can recomend its useage in a range of unmodified engines. We have also experimented with the use of UCO in converted engines using a settling and filtering process. We have found it difficult to get a consistant quality fuel as well as finding it impossible to make a fuel that meets the DIN 51605 standard. Some People and organisations add thinning agents to UCO to produce a modified waste vegetable oil (MWVO) fuel. From our direct experience of these fuels we advise a high level of caution when using modified waste vegetable oil fuel, we have had contact from several individuals that have induced engine failure by using this type of fuel.
- d) WVO
- Waste Vegetable Oil, is the same as Used Cooking Oil (UCO): Waste vegetable oil can be turned into Rape-Methyl-Ester (RME) biodiesel. We used to make Bio-diesel to the En 14214 standard and can recomend its useage in a range of unmodified engines. We have also experimented with the use of WVO in converted engines using a settling and filtering process. We have found it difficult to get a consistant quality fuel as well as finding it impossible to make a fuel that meets the DIN 51605 standard. Some People and organisations add thinning agents to WVO to produce a modified waste vegetable oil (MWVO) fuel. From our direct experience of these fuels we advise a high level of caution when using modified waste vegetable oil fuel, we have had contact from several individuals that have induced engine failure by using this type of fuel.
- e) MWVO
- Modified Waste Vegetable Oil, we recomend extreme caution with the use of MWVO. We have heard many stories of engine failure induced ny the use of MWVO both in converted and unconverted vehicles. It is virtualy impossible to create a consistant fuel due to many issues and fuels made in this way do not have a standard to conform to. In virtually all cases of MWVO many of the standards laid out in the DIN 51605 Standard will not be conformed to making MWVO fuel potentially damaging to engines in a number of ways. The use of such fuels can at best be considered experimental.
- f) RME biodiesel
- Rape-Methyl-Ester biodiesel, RME biodiesel is made through the chemical processing of rape seed oil. The process general uses a catalyst such as Sodium Hydroxide (commonly known as cuastic soda) suspended in methanol. The chemical reaction cracks the Fat chains seperating out the heavier fat bodies from the lighter fat chains. The lighter fat chains once seperated and bonded to methanol is RME biodiesel. In order to get biodiesel to a high quality a great deal of further processing needs to go into it to "wash" away any impurities. We only recomend RME biodiesel that has been produced to the EN14214 standard. In most cases engine warranties will be invalidated if more than a 5% blend of biodiesel is used, contact your engine warranty provider to establish the facts before using unless you do not mind loosing your warranty. We used to make bio-diesel but were concerned about the genuine environmental performance of the fuel and moved towards PPO conversions as we see the PPO model as having the lowest ecological footprint.
- g) 1 Tank Conversion
- A true engine modification that enables the diesel engine to run on pure plant oil or diesel without any additional tanks. 1 tank conversions are nearly always preferable to a twin tank solution. PPO or diesel can be poured into the one tank of the vehicle in any ratio and only in severe winter conditions does any diesel need to be used. A one tank conversion will typically alter the injection nozzels as well as glow plugs, add additional heating equipment and electrical components to regulate the installed equipment.
- h) 2 Tank conversion/Twin tank
- A twin tank conversion is a fuel system modification that requires an additional tank to hold a starting fuel (most people use diesel but if available RME biodiesel could be used). Twin tank converted engines must be started on the starting fuel and then run up to normal operating temprature before it can be switched to run on the PPO in the other tank. Before finishing the use of the engine the system needs to be flushed with the starting fuel (diesel or RME biodiesel) so as to protect the engine. twin tank systems will normaly contain an additional tank, a system of heat exchangers and a mechanism for changing fuel systems.
- i) IDI
- InDirect Injection diesel engines, In these types of engine the fuel is injected into a pre-chamber before being injected into the engine. We offer a wide range of single tank conversions for these types of engines
- j) DI
- Direct Injection, these type of diesel engines inject the fuel straight into the combustion chamber and generaly get more miles per gallon. We offer a range of single tank conversions for direct injection engines most notabley for the Volkswagen/Audi group engines. For DI engines that we do not offer a 1 tank solution for a twin tank solution is available in many cases.
- k) TDI
- Turbo Direct injection, like the DI engine fuel is injected directly into the combustion chamber but in addition to this a turbo is added that increases the efficiency of the engine and adds power. We offer a range of 1 tank conversions for TDI engines most notably for the volkswagen/audi group of engines. Twin tank solutions are available for a range of other TDI engines.
- l) CDI or CRD
- Common-rail Direct Injection, this is a new generation diesel engine that uses high pressure injection and is heavily computer controlled, injectors share the same fuel rail and injection events are controlled by the electonic control unit (ECU). Elsbett are testing single tank solutions for CDI/CRD engines but at present we can only offer twin tank solutions for these engines until all testing has been completed with the one tank solution.
- m) PD or PDI
- Pumpe Duse Unit Injection, this is the new generation of disel engine from the volkswagen/audi group. With this system each injector has its own injector unit pump and is tightly controlled by the electronic control unit (ECU). We are very pleased to announce that one tank conversions for many PD/PDI engines are now available through us using the cutting edge Elsbett solution. In these conversions aswell as other component changes the ECU is upgarded to handle the PPO.
- n) ECU
- Electronic Control Unit, this is the onboard brain that manages many of the engine functions in a modern diesel engine. The single tank conversion of new generation diesel engines such as the common rail direct injection or Pumpe Duse Unit Injection systmes rely on upgrading the ECU, at present we only offer an ECU upgrade for pumpe duce new generation diesel engines.
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