A chemical engineering professor at Oregon State University has developed a small chemical reactor that can convert vegetable oil directly into biodiesel for use in vehicles. The article says that the device could help farmers convert some of their crops into fuel for their agricultural equipment in place of expensive oil. The article says that the device, which is about the size of a credit card, pumps vegetable oil and alcohol through nanoscale channels and converts it into biodiesel. The article says that conventional methods of biodiesel production can take over a day and require the use of catalysts. According to the article, the device can be stacked in banks to produce commercial volumes of biodiesel. The article says that production of biodiesel on farms could lower distribution costs by eliminating the need for tanker truck fuel delivery.
