Fendt is a tractor driven with rapeseed oil at Agritechnica 2007

The use of energy resources of natural origin, such as rapeseed oil, pose a more reduced than the diesel CO2 emission. From the point of view of the depletion of fossil resources, raw materials generated in agriculture, are also becoming increasingly important. In response to this trend, Fendt presented a tractor that runs on the new Fendt 820 Vario Greentec, rapeseed oil in Agritechnica 2007.

The new concept, developed in collaboration with Deutz engines manufacturer, is based on a system of two tanks controlled by valves. It consists of a rapeseed oil tank with a volume of 340 litres, a deposit of substantially smaller diesel with a volume of 80 liters and a sophisticated technique of valves. Volumes of tanks are designed for operation with rapeseed of 80 per cent oil, i.e. that they are mainly designed for vehicles with a degree of use of the very high engine.

First, the engine is started with diesel fuel before it comes into heat. Rapeseed oil differs substantially from diesel fuel both viscosity and the point of ignition. Both of these features have a decisive influence on the combustion. To ensure a combustion complete as possible, the vegetable oil must spray as thin as the diesel way at the time of the injection. To achieve this, the viscosity of oil should match the of diesel oil. The thickness of the vegetable oil is highly dependent on temperature: higher temperature is more fluid will have oil. Why Greentec system only changes to the operation with rapeseed oil if they reach a certain parameters. Automatic change takes place when the oil has been preheated to 70 degrees with the help of the cooling water heat exchanger or the power of the engine has reached at least 25 percent of its maximum capacity in more than 20 seconds.

Fuel is the most significant operating cost for many companies. With the use of rapeseed oil, the costs can be minimized considerably in this sector, diesel fuel, which entails tax burdens, is much more expensive than rapeseed oil if one takes into account the taxes per liter. Today pure rapeseed oil is acquired at about 70 cents per litre in the mills of oil and petrol stations.

In addition, rapeseed oil can develop regionally and agricultural areas. Therefore, doing a comparison, the distance from the manufacturer and the consumer is short. Of the preparation of rapeseed oil by-products, such as oil and rapeseed cakes, are used in the livestock food by its high protein content and exploitation.