Diesel Tree Research Paper

Diesel Tree

Copaifera Langsdorffii, a.k.a. the diesel tree, is a medium to large sized (usually 6-15m tall but can grow up to 40m) evergreen tree native to South American rainforests. Although its preference is tropical rainforest, it can grow in both wet and dry forests. (Navie & Csurhes, 2010)

It requires a mix of lithosols & latosols, with moderate acidity (4.5 – 7.5) and some water logging and grows well in a temperature of 20 – 27°C along with a rainfall of 3500 mm p.a. (Duke, 1983)These trees needing lots of water to grow are ideally suited to tropical regions with high rainfall. The seed germination begins 5 days after sowing and they have a life cycle of 400 years. (Navie & Csurhes, 2010) It was observed that the tree portrays a positive

“…a single tree is said to yield about 40 liters.” (Grieve, 1931) Quoting nobel-laureate Calvin, Maugh says (1979), "Natives … drill a 5 centimeter hole into the 1-meter thick trunk and put a bung into it. Every 6 months or so, they remove the bung and collect 15 to 20 liters of the hydrocarbon. Further in the year 1980, Calvin reports yields of 40 liters of hydrocarbons per tree per year which can be used directly in a diesel engine. (Calvin, 1980) Calvin sent a sample to Mobil Corporation to obtain a cracking pattern. "It produces the same kind of mixture in general as the oil from the E. lathyris [mostly aromatics (50%), LPG (25%), and low-molecular-weight fuel gas (3 to 4%) and

Mr.Jubow who has been in the industry for 14 years as of 2006, said that it’s extremely viable for a small farmer to grow such trees and become independent from the fuel companies for the rest of his life. He further added that, if the fuel is stored for more than a 3 months period, it thickens to Copaiba oil, which’s an alternative medicine in the United States fetching around $100 per liter and at the end of its life cycle it can be sold of to millers. There’s nothing wasted on the tree. (Dieseltree,