Rajan Wilcox
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are internal combustion engines that use compression to ignite the fuel without a spark. The most common type of diesel fuel is derived from the fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but alternative sources such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel are becoming more popular. The United States, for example, produces and consumes biomass-based diesel fuels, with most diesel fuel being refined from crude oil in petroleum refineries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Diesel fuel |
| Other Names | Diesel oil, heavy oil, biodiesel, distillate fuel oil, petrodiesel, ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) |
| Type | Liquid fuel |
| Use | Designed for diesel engines, a type of internal combustion engine |
| Source | Petroleum, biomass, biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, waste oils |
| Production Process | Distillation of crude oil, removal of odor and color, blending of additives |
| Boiling Point Range | 150 to 380°C |
| Sulfur Content | ULSD has ≤15 parts per million |
| Producing Regions | United States, Canada |
| Standardization | EN 590 in the European Union |
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What You'll Learn
Diesel fuel sources
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are internal combustion engines that use compression to ignite the fuel without a spark. Diesel fuel is most commonly derived from petroleum, which is refined from crude oil. The distillation process involves heating the oil to between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius, which produces a vapour that is collected and siphoned into a diesel holding tank. The distillation process extracts shorter hydrocarbon chains, which are then combined in specific proportions to create diesel fuel.
In the United States, petroleum refineries produce most of the diesel fuel consumed in the country. On average, 11 to 12 gallons of diesel fuel are produced from each 42-gallon barrel of crude oil. The diesel fuel produced in the US is primarily ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD), which has a sulfur content of 15 parts per million or less. This reduction in sulfur content was mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency in 2006 to reduce air pollution emissions.
In addition to petroleum-derived diesel, known as petrodiesel, alternative sources of diesel fuel are being developed and adopted. These include biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel. Biodiesel can be produced from biomass materials and vegetable seed oils, an idea originally considered by Rudolf Diesel, the inventor of the diesel engine. Biomass-based diesel fuels, including biodiesel and renewable diesel, contribute to the diesel fuel supply in the United States.
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Crude oil distillation
Diesel fuel is refined from crude oil and biomass materials. Crude oil is a mixture of hydrocarbons, and the distillation process separates these hydrocarbons into broad categories, known as fractions, based on their boiling points.
The process begins by heating the crude oil and piping it into a distillation column or tower, where different products boil off and are recovered at different temperatures. Lighter products, such as butane and other liquid petroleum gases, are recovered at the lowest temperatures. Medium-weight liquids, including kerosene and distillates, stay in the middle of the distillation tower. Diesel fuel is a medium distillate and has a boiling point between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius. It emerges as a vapour, which collects on the distillation plates and is siphoned off into a diesel holding tank.
The heaviest products, such as residual fuel oils and gas oils, are recovered at the highest temperatures at the bottom of the tower. These heavy, lower-value distillation fractions can be further processed into lighter, higher-value products through a method called cracking, which uses heat, pressure, catalysts, and sometimes hydrogen to split the heavy hydrocarbon molecules into lighter ones.
After distillation and further processing, the fractions from the distillation units are transformed into intermediate components that eventually become finished products. Additives are then blended into the diesel fuel, and it is ready for sale.
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Hydrocarbon chains
Diesel fuel is a distillate fuel oil refined from crude oil and biomass materials. The most common type of diesel fuel is a fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, with alternatives such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel also being used.
The process of fractional distillation involves heating the oil to high temperatures, between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius, to produce vapour. This vapour rises through a distillation tower, where shorter hydrocarbon chains are extracted. The shortest chains emerge at the top as a vapour, and these shorter chains can be combined in specific proportions to create diesel fuel. The length of the hydrocarbon chains affects the viscosity of the diesel, with longer chains leading to higher viscosity.
The viscosity of diesel is important as it affects the fuel's performance in engines. High viscosity can impede complete combustion and lead to the formation of deposits in fuel injectors. Shorter-chain compounds improve the cold flow properties of diesel fuels, and the use of vegetable oils, which contain long, linear aliphatic hydrocarbon chains, can result in high cetane numbers.
To reduce the viscosity of diesel fuel, pyrolysis, or thermal cracking, can be employed to break down the hydrocarbon chains. This process requires high temperatures, and the resulting product must be distilled to obtain renewable diesel with properties similar to petroleum diesel.
The composition of diesel fuel can be adjusted to meet standards and requirements, such as the reduction of sulfur content to decrease air pollution emissions. The specific characteristics of diesel fuel, including the length of hydrocarbon chains, are crucial in determining its performance, viscosity, and environmental impact.
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Petroleum alternatives
Diesel fuel is a distillate fuel oil refined from crude oil and biomass materials. The process involves heating the oil to high temperatures, causing it to vaporize, and then collecting the diesel fuel that emerges. This fuel is used in motor vehicles with compression ignition engines, which were invented by Rudolf Diesel and patented in 1892.
Rudolf Diesel originally considered using vegetable seed oil as fuel, which has contributed to the modern use of biodiesel. Biodiesel is one of the few alternative fuels that have gained traction in the market. Other alternatives include ethanol (from corn or sugar cane), natural gas, and renewable diesel, which is biomass-derived.
Natural gas is a mixture of hydrocarbons, predominantly methane, and is considered a fossil fuel. However, there is also renewable natural gas, or biomethane, which is produced from waste through anaerobic digestion by microorganisms. This renewable option is chemically identical to its fossil fuel counterpart, allowing the use of existing infrastructure.
Propane, or liquefied petroleum gas, is another alternative that has been widely used in vehicles worldwide. It offers a clean-burning, high-energy source with a 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
Hydrogen is another potential alternative fuel that can be produced from renewable resources and used in fuel cell electric vehicles.
The development of alternative fuels aims to reduce the transportation sector's dependence on fossil fuels, particularly oil, to mitigate climate change emissions and improve energy security. However, an adequate replacement for diesel and gasoline that meets all the necessary criteria has not yet been found.
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Diesel standardisation
Diesel fuel is a distillate fuel oil refined from crude oil and biomass materials. The process of refining diesel fuel involves heating the oil to between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius, which causes the diesel to vaporise and collect on distillation plates. The distillation process extracts shorter hydrocarbon chains as it rises in the tower, and the shortest chains emerge at the top as a vapour. These shorter chains can be recombined to create diesel fuel.
Standardisation of diesel fuel is essential to ensure the quality and performance of the fuel and to reduce harmful emissions. The ASTM D975 standard, for example, specifies seven grades of diesel fuel oils suitable for various types of diesel engines. These grades are determined by several factors, including:
- Flash point
- Cloud point
- Water and sediment content
- Carbon residue
- Ash content
- Distillation
- Viscosity
- Sulfur content
- Copper corrosion resistance
- Cetane number and index
- Aromaticity
- Lubricity
- Conductivity
The ASTM D975 standard also specifies the maximum sulfur content for each grade, ranging from 15 ppm to 5000 ppm. These standards are essential to ensure that diesel fuel meets environmental and performance regulations. For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has implemented regulations to reduce the sulfur content of diesel fuel to ultra-low levels of 15 ppm, known as ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD). This regulation has significantly reduced harmful emissions from on-road and non-road diesel sources.
In addition to the ASTM D975 standard, the European Union has implemented its own emission standards for diesel engines, known as the European Emission Standards. These standards regulate pollution from new land vehicles, ships in European territorial waters, and non-road mobile machinery (including off-road and railway vehicles). The standards target air pollution from exhaust gases, brake dust, and tyre rubber pollution, with stricter limits being introduced over time to reduce the environmental impact.
Standardisation of diesel fuel is crucial to ensure that the fuel meets the requirements of various diesel engines and to minimise negative environmental impacts. By adhering to standards such as ASTM D975 and implementing regulations like the ULSD requirement, diesel fuel can be produced and used sustainably while still meeting the needs of consumers and industries that rely on diesel-powered vehicles and equipment.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine. It is also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel.
Diesel fuel is typically made through the distillation of crude oil, which results in a much lighter fuel with a boiling point between 150 and 380°C. The distillation process extracts shorter hydrocarbon chains, which are then combined to create diesel fuel.
The most common source of diesel fuel is petroleum, specifically a fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. However, alternative sources that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are also being developed and adopted.
Biodiesel can be made from various waste oils, such as waste tire oil, waste plastic oil, used motor oil, waste engine oil, and black oil. The process involves heating the waste oil to over 170°C in a distillation reactor, resulting in distillation oil gas, which is then cooled and collected. The oil then undergoes odor and colour removal processes to produce pure diesel oil.
