Regan Brown
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. Invented by Rudolf Diesel in 1892, diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine that uses compression to ignite the fuel, rather than a spark. Diesel fuel is most commonly derived from the fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, but can also be produced from biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction. Diesel fuel is widely used in trucks, trains, boats, and buses, as well as in construction, farming, and military equipment. It offers advantages such as fuel efficiency, engine reliability, and power compared to gasoline engines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official Name | Diesel fuel |
| Common Names | Diesel oil, heavy oil, fuel oil, DERV, distillate, gas oil, Solar |
| Type | Liquid fuel |
| Engine Type | Diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine |
| Ignition | Compression of inlet air and injection of fuel |
| Origin | Experiments by Rudolf Diesel in 1892 |
| Sources | Petroleum, biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction |
| Usage | Trucks, trains, boats, barges, public buses, school buses, military vehicles, generators, construction equipment |
| Advantages | Fuel efficiency, engine reliability, power, safety, less flammability, better mileage |
| Disadvantages | Higher prices, health damage due to exhaust, clogging in gasoline engines |
| Sulphur Content | Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) widely available since 2016 |
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What You'll Learn
Diesel fuel is refined from crude oil and biomass materials
Diesel fuel is a distillate fuel oil designed for use in motor vehicles with compression ignition engines. It is named after its inventor, German scientist and engineer Rudolf Diesel, who patented his original design in 1892.
Diesel fuel is commonly refined from crude oil and biomass materials. Crude oil is a naturally occurring liquid that can be refined into various fuels and other petroleum-based products. The process of refining crude oil involves heating the viscous liquid to over 400 degrees Celsius, turning it into a vapour. This vapour then enters a fractional distillation tower, where it cools down and the hydrocarbon chains within it return to a liquid state. The longest hydrocarbon chains have a boiling point of over 400 degrees Celsius and emerge as asphalt or bitumen, while the shorter chains liquefy as the vapour cools down below 370 degrees Celsius, emerging as fuel oil. These distillates are then blended to create diesel fuel.
The United States, for instance, produces an average of 11 to 12 gallons of diesel fuel from each 42-gallon barrel of crude oil. However, due to insufficient supply and quality of "straight-run" diesel, other sources such as biomass, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction are often blended in.
Biomass-based diesel fuels are derived from renewable sources such as vegetable oils, animal fats, and recycled cooking grease. These sources are combined with alcohol to produce biodiesel, which serves as a cleaner-burning replacement for petroleum-based diesel fuel. The process of converting biomass into ethanol is called fermentation, where microorganisms like bacteria and yeast metabolize plant sugars to produce ethanol.
Overall, the refinement of diesel fuel from crude oil and biomass materials involves complex processes that result in the production of a liquid fuel suitable for diesel engines.
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Diesel engines don't have spark plugs
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine. This type of internal combustion engine compresses inlet air and then injects fuel, causing ignition without a spark.
Diesel engines do not require spark plugs because they use a compression ignition process. Instead, diesel engines use glow plugs to preheat the air in the combustion chamber to aid ignition. This is particularly useful in cold temperatures, where diesel engines may otherwise struggle to start.
Spark plugs are used in gasoline engines to ignite the fuel-air mixture and create the combustion stroke of the piston. However, diesel fuel does not require a spark to ignite due to its properties. Diesel fuel reaches a compression temperature high enough to ignite without a spark.
The engine component design also differs between gasoline and diesel engines. Diesel engines are designed to rely on compression for ignition, and their pistons and cylinder walls handle significant pressure. This results in improved thermal and operating efficiency, as diesel engines with compression ignition achieve higher compression ratios, making them more thermally efficient.
The absence of spark plugs in diesel engines contributes to their improved fuel economy and increased torque. The non-spark combustion process, combined with the piston design and heated chamber from the glow plugs, atomizes the diesel fuel into a mist, facilitating ignition.
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Diesel fuel is used in trucks, trains, boats, and military vehicles
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. These engines rely on compression rather than ignition to burn and do not have spark plugs like regular gasoline engines.
One reason diesel fuel is used in these vehicles is its higher energy density compared to other liquid fuels, providing more useful energy per unit of volume. This results in better miles per gallon, making it economical for transporting goods and people. Diesel engines also tend to last longer than gasoline engines, which is advantageous for vehicles that need to go long distances between engine overhauls, such as long-haul trucks.
Another reason for using diesel fuel in trucks, trains, and military vehicles is safety. Diesel fuel is less flammable and less explosive than other fuels, making it a safer option for these large and often heavy-duty vehicles. Additionally, diesel engines are less likely to stall than gasoline engines, providing a more reliable source of power.
However, diesel fuel is generally not used in smaller vehicles like passenger cars and pickup trucks due to its higher compression and temperature, which make diesel engines noisier. Additionally, diesel exhaust, especially from older engines, can cause health issues.
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Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) is a type of diesel with low sulfur content
Diesel fuel is any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine. The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil. However, alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL) or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are increasingly being developed and adopted.
Ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) is a type of diesel with substantially lowered sulfur content. As of 2016, almost all of the petroleum-based diesel fuel available in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and North America is of the ULSD type. The move to lower sulfur content allows for the application of advanced emissions control technologies that substantially lower the harmful emissions from diesel combustion.
In 1993, the European Union began mandating the reduction of diesel sulfur content and implementing modern ULSD specifications in 1999. The United States started phasing in ULSD requirements for highway vehicles in 2006, with implementation for off-highway applications, such as locomotive and marine fuel, beginning in 2007. The National Environment Agency (NEA) defines ULSD as diesel fuel with less than 50 parts per million (ppm), or 0.005 per cent, of sulfur content.
ULSD has a higher affinity to water than traditional diesel, which can contribute to tank corrosion and microbial growth. However, the benefits of ULSD in reducing harmful emissions have led to positive outcomes for the environment. The reduction of sulfur content in diesel fuel has been driven by regulatory actions aimed at reducing diesel fuel emissions and improving air quality.
ULSD is widely available in many countries, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and some countries in Asia. However, the specific regulations and standards for ULSD may vary across different regions.
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Diesel fuel is also known as fuel oil
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a type of liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. Diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine where fuel ignition occurs due to the compression of inlet air and the subsequent injection of fuel, rather than through a spark. This means that diesel fuel needs good compression ignition characteristics.
The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, which is produced by the fractional distillation of crude oil at high temperatures and atmospheric pressure. This process results in a mixture of carbon chains containing between 9 and 25 carbon atoms per molecule. However, alternatives that are not derived from petroleum, such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), or gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel, are becoming increasingly common. These non-petroleum-based diesel fuels are often referred to as petrodiesel to distinguish them from traditional diesel.
Diesel fuel has many colloquial names and is referred to by different terms in various regions. In the United Kingdom, diesel fuel for road use is commonly called diesel or white diesel, the latter being used to differentiate it from a reduced-tax agricultural product known as red diesel. In Australia, diesel is also known as distillate, while in Indonesia, Israel, and most of the Middle East, it is referred to as Solar, a trademarked name from the national petroleum company Pertamina. In France, the term gazole is used, and in India, taxes on diesel fuel are lower than on petrol due to its widespread use in transportation.
The history of diesel fuel can be traced back to German scientist and inventor Rudolf Diesel, who conducted experiments on compression-ignition engines around 1892. Interestingly, Diesel initially believed that his engine design would work with any kind of fuel and even tested various types of lamp oil, petrol, ligroin, crude oil, gasoline, and fuel oil. Diesel's original engine prototype and the first functional engine were designed for liquid fuels.
In summary, diesel fuel, also known as fuel oil, is specifically designed for use in diesel engines and has become a common fuel source for various vehicles and machinery. With increasing standardization and the development of alternative fuel sources, the use and characteristics of diesel fuel continue to evolve globally.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel, also called diesel oil, heavy oil or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in a diesel engine. It is thicker than gasoline and provides more power and mileage per gallon.
Diesel fuel is commonly refined from crude oil, but can also be made from biomass materials, vegetable seed oil, animal fat, biogas, natural gas, and coal liquefaction.
Diesel fuel is used in diesel engines, which are found in trucks, trains, boats, barges, public buses, school buses, generators, military vehicles, and farming and construction equipment.
Diesel engines are more reliable and last longer than gasoline engines because they are built to withstand higher compression. They also offer better fuel efficiency and power.
