Katerina Swanson
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, 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 typically derived from the fractional distillation of crude oil, with a boiling point range of approximately 150 to 380°C, and consists mainly of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons. The development of high-performance diesel engines for cars and lorries in the 1930s led to the need for standardised diesel fuel with specific properties, such as cetane number, density, flash point, and sulphur content. Today, diesel fuel is commonly used in motor vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and trains, and is known for its higher energy content and better fuel efficiency compared to petrol.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Any liquid fuel specifically designed for use in a diesel engine, a type of internal combustion engine in which fuel ignition takes place without a spark as a result of compression of inlet air and then injection of fuel |
| Other Names | Diesel oil, heavy oil, biodiesel, biomass to liquid (BTL) or gas to liquid (GTL) diesel |
| Composition | A mixture of hydrocarbons obtained by distillation of crude oil |
| Crude Oil Composition | Thin light-colored brownish or greenish crude oils of low density, to thick and black oils resembling melted tar |
| Crude Oil Refinement | Cracking, unification, alteration |
| Grades | Light-middle, middle, heavy |
| Cetane Number | A measure of the delay of ignition of a diesel fuel. A higher cetane number indicates that the fuel ignites more readily when sprayed into hot compressed air |
| Sulphur Content | Sulphur is a critical polluting component of diesel. Low sulphur and ultra-low sulphur diesel fuels are additised with lubricity additives to protect critical injection system components |
| Volatility | Performance criteria. The highest grades, for automobile and truck engines, are the most volatile, and the lowest grades, for low-speed engines, are the least volatile |
| Calorific Value | 45.5 MJ/kg (megajoules per kilogram) |
| Density | Denser than petrol |
| Energy | Contains about 15% more energy by volume than petrol |
| Energy Efficiency | A diesel engine can be up to 40% more efficient than a spark-ignited petrol engine with the same power output |
| Pollutants | Diesel contains more pollutants than petrol |
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What You'll Learn
Diesel fuel is a distillate fuel oil
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a distillate fuel oil. It is a liquid fuel specifically designed for use in diesel engines, which are internal combustion engines that use compression to ignite the fuel without a spark. Diesel fuel is typically derived from the fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, although alternative sources such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel are becoming more common.
Diesel fuel is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, primarily aliphatic and aromatic, with carbon numbers predominantly in the C9-C20 range and a boiling point range of approximately 163-357°C. The distillation process separates the lighter fractions of diesel and fuel oil, resulting in \"No. 1 distillate\" and \"No. 2 distillate,\" which have different characteristics. No. 1 distillate, or light distillate, has distillation temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10-percent recovery point and 550 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent point. It is commonly used in high-speed diesel engines, such as those found in city buses, trucks, and automobiles.
No. 2 distillate, on the other hand, is a petroleum distillate that can be used as either a diesel fuel or a fuel oil. It has a higher distillation temperature of 640 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90-percent recovery point. This type of distillate is also used in high-speed diesel engines, particularly in railroad locomotives, trucks, and automobiles. The use of No. 1 and No. 2 distillates is determined by the specific requirements of the diesel engine and its intended application.
In addition to these distillates, there are also heavier grades of diesel fuel, such as No. 4 fuel oil, which is used in low- and medium-speed diesel engines. These heavier grades are typically used in off-road vehicles, ships, boats, and stationary engines. The performance of diesel fuel is measured by several criteria, including cetane number (a measure of ease of ignition), ease of volatilization, and sulfur content. Regulations have been implemented to reduce the sulfur content in diesel fuel, as it is a significant pollutant that contributes to acid rain.
Diesel fuel is a versatile and widely used energy source, powering not only vehicles but also providing energy for industrial processes and heating. Its development and standardisation have played a crucial role in the advancement of diesel engines and their applications.
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It's a liquid fuel designed for diesel engines
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for diesel engines. Diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine where fuel ignition occurs without a spark, due to the compression of inlet air and the subsequent injection of fuel. This process is more efficient than spark-ignition internal combustion engines.
Diesel fuel is typically derived from the fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil, which is a mixture of hydrocarbons obtained from crude oil. The resulting diesel fuel has a boiling point range of approximately 150 to 380°C, with the majority boiling between 163 and 357°C. The composition of the crude oil can vary, resulting in thin, light-coloured, low-density oils, or thick, black, high-density oils. The former are called "high-gravity" crude oils, while the latter are "low-gravity" crude oils.
The development of high-performance, high-speed diesel engines in the 1930s led to the need for a specific fuel designed for these engines, resulting in the standardisation of diesel fuel. Standardisation ensures consistent quality and defines certain properties, such as cetane number, density, flash point, sulphur content, and biodiesel content. The cetane number is a critical measure of diesel fuel quality, indicating how readily the fuel ignites when sprayed into hot compressed air.
Diesel fuel is commonly used in motor vehicles, such as freight and delivery trucks, trains, buses, and cars. It is also used in diesel-engine generators to produce electricity, particularly in remote locations. Additionally, diesel fuel has applications beyond fuel, such as in liquid-liquid extraction and as a drilling fluid for oil-base mud drilling.
There are various grades of diesel fuel, including "light-middle" and "middle" distillates for high-speed engines, and "heavy" distillates for low- and medium-speed engines. The highest grades, used in automobiles and trucks, are the most volatile, while the lowest grades, used in low-speed engines, are the least volatile and tend to have higher sulphur content. Regulations have been implemented to reduce the sulphur content of diesel fuel due to its harmful impact on human health and the environment.
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Diesel engines are multifuel
Diesel fuel is a combustible liquid derived from crude oil through fractional distillation. It is specifically designed for use in diesel engines, a type of internal combustion engine where fuel ignition occurs without a spark due to the compression of inlet air and the injection of fuel. Diesel engines are multifuel systems, capable of running on a wide range of fuels.
Historically, diesel engines ran on cheap fuel oils, with coal-tar creosote oil being used in Europe and distilled petroleum being used in the United States. Some engines even utilised a mixture of fuels, including petrol, kerosene, rapeseed oil, or lubricating oil. However, the introduction of motor-vehicle diesel engines in the 1930s led to the need for higher-quality, standardised diesel fuel with proper ignition characteristics.
The development of high-performance, high-speed diesel engines for cars and lorries further emphasised the importance of consistent fuel quality. Today, diesel fuel is classified based on specific standards that define properties such as cetane number, density, flashpoint, sulphur content, and biodiesel content. The cetane number, a measure of ignition delay, is particularly crucial in ensuring the fuel ignites readily when sprayed into hot compressed air.
The versatility of diesel engines is evident in their ability to utilise various alternative fuels. Biodiesels derived from animal fats or vegetable oils, kerosene-based fuels, and marine fuel oils are all viable options. Used cooking oil, with its similar properties to diesel, has been successfully used in diesel vehicles. Additionally, diesel engines in military vehicles are designed to operate with a wide range of fuels, including gasoline or jet fuel, to ensure operational capability even when standard fuel supplies are limited.
While multifuel engines offer fuel flexibility, they may face challenges due to design compromises necessary to burn multiple fuel types. For example, the British Chieftain Main Battle Tank's L60 engine suffered from sluggish performance due to the engine design. However, advancements in technology, such as the Continental multifuel engine, have addressed some of these issues, allowing for the successful operation of multifuel engines in various applications.
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Diesel fuel is standardised
Diesel fuel is a combustible liquid used as fuel for diesel engines. It is derived from crude oil through fractional distillation, consisting mainly of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons with a boiling point range of approximately 163–357 °C. 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.
Before diesel fuel was standardised, diesel engines typically ran on cheap fuel oils. In the United States, these were distilled from petroleum, whereas in Europe, coal-tar creosote oil was used. Some diesel engines were fuelled with mixtures of fuels, such as petrol, kerosene, rapeseed oil, or lubricating oil, which were cheaper because they were not being taxed.
The introduction of motor-vehicle diesel engines in the 1930s meant that higher-quality fuels with proper ignition characteristics were needed. After World War II, the first modern high-quality diesel fuels were standardised. These standards included DIN 51601, VTL 9140-001, and NATO F 54. In 1993, the DIN 51601 was replaced by the EN 590 standard, which is still used in the European Union.
Diesel fuel standards define certain properties of the fuel, such as cetane number, density, flashpoint, sulphur content, and biodiesel content. The principal measure of diesel fuel quality is its cetane number, which indicates how readily the fuel ignites when sprayed into hot compressed air. For example, European (EN 590 standard) road diesel has a minimum cetane number of 51.
In the United States, the EPA regulates diesel fuel sulphur levels, phasing in more stringent regulations over time to lower the amount of sulphur in diesel fuel. As of 2016, almost all petroleum-based diesel fuel available in the United Kingdom, mainland Europe, and North America is of the ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) type.
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It's derived from crude oil
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel used in diesel engines, which are multifuel engines that can run on a wide range of fuels. The most common type of diesel fuel is derived from petroleum fuel oil, which is itself derived from crude oil.
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 vapour. This vapour then enters a fractional distillation tower, where it cools and the hydrocarbon chains within it return to a liquid state. At different levels of the tower are distillation plates that capture the emerging liquids, which vary depending on their boiling point. The longest hydrocarbon chains have a boiling point of over 400 degrees Celsius and emerge as asphalt or bitumen, while shorter hydrocarbon chains liquefy as the vapour cools, with fuel oil emerging at temperatures below 370 degrees Celsius. Diesel fuel is produced by the fractional distillation of crude oil between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius at atmospheric pressure, resulting in a mixture of carbon chains typically containing between 9 and 25 carbon atoms per molecule. This process produces a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, which is the most common type of diesel fuel.
In addition to petroleum-derived diesel, alternative types of diesel fuel that are not derived from petroleum are also available. These include biodiesel, biomass-based diesel, and synthetic diesel. Biodiesel is derived from biomass, vegetable oil, or animal fats, while synthetic diesel is produced from natural gas using the Fischer-Tropsch process. These alternative types of diesel fuel are becoming increasingly common, providing options for diesel engines that do not rely solely on petroleum-derived diesel.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. Diesel fuel is derived from the distillation of crude oil and consists of hydrocarbons with carbon numbers predominantly in the range of C9–C20 and boiling points of around 163–357 °C.
A diesel engine is a multifuel internal combustion engine that can run on a variety of liquid fuels. In a diesel engine, fuel ignition occurs without a spark due to the compression of inlet air and the subsequent injection of fuel.
Diesel fuel is typically derived from the fractional distillation of crude oil or petroleum. Synthetic diesel can also be made from natural gas, and biodiesel can be produced from biomass or vegetable seed oil.
Diesel fuel is commonly used for motor vehicles with diesel engines, such as cars, trucks, trains, and boats. Diesel fuel is also used in diesel-engine generators to produce electricity in remote locations and as a backup power supply in various facilities.
