Rajan Wilcox
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. It is produced from various sources, most commonly through the fractional distillation of petroleum fuel oil. Diesel fuel can also be derived from non-petroleum sources such as biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL), and gas-to-liquid (GTL) alternatives. The production process involves refining crude oil, a naturally occurring liquid composed of various hydrocarbons, to create the final diesel fuel product. This refining process includes steps such as distillation, conversion, and clean-up, resulting in a fuel with specific characteristics suitable for diesel engines.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Common Name | Diesel fuel, diesel oil, heavy oil, auto diesel, automotive diesel oil, gas oil, distillate marine diesel fuel |
| Source | Petroleum, crude oil, biomass |
| Composition | Complex compounds of hydrocarbon molecules, distillates of crude oil |
| Boiling Range | 150 °C to 380 °C, specifically 160 °C to 371 °C |
| Additives | Yes, to adjust performance characteristics |
| Standard | EN 590 in the European Union |
| Type | Fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil |
| Sulphur Content | Ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD) has 15 parts per million or less |
| Energy Content | Higher energy content per litre compared to petrol |
| Efficiency | Diesel engines are up to 40% more efficient than spark-ignited petrol engines |
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What You'll Learn
Crude oil distillation
Diesel fuel is a distillate fraction of crude oil. Crude oil is a mixture of many different liquid hydrocarbons, which are separated through a process called fractional distillation. This process involves separating the oil mixture into its components by utilising their different boiling points.
The fractions from the distillation units are then transformed into streams (intermediate components) that become finished products. The most common conversion method is called cracking, which involves using heat, pressure, catalysts, and sometimes hydrogen to break down heavy hydrocarbon molecules into lighter ones. This process occurs in a cracking unit, which consists of tall, thick-walled, rocket-shaped reactors and a network of furnaces, heat exchangers, and other vessels.
After distillation, heavy, lower-value distillation fractions can be further processed into lighter, higher-value products like gasoline. This is achieved by rearranging molecules or splitting them into smaller ones. For instance, in the United States, the heaviest fractions are often reprocessed into lighter products using catalytic crackers, reformers, and cokers.
The final treatment involves technicians carefully combining streams from the processing units to create gasoline. The octane level, vapour pressure ratings, and other factors determine the final gasoline blend. The incoming crude oil and outgoing final products are stored in large tanks near the refinery before being transported via pipelines, trains, and trucks.
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Petroleum refining
The modern history of petroleum refining, however, is often attributed to the drilling of the first oil wells in Ontario, Canada, in 1858, and in Titusville, Pennsylvania, in 1859. These discoveries led to the establishment of the petroleum industry, initially focusing on the production of kerosene for oil lamps. With the introduction of the internal combustion engine and its use in automobiles in the early 20th century, the demand for gasoline surged, driving rapid growth in the petroleum industry.
Distillation is the process of separating the various components of crude oil according to their boiling points. This can be done through atmospheric distillation, where liquids and vapours are separated in distillation units, or through more complex methods such as vacuum distillation. The heavy fractions, with higher boiling points, settle at the bottom, while the lighter fractions rise to the top. The distillates that are heavier than kerosene are the gasoil streams, which serve as the primary blending components for diesel fuel production.
Conversion is the next step, where various processes are employed to rearrange or split molecules. The most common conversion method is cracking, which uses heat, pressure, catalysts, and sometimes hydrogen to break down heavy hydrocarbon molecules into lighter ones. Other conversion processes include alkylation, polymerisation, and isomerisation, which enhance the performance characteristics of the fuel.
The final treatment stage involves the careful combination of different streams from the processing units to create the final product. For gasoline, factors such as octane level and vapor pressure ratings are considered to determine the appropriate blend. The finished petroleum products are then transported via pipelines, trains, and trucks to locations across the country.
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Diesel engine fuel standards
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. Diesel engines differ from other engines as they do not require spark ignition; instead, the inlet air is compressed, and then fuel is injected. Diesel fuel is a distillate fraction of crude oil, and the most common type is a fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil.
Diesel fuel is produced in oil refineries and is a high-volume product. The production process involves distillation, conversion steps, and clean-up. Diesel fuel is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, predominantly in the C9–C20 range, with boiling points of around 163–357 °C. Diesel fuel must be sprayed into the engine, as opposed to being evaporated, due to its high boiling point. Diesel fuel also has additives to adjust performance characteristics.
Diesel fuel standards aim to ensure the fuel's quality and reduce harmful emissions. In the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates diesel fuel properties under the Clean Air Act, focusing on reducing criteria pollutants, air toxics, and other emissions. Federal requirements include the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), which mandates blending renewables into diesel fuel. Additionally, states like California have implemented their own regulations, such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), which sets renewable content requirements for diesel fuel. ASTM standards, while not federally mandated, are also widely adopted by states to ensure fuel quality.
Historically, diesel fuel quality in the US was specified by the ASTM D975 standard. With the growing use of alternative diesel fuels, standards for biodiesel and their blends have been developed, such as ASTM D6751 and D7467. Internationally, diesel fuel standards vary, with the European Union adopting the EN 590 standard, which replaced the previous DIN 51601 standard in 1993.
The standardization of diesel fuel has brought significant improvements in fuel quality. Before standardization, diesel engines typically ran on cheap fuel oils, which are still used in watercraft diesel engines today. The introduction of motor-vehicle diesel engines in the 1930s highlighted the need for higher-quality fuels, leading to the development of modern high-quality diesel fuels after World War II.
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Hydrocarbon chains
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, heavy oil, or simply diesel, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines. Diesel engines are a type of internal combustion engine that does not require spark ignition due to the compression of inlet air and subsequent injection of fuel. This means that diesel fuel requires good compression ignition characteristics.
The most common type of diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, which is a high-volume product of oil refineries. Diesel fuel is composed of complex compounds of hydrocarbon molecules, which generally have boiling points ranging from 150°C to 380°C. These hydrocarbons consist of carbon numbers predominantly in the range of C9–C20, with an average chemical formula of C12H23, ranging from approximately C10H20 to C15H28.
In the United States, petroleum-derived diesel is composed of about 75% saturated hydrocarbons, mainly paraffins, and 25% aromatic hydrocarbons, including naphthalenes and alkylbenzenes. Diesel fuel contains branched-chain alkanes (paraffins), cycloalkanes (naphthenes), aromatics, and mixed aromatic cycloalkanes. These hydrocarbons are formed through the distillation of crude oil, with the primary distillation unit operating at atmospheric pressure to maximize distillation without cracking.
The production of diesel fuel involves distillation, various conversion steps, and clean-up. Distillation separates the desired distillates, which are heavier than kerosene, from the crude oil. These distillates, known as gasoils, are the main blending components for diesel fuel production. Gasoils derived from hydrocrackers have superior ignition quality properties compared to those from thermal and catalytic cracking.
The hydrocarbon chains in diesel fuel can be modified through processes such as cracking, unification, and alteration. Cracking breaks down large hydrocarbon chains into smaller ones, while unification combines smaller chains to form larger ones. Alteration rearranges various isomers to create the desired hydrocarbons. By adjusting the mixture of hydrocarbon chains, refineries can produce diesel fuels with varying properties, such as different octane ratings.
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Diesel fuel alternatives
Diesel fuel, also known as diesel oil, is a liquid fuel designed for use in diesel engines, which are a type of internal combustion engine. The most common type of diesel fuel is a fractional distillate of petroleum fuel oil, but alternative fuels that are not derived from petroleum are also available.
Historically, diesel engines ran on cheap fuel oils, such as shale oil, crude oil, kerosene, coal-tar creosote oil, and peanut oil. However, these alternative fuels may not be suitable for newer diesel engines, which have tighter clearances in the fuel systems.
One alternative to petroleum-based diesel fuel is biodiesel, which is derived from biomass or vegetable oils, such as soybean oil or canola oil. Biodiesel can be used as a replacement fuel or blended with petroleum diesel. It is produced by reacting feedstock (lipids) with hydrogen under elevated temperatures and pressures in the presence of a catalyst. Biodiesel has the advantage of being renewable and reducing carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions compared to conventional diesel fuels. However, it is important to ensure that biodiesel is well-filtered to prevent damage to the fuel system.
Another alternative fuel is renewable diesel, which is also derived from biomass or vegetable oils. Renewable diesel undergoes a similar production process to biodiesel but differs in its chemical composition. Renewable diesel meets the ASTM D975 specification for petroleum in the United States and can be used in existing diesel engines and infrastructure. It also has the advantage of reducing emissions compared to conventional diesel.
Hydrogen is another potential alternative fuel for diesel engines. Hydrogen can be produced from renewable resources and used in fuel cell electric vehicles, offering a potentially emissions-free alternative to diesel fuel. Natural gas and propane are also alternative fuels that have been used in vehicles and can offer cost advantages over diesel fuel.
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Frequently asked questions
Diesel fuel is produced from various sources, the most common being petroleum. Other sources include crude oil, shale oil, peanut oil, vegetable seed oil, and biomass materials.
The process involves distillation, where the oil is heated and different hydrocarbon chains are extracted as vapour according to their vaporisation temperatures. Diesel fuel emerges when the vapour cools down to between 200 and 350 degrees Celsius.
Alternatives that are not derived from petroleum include biodiesel, biomass-to-liquid (BTL) diesel, and gas-to-liquid (GTL) diesel.
