New Fuel in 2007????

[Coalsmoke]

That is a good point, anytime their costs go up, it seems like they use it as an excuse to further increase their profit margin.

 

[Blakers]

Originally posted by Borush

The EPA 500 ppm fuel mandated in 1993 has a minimum cetane of 40, and this fuel has an average of 30% aromatics. Cetane in the 2006 15 ppm fuel will probably rise to near 50 as a result of the desulfurization process, however aromatics may drop to 10%. Cetane levels should be more than adequate, but the low level of aromatics and low lubricity are the main concerns that I have.

What are the benefits of the aromatic rings? I know in gasoline they slow combustion and increase octane. But I've always been taught that aromatic crude oils make poorer lubricating oils than oils made from appalachian crudes that are straight chained and don't have the rings.

 

[Borush]

Diesel fuel consists of two major components, aromatics and parrafins, both of which are hydrocarbons. The aromatics have a high level of lubricity, but don't burn as easily or as clean. The parrifin has a high cetane index and burns very clean, but dosen't do much for lubricity. Parrafins are also responsible for fuel gelling in cold weather.



So the new fuel will not only have a lower amount of sulfur, but it will be reformulated to be higher in parrifin and lower in aromatics. The result will be a cleaner burning fuel that has lower lubricity, and gels easier.



Aromatics such as benzene or naphthalene contain rings of carbon atoms in their molecular structure. Others contain a chain. My knowledge of chemistry is somewhat limited, so I can't tell you very much about how the two relate as far as the characteristics from a different chemical makeup.





Boyd.

 

[Blakers]

I believe the parafins are the straight chain hydrocarbons. From back in my Petroleum Engineering chemistry classes, I learned that the parafin crudes made better lubricating oils. And since the appalachian crudes were parafit based, the best lubricating oils were those made there - Pennzoil, Kendall, Amalie, Quaker State, Valvoleen, Wolfs Head, etc.



I wonder why the aromatic rings would lubricate better in diesel fuel? I wish I knew more about the formulation of diesel fuel oils, but we never really got into that.