Is Distillate Fuel Oil The Same As Diesel?

Distillate fuel oil is a broad term for one of the petroleum fractions produced in traditional distillation processes. Diesel fuels and fuel oils are included. On-highway diesel engines, such as those in trucks and automobiles, as well as off-highway engines, such as those in train locomotives and agricultural machinery, use No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 diesel fuel. Fuel oils with the numbers No. 1, No. 2, and No. 4 are largely utilized for space heating and electric power generation.

No. 1 Distillate: A light petroleum distillate that can be used as a diesel fuel or a fuel oil (see No. 1 Diesel Fuel). See No. 1 Fuel Oil for more information.

  • No. 1 Diesel Fuel: A light distillate fuel oil that satisfies ASTM Specification D 975 criteria and has distillation temperatures of 550 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90% mark. It’s found in high-performance diesel engines like those seen in city buses and other comparable vehicles. See No. 1Distillate for more information.
  • No. 1 Fuel Oil: A light distillate fuel oil that satisfies ASTM Specification D 396 and has distillation temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10% recovery point and 550 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90% recovery point. It’s mostly used as a fuel source for portable outdoor stoves and warmers. See No. 1Distillate for more information.

No. 2 Distillate: A petroleum distillate that can be used as a diesel fuel or a fuel oil (see No. 2 Diesel Fuel definition). No. 2 Fuel oil is a good example.

  • No. 2 Diesel Fuel: A fuel that fulfills the ASTM Specification D 975 criteria and has a distillation temperature of 640 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90% recovery point. It’s found in high-speed diesel engines like those found in locomotives, trucks, and cars. See No. 2Distillate for more information.
  • No. 2 fuel oil (heating oil): A distillate fuel oil that meets ASTM Specification D 396 and has distillation temperatures of 400 degrees Fahrenheit at the 10% recovery point and 640 degrees Fahrenheit at the 90% recovery point. It’s utilized in atomizing type burners for home heating or commercial/industrial burner units with a moderate capacity. See No. 2Distillate for more information.

No. 4 Fuel is a distillate fuel oil that is manufactured by combining distillate and residual fuel oil stocks. It meets ASTM Specification D 396 or Federal Specification VV-F-815C and is widely utilized in industrial plants and commercial burner systems that lack preheating capabilities. It also contains No. 4 diesel fuel, which is suitable for low- and medium-speed diesel engines and meets ASTM Specification D 975.

Is diesel fuel and fuel oil the same?

The hydrocarbons in diesel and fuel oil are relatively comparable, unlike the hydrocarbons in gasoline and diesel. In several instances, they are nearly identical. Diesel fuels are made up of hydrocarbons “According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, “are approximately identical to fuel oils used for heating (fuel oils no. 1, no. 2, and no. 4).” A blend of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons makes up diesel and fuel oils. “The hydrogen-saturated aliphatic alkanes (paraffins) and cycloalkanes (naphthenes) make up about 80-90 percent of the fuel oils. Aromatics (e.g., benzene) and olefins (e.g., styrene and indene) make up 10-20% and 1% of the fuel oils, respectively.”

Diesel and fuel oils have extremely similar hydrocarbon compositions. However, there are various forms of diesel. The distinctions in diesel grades are determined by two factors. One distinction between fuel classes is the level of pollutants, particularly sulfur. The second factor is the cetane level of various grades.

Sulfur is the pollutant in diesel that causes the biggest worry among people concerned about diesel emissions’ environmental and health implications. In its natural state, sulfur is neither harmful nor a serious pollutant. However, as sulfur oxidizes to form sulfur oxides, the molecules become hazardous to the environment as well as human, flora, and fauna health.

What is oil distillate used for?

One of the petroleum fractions produced in traditional distillation operations is referred to as distillate fuel. It is a liquid fuel made from crude petroleum that is usually distilled. Diesel fuels and fuel oils are included.

Distillate fuel is a form of internal-combustion fuel used in cars with either mechanical or electric gearboxes. Automobiles, locomotives, agricultural machines, as well as space heaters and power generators, all employ them.

Distillate fuel contamination can cause corrosion in fuel tanks and combustion engines.

What is the difference between fuel oil and diesel oil when it will be used on the ship?

Marine diesel oil (MDO) is a generic term for marine fuels made up of various distillates (also known as marine gasoil) and heavy fuel oil mixes. Unlike the diesel fuel used in automobiles and trucks on land, marine diesel oil is not a pure distillate. The various blending ratios of marine diesel oil can be regulated directly by refinery processes or by mixing ready-made marine fuels. Diesel fuel is identical to marine diesel, except it has a higher density. Marine diesel oil, unlike heavy fuel oil (HFO), does not require heating during storage.

The terms “marine diesel oil” and “intermediate fuel oil” are occasionally used interchangeably (IFO). Marine diesel oil, in its strictest definition, refers to blends containing only a tiny amount of heavy fuel oil. As a result, some textbooks classify this sort of marine diesel oil as a distillate, which means it is also classified as a medium distillate. The proportion of heavy fuel oil in intermediate fuel oils, on the other hand, is higher. As a result, several textbooks, standards/norms, and publications classify IFO kinds with particularly large concentrations of heavy fuel oil as heavy fuel oils. As a result, the following succinct summaries emerge:

  • In a strict sense, marine diesel oil is: Distillates and heavy fuel oil are mixed together, but the heavy fuel oil level is quite low.

What is the difference between No 2 fuel oil and diesel?

In terms of chemical composition, diesel fuel and #2 fuel oil are nearly identical. The key distinction is in how they are intended to be used. #2 fuel oil is tax-free, which keeps prices low and makes it easier for families to heat their homes. After all, in the cold, this is a need. Instead of cars, it’s used in boilers and furnaces. It even has the same red color as untaxed diesel. Because of its intended usage, this fuel oil is commonly referred to as home heating oil.

For lower viscosity and improved furnace efficiency, #2 fuel oil can be blended with #1 fuel oil. This is also known as the kerosene mix or the home heating oil winter blend by some companies.

Given their similarities, these two types of fuel might theoretically be used interchangeably. However, there are several reasons why this is not commonly done in practice. If your furnace runs out of fuel and deliveries are delayed, you can go to a pump and purchase diesel as an alternative. Because diesel is more expensive than N#2 fuel oil, it’s not practicable for long-term use, although it might be worth it in an emergency.

Putting #2 fuel oil in a diesel vehicle is never a good idea. It’s against the law due to tax rules. If you’re pulled over and the cops notice you’re using red-dyed gas, you could face charges. Follow the law and only use each product for its authorized use.

Why is home heating oil more expensive than diesel?

The price of crude oil is the key factor of both home heating oil and diesel fuel prices. Refining costs (13 percent), distribution and marketing costs (12 percent), and taxes are the remaining components (12 percent ). The cost of crude oil accounts for 61% of the retail price of diesel fuel.

Is No 1 diesel the same as kerosene?

If you go about on the internet, you can come across a forum question like this:

In most cases, the responses are mixed. ‘Don’t worry, you’ll be OK,’ said half of the people. “Watch out for ________,” the other half will warn.

Regular diesel is referred to as #2 diesel fuel oil, whereas kerosene is referred to as #1 diesel fuel oil. Some people believe it is similar enough to conventional (#2) diesel fuel that they may try to use it interchangeably. What would motivate them to do so, and what problems may they face?

What Makes Kerosene What It Is

The qualities of kerosene determine what happens when it is burned. Because kerosene is a lighter diesel oil than #2, it is referred to as #1 diesel. Because of its smaller weight, it has somewhat less energy – roughly 135,000 BTU per gallon vs. 139,000 BTU for #2.

Aromatic compounds are often concentrated in #2 and heavier diesel fuel oils; kerosene does not have extremely significant levels of them. This is one of the reasons why #2 diesel burns drier and with less lubricity than kerosene.

Drier burn

The most prevalent worry is kerosene’s dry burn, which can harm gasoline pumps. In comparison to #2 diesel, kerosene has extremely little lubricity. When running on kerosene, gasoline pumps without lubricity suffer a lot of wear and may burn out. Additional wearable pieces, such as rings, gaskets, and valves, are mentioned by some. Adding some automatic transmission fluid to the kerosene is a simple cure for this. In this case, 2-cycle oil can also be used.

Hotter burn?

Some will argue that kerosene burns hotter than #2 diesel, resulting in worries about rings being burned out. Others argue that because kerosene has a lower energy value, it will not burn at a higher temperature.

The fact that kerosene has less total energy than #2 is undeniable. However, having less total energy simply means that a gallon of kerosene produces less total heat than a gallon of standard on-road diesel.

Kerosene has a lower viscosity than gasoline, which allows it to burn at a higher temperature in an engine.

Cutting Diesel with Kerosene

Kerosene can be combined with diesel fuel for a few advantages. Kerosene is particularly beneficial in the winter for modifying the cold weather handling temperatures of diesel fuel. The rule of thumb is that adding ten percent kerosene to a diesel fuel blend lowers the cold filter plugging point by five degrees. It may be more cost effective to use kerosene as a mixer than than a cold flow polymer in extremely cold climates.

To reduce emissions, kerosene and #2 are mixed together. According to the theory, kerosene “burns cleaner” than #2, resulting in lesser pollutants.

What is the difference between distillate oil and residual oil?

Light fuel oil that has been refined farther than heavier oils is known as distillate oil. Diesel fuel and #2 fuel oil are two examples. The oil residue that remains after distilling away the lighter grade components is known as residual oil. It’s commonly referred to as #4, #5, or #6 fuel oil, and it’s much more viscous than other oils, requiring heat to flow and burn.

What kind of fuel is diesel?

The distillate fuel oil sold for use in motor vehicles that use the compression ignition engine named after its inventor, German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is known as diesel fuel. In 1892, he received a patent for his original design. Diesel fuel is made from a combination of crude oil and biomass resources.