The term "diesel fuel" (DF) generally refers to any fuel for a compression ignition engine. Most commercial diesels is made from petroleum and is often called petrodiesel. There are also non-petroleum types of such fuel, such as biodiesel.
Crude oil naturally contains some sulfur, a portion of which is converted to sulfate particulates in the exhaust and contribute to so-called particulate matter (PM) emission. To reduce PM and to enable some advanced emissions control devices for better air quality, many countries set the limits to sulfur content of DF. Particularly, in US starting in June, 2006, EPA required at least 80% of the on-highway DF to be Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (also called ULSD or S15), with maximum sulfur level of 15 parts per million (ppm). Gas pump may still sell DF with 500 ppm sulfur until December 2010. In US by 2014 DF for all categories of equipment has to be ULSD. Note that in European Union and Japan ULSD means less then 10ppm sulfur.
Older engines should work normal on ULSD with just a small reduction of efficiency. However, newest engines with advanced pollution-control technology designed for ULSD, may be damaged by fuel with high sulfur content.
DIESEL POWER GENERATOR USES
DGs are widely used in places where grid is not available or as emergency backup power source for home or business if the grid fails. Depending on size, they can be used for small loads, such as electric tools, and for large loads like factories, commercial buildings, and hospitals. Because of the high cost of standby diesel systems, they are used primarily in industrial and commercial applications. Private homes more often use natural gas or propane models. Diesel standby systems are widely used as an emergency backup source in hospitals, fire and police stations because of their shortest warm up time: DG is the only type of gensets that can reach rated power within ten seconds of a grid failure. They are also used in remote locations in hybrid off-grid solar systems as an auxiliary power source. Portable diesel generators
are popular on jobsites because they typically have 2-3 times longer
life than gasoline-powered portable models.
High-power stationary DG may cost around $500-$2000 per kilowatt.
Portable diesel gensets typically run for $130-500/kW. As a rule, the
higher rated power the lower cost per watt.The chart below summarizes basic advantages and disadvantages of diesel generators.
PROs |
CONs |
| The
most reliable and maintenance-free of all types: no ignition systems,
carburetors, nor spark plugs (just regular oil and filter changes); Lowest fuel consumption (typically it would burn half the amount of fuel that would be required for a same-size gasoline generator); The fuel can be stored in large tanks (up to 2 years with fuel preservatives), it is less flammable than other fuels and is the safest fuel to store |
The
most expensive type; The gas pumps may not work and the fuel may not be available during widespread blackouts; This fuel contains paraffin waxes that become solid at freezing temperatures- needs low temperature operability additives; High emissions (such as nitrogen oxides - a smog-forming pollutant) and unpleasant odor |
In short, diesel-powered gensets are more reliable and have higher efficiency than the gensets running on other types of fuel, but they are the most expensive and the most polluting of all types. They are used primarily in industrial and commercial applications.
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