Ruqayyah Snyder
Cetane number is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel. It is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and the compression needed for ignition. In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, and it generally sits around 50. Diesel fuels with cetane numbers between 20 and 40 are suitable for large stationary diesel engines or engines that run slowly. Older diesel engines and older car engines require a cetane number above 40, while high-speed, modern diesel engines need cetane numbers above 52. Premium diesel fuels, which can be purchased at a higher price, typically have higher cetane numbers. BP Ultimate Diesel, for example, has a minimum cetane rating of 50 and normally falls between 55 and 60. The use of synthetic diesel or gas-to-liquid diesel can also result in higher cetane numbers, but the addition of certain additives to increase cetane numbers may also increase fuel toxicity.
Characteristics and Values of Australian Diesel Fuels with a Cetane Number of 50
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cetane Number | 50 |
| Cetane Rating | Minimum of 46 to 50 in Australia |
| Cetane Index | Calculated based on density and distillation range |
| Ignition Delay | Higher cetane fuels have shorter ignition delays |
| Combustion Speed | Higher cetane fuels have faster combustion speeds |
| Engine Performance | High-speed modern engines need cetane numbers above 52 |
| Fuel Quality | Cetane number is one measurement of fuel quality |
| Additives | Additives can increase the cetane number but may also increase toxicity |
| Biodiesel | Biodiesel blends can have a cetane number of 46-52 |
| Premium Diesel | BP Ultimate Diesel has a minimum cetane rating of 50 |
| Standards | Australian diesel fuel standards are regulated by the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 and other legislation |
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What You'll Learn
BP Ultimate Diesel has a minimum cetane rating of 50
Cetane number (cetane rating) (CN) is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and compression needed for ignition. It plays a similar role for diesel as octane rating does for gasoline. The CN is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel, but not the only one. Other measurements of diesel fuel's quality include (but are not limited to) energy content, density, lubricity, cold-flow properties and sulfur content.
The minimum cetane number of fuel will be specified by the manufacturer to be the minimum required for reliable starting and running. Above this, increases in the number only have a very minor influence on the effective timing, as this is mainly affected by airflow and fuel/air mixing within the combustion chamber.
In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, and it generally sits around 50. There is talk of raising the minimum specification to 50.
BP Ultimate Diesel's higher cetane rating results in a slightly shorter ignition lag, which means slightly smoother combustion, slightly less noise, and a cleaner burn. However, some users have reported that they are not blown away by the MPG when using BP Ultimate Diesel, and that the engine works quieter and burns better due to the higher cetane.
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Australian diesel fuel quality standards
The Australian Government regulates the quality of diesel sold in Australia. The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water administers fuel quality standards, which are set out in the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 and the Fuel Quality Standards Regulations 2001. The Fuel Standard (Automotive Diesel) Determination 2001 was updated in 2019.
There are two groups of standards applicable to diesel fuels: Environmental Standards and Operability Standards. Environmental Standards regulate fuel parameters that have a direct impact on the environment, such as sulfur content and hydrocarbons. Operability Standards address parameters that, if not controlled, can have adverse impacts on the efficient operation of the engine, such as carbon residue and sediments.
The cetane number is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel. It measures how quickly the fuel starts to burn under diesel engine conditions. Higher cetane fuels have shorter ignition delays, so they are more suitable for higher-speed engines. The minimum cetane number of fuel is specified by the manufacturer to ensure reliable starting and running. In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, but it generally sits around 50. There is talk of raising the minimum specification to 50, but this will take time.
Other measurements of diesel fuel quality include energy content, density, lubricity, cold-flow properties, and sulfur content. Diesel engine operation is primarily related to the actual cetane number, but the cetane index is also sometimes used to estimate the base (unadditized) cetane number.
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Cetane number and combustion speed
Cetane number (cetane rating) (CN) is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and compression needed for ignition. It is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel. A higher cetane number means that the time between when the fuel is injected into the combustion chamber and when the fuel ignites is minimised. This results in more complete fuel combustion and quicker ignition, leading to quicker vehicle starting and a quieter engine.
The cetane number of a fuel is defined by finding a blend of cetane and isocetane with the same ignition delay. Cetane has a cetane number of 100, while isocetane's measured cetane number is 15. Once the blend is known, the cetane number is calculated as a volume-weighted average, rounded to the nearest whole number, of cetane's 100 and isocetane's 15. The cetane number is an inverse function of a fuel's ignition delay, which is the time period between the start of ignition and the first identifiable pressure increase during combustion of the fuel.
There are various methods for measuring the derived cetane number (DCN) of diesel fuel. One method is the Ignition Quality Tester (IQT), which involves injecting fuel into a constant volume combustion chamber at approximately 575 °C and 310 psi (21 bar). The time between the start of injection and the recovery of the combustion chamber pressure to 310 psi (21 bar) is defined as the ignition delay, which is then used to calculate the DCN of the fuel. Another method is the Fuel Ignition Tester (FIT).
The minimum cetane number of fuel will be specified by the manufacturer to ensure reliable starting and running of the engine. In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, but it generally sits around 50. There is talk of raising the minimum specification to 50, but this will take time. BP Ultimate Diesel, for example, has a guaranteed minimum cetane rating of 50, while ULS Diesel has a guaranteed minimum of 48.
While cetane number is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel, it is not the only one. Other measurements of diesel fuel's quality include energy content, density, lubricity, cold-flow properties, and sulfur content. Additionally, the cetane index (CI) is another statistic used by fuel users to control quality, which is a calculated number based on the density and distillation range of the fuel.
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Cetane number and ignition delay
Cetane is an unbranched open-chain alkane molecule that ignites very easily under compression. It has a cetane number of 100, while isocetane's measured cetane number is 15. The cetane number of a fuel is defined by finding a blend of cetane and isocetane with the same ignition delay. Once the blend is known, the cetane number is calculated as a volume-weighted average, rounded to the nearest whole number.
The cetane number is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel. It is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and the compression needed for ignition. It plays a similar role for diesel as the octane rating does for gasoline. The cetane number is also a measure of a fuel's ignition delay, which is the time period between the start of injection and the first identifiable pressure increase during combustion of the fuel. In a particular diesel engine, higher cetane fuels will have shorter ignition delay periods than lower cetane fuels.
The ignition delay is measured using the constant volume combustion chamber method. The measured ignition delay is then used to calculate the derived cetane number (DCN) of the fuel. The fuel's DCN is then calculated using an empirical inverse relationship to ignition delay. The most important test to characterise fuel ignition quality is the test for cetane number. This test uses a standard single-cylinder variable compression ratio diesel engine.
In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, but it generally sits around 50. There is talk of raising the minimum specification to 50, but this will take time. BP Ultimate Diesel has a guaranteed minimum cetane rating of 50, while the typical cetane number is between 55 and 60.
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Premium diesel and higher cetane numbers
Cetane number is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and the compression needed for ignition. It is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel. The higher the cetane number, the sooner the combustion takes place. A shorter ignition delay results in a smoother-running engine, easier starting, reduced emissions, and more complete combustion of the fuel. This also improves power output and/or reduces fuel consumption.
The minimum cetane number of fuel will be specified by the manufacturer to be the minimum required for reliable starting and running. Above this, increases in the number will only have a very minor influence on the effective timing, as this is mainly affected by airflow and fuel/air mixing within the combustion chamber.
In Australia, the minimum cetane rating is 46, but it generally sits around 50. There is talk of raising the minimum specification to 50, but this will take time. Diesel with a bio lubricity improver has a minimum cetane number of 51. BP Ultimate Diesel has a guaranteed minimum cetane rating of 50, but it is typically in the 55-60 range.
One way to achieve a higher cetane number fuel is to purchase ""premium diesel"" at the pump. The main challenges to this are price and availability, as premium diesel can be quite expensive and is not sold at all fuel locations. Another method is to use a quality chemical fuel additive that contains a cetane booster. Synthetic diesel can also be used to replace the sometimes toxic mix of additives that gives conventional diesel fuel higher cetane numbers. "Gas-to-liquid" diesel, which is produced as a synthetic fuel from gases such as natural gas or methane gas, can have extremely high cetane numbers of 75 to 80.
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Frequently asked questions
Cetane number (or cetane rating) is an indicator of the combustion speed of diesel fuel and the compression needed for ignition. It is an important factor in determining the quality of diesel fuel.
BP Ultimate Diesel has a guaranteed minimum cetane rating of 50. The cetane number for diesel in Australia generally sits around 50.
One way is to purchase ""premium diesel"" at the pump, but it can be quite expensive and is not sold at all fuel locations. Another method is to use a quality chemical fuel additive that contains a cetane booster.
