Boosting Cetane in Diesel fuel simply means increasing the cetane rating of the fuel.
Without a doubt, to boost cetane in diesel fuel is intricately tie to clues to the underneath queries.
Possible answers to these questions define "how and whether" we need to boost the cetane number.
Therefore, are you having issues with your diesel fuel engines or generating sets?
Is your diesel fuel engine not running well?
Maybe it’s noisier than usual and a bit rough?
Or the diesel engine is difficult to start and when it does it brings out much black smoke or soothes?
Introducing Cetane in Diesel Fuel
With the emergence of the common rail diesel engines, it's more complicated and difficult to profer solutions (cetane in Diesel fuel) to the above questions.
There are lots of answers to why your diesel fuel engine isn’t functioning as usual. These answers aren’t always simple or cut-and-dried.
But for a start, make sure you’re using diesel fuel with an adequate cetane number/rating for your diesel engine.
Defining the Cetane Rating in Diesel Fuel
First, what do we mean by Cetane in Diesel fuel or Cetane Number?
Cetane Number is the same thing as Cetane Rating. It is the measurement of the quality and performance of diesel fuel.
The cetane number of diesel fuel is proportional to the combustion speed in the diesel fuel engine. Thus, the higher the number, the better the fuel combusts within the diesel fuel engine.
The functionality of Cetane Number
Generally, the high-performance of diesel engines require fuel with a higher rating.
Cetane, which is technically a chemical is also an index rating. It expresses how well a diesel fuel combusts or burns in a conventional diesel engine.
If you use fuel with a low rating, the diesel engine will function more roughly with inadequate power. Inadequate diesel fuel rating is when the diesel fuel doesn’t combust quickly in the engine. This affects or lowers the functionality of the diesel engine.
Also, Diesel fuel with low cetane number or cetane rating burns slowly.
Usually, the higher the number, the faster the diesel fuel ignites and the more it burns profusely and completely.
An increase in cetane helps cold diesel engines start quicker, significantly improves the efficiency of combustion, and lowers harmful emissions. In general, diesel engines run better.
Ways of Boosting Cetane Number in Diesel Fuel
There are several ways of boosting cetane number in diesel fuel.
All the processes involve the addition of substance with a higher cetane number to the low cetane diesel fuel. This is because the overall cetane rating of any given diesel fuel is the average of the cetane ratings of all the individual components of the diesel fuel.
It implies that the more you add a higher-cetane component the higher the fuel’s overall cetane rating.
Examples of Industry Standard Cetane Rating Boosters or Improvers
Some of the conventional cetane boosters are nitrates, nitroalkanes, nitrocarbonates, and peroxides.
Truly, the industry standard for cetane rating improver for diesel fuel is 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate.
Undoubtedly, 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate (CAS n°: 27247-96-7) is one of the principal cetane rating improver additives. Its decomposition starts at 130°C. The 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate is the result of the chemical reaction of 2-ethyl hexanol and nitric acid.
It is effective at raising the cetane rating or cetane number of diesel fuel. Plus, it doesn't cause problems in the diesel fuel engine or harm the diesel fuel engine materials.
What Cetane Rating Should You Go For?
In this article Why Does Diesel Fuel Price Fluctuate in Nigeria? we highlighted that, for diesel fuel, USA top the list of Nigeria’s import nations.
Therefore, 40 is the minimum rating for diesel fuel sold in Nigeria, just as in the USA. Notwithstanding, 45 seems to be the average effective floor for the majority of diesel engines to run well.
But some diesel fuel engines prefer a cetane rating or cetane number closer to 50 or a little above.
To understand more on the nitty-gritty of diesel fuel cetane rating or cetane number to go for, read What are the Standard Diesel Quality Ratings for my Power Plant?
Attention should also be in treating rates. Increasing the rating isn’t difficult, but there has to be enough active ingredient in the diesel fuel.
General Usage of Cetane Rating or Cetane Number Boosters
The crudes are more and more difficult to refine which results in a Diesel fuel of lower ignition quality.
The use of cetane number improver additives forms both a cost-effective and convenient way to reduce emissions. Aptly, it improves the diesel fuel engine's performance.
Refiners use cetane rating improver additives in refining premium Diesel fuel.
Notedly, gasoline needs just a spark for ignition to take place.
Unlike gasoline, for combustion to start, Diesel fuel requires the combination of the right pressure and temperature with no external assistance.
The Cetane Number or Cetane Rating is an essential property of Diesel fuel. Because it measures its natural ability to self-ignite in the combustion chamber.
At atmospheric pressure, the average auto-ignition temperature of Diesel fuel is approximately 220°C. Hence, the use of cetane rating improver additives is to decrease this temperature thereby leading to quicker combustion.
Benefits of Boosting Cetane Number in Diesel
From reducing ignition time to transforming engine emissions, Cetane Rating Improver additives guarantee:
Low Diesel fuel consumption: Here, the Diesel fuel takes longer time to burn entirely. Interestingly, smaller Diesel fuel injection yields the same performance.
Less smoke or soothes with swift start-up and quicker ignition: Here, cetane rating boosters enhance smooth, easier and faster combustion. It intensifies fewer smoke emissions, especially in the long run.
More excellent cold start: Boosting Cetane Number sparks up the ignition It makes it quicker and more responsive.
Minimal noise and less engine knock: Hence the fuel is swift to kindle or quick to ignite, it also burns longer. This allows the pressure to rise smoothly in the chamber.
Wear and tear reduction: Diesel fuel with commendable cetane number produces better combustion. Therefore, it results in fewer deposits formation and lowers engine tear and wear.
Maximum refinery yield: A good cetane rating offers higher flexibility to refiners to improve the quality while maximizing refinery yields.
Recommendations For Cetane Number or Cetane Rating
There is one thing that you must watch out for in any cetane rating improvers or cetane number boosters additives. That is a similar problem that people encounter with octane improving additives - for gasoline.
Many people sell different kinds of stuff as cetane boosters because end-users think of these as quick fixes.
Therefore, unless the cetane booster you’re searching for contains 2-Ethylhexyl nitrate, you must stay away from it.
So, don't use it if you aren't certain that it’s an appropriate additive for your diesel fuel.
Don't apply it if you're unsure it will harm or damage your diesel fuel engine.
Most importantly, don't go for it if you're uncertain that it will work.
Conclusion
In boosting cetane in diesel fuel, you must pay keen attention, especially, to treat rates.
Truly, it's not difficult to raise the cetane rating of diesel fuel. But, to achieve this, enough active ingredients need to be in place.
For example, if someone promises you an additive and claims that it raises the cetane number of Diesel fuel by 6 or 8, but assures that you must use, say, 1 ounce per 30 gallons, please, ignore the offer.
The truth is that such a little amount of cetane number improver additive will not work. Because to raise fuel cetane rating by any meaningful amount, you seemingly require at least 1 ounce per 10 gallons.
This simply means that there are no shortcuts for a cetane improver additive to do what you want if you don't use enough of it.
