1 Fuels Roger Bortignon Fuels Roger Bortignon

2 Oil Industry Oil Refineries: transform crude oil into mainly gasoline Oil Refineries: transform crude oil into mainly gasoline The world consumes 80,000,000 barrels of crude oil each The world consumes 80,000,000 barrels of crude oil each ammonia, antiseptics, bubble gum, crayons, denture adhesive, eyeglass frames, fertilizer, floor polish guitar strings, heart valves, ice chests, insect repellant, life preservers, liquid detergent mascara, paint, pingpong paddles, plastic beverage containers, roller-skate wheels, sneakers synthetic fibers, telephones, volleyballs…

3 What is crude oil? Crude oil is comprised of… 1)Carbon - 84% 2)Hydrogen - 14% 3)Sulfur - 1 to 3% 4)Nitrogen - less than 1% 5)Oxygen - less than 1% 6)Metals - less than 1% 7)Salts - less than 1% a mixture of crude oil, water and sand about 2 minutes after it has come out of the North Sea…

4 Alberta Oil Sands

5 Offshore Oil and Gas Potential in British Columbia

6 Fractional Distillation Crude oil is heated to ≈ 600°CCrude oil is heated to ≈ 600°C

7 Fractional Distillation heated vapors rise into different chambers via “bubble caps”heated vapors rise into different chambers via “bubble caps” liquid & molecules can either bubble thru or condenseliquid & molecules can either bubble thru or condense temperatures greatest at bottom of towertemperatures greatest at bottom of tower

8 crude oil enters here…

9 At the bottom of the column... heavy molecules high boiling points thick, viscous liquids low volatility not very flammable dark colour At the top of the column… light molecules low boiling points gases & very runny liquids very volatile highly flammable light colour

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11 Cracking Cracking: breaks large HC molecules into smaller ones. Types of cracking processes…Types of cracking processes… 1) thermal cracking uses high heat to break up molecules 2) catalytic cracking uses a platinum catalyst to combine naphtha into gasoline blending components 3) hydrocracking adds hydrogen under high pressure – produces a liquid hydrocarbon

12 Polymerization Polymerization is the opposite of cracking. this process combines smaller fractions into larger onesthis process combines smaller fractions into larger ones natural gas & waste gas is condensed into highnatural gas & waste gas is condensed into high octane liquids used in blending gasoline octane liquids used in blending gasoline

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14 Gasoline volatility: how easily the gasoline turns to a vapor winter blend: fuel vaporizes at a lower temperaturewinter blend: fuel vaporizes at a lower temperature summer blend: fuel vaporizes at a higher temperaturesummer blend: fuel vaporizes at a higher temperature  reduces “vapor lock”  implications?

15 Compression Pressure higher compression ratio = more torque & BHPhigher compression ratio = more torque & BHP higher compression ratio = easier for fuel to self ignitehigher compression ratio = easier for fuel to self ignite

16 Abnormal Combustion Preignition

17 Octane Octane rating:  reflects a fuel’s ability to combat “knock”  how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously ignites high octane fuels = harder to ignite / burn slowerhigh octane fuels = harder to ignite / burn slower low octane fuels = burn fasterlow octane fuels = burn faster 2 types of octane numbers2 types of octane numbers  Motor Octane Number (MON) high load test  Research Octane Number (RON) low load test  octane number at the pump is (R+M)÷2

18 Octane Boosters TEL: tetra-ethyl lead: used 1920’s – 1960’sTEL: tetra-ethyl lead: used 1920’s – 1960’s TML: tetra-methyl leadTML: tetra-methyl lead  lead absorbs heat = slower combustion  early 1970’s lead phased out Unleaded fuels may include… MMT: methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonylisMMT: methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonylis  banned in Canada since 2004 aromatic HCs such as xylene & tolulenearomatic HCs such as xylene & tolulene propane & butanepropane & butane ethanol: drinkable alcohol – up to 10% added ethanol: drinkable alcohol – up to 10% added methanol: methanol:  can be produced from petroleum products or…  non-petroleum feedstocks; coal,  can damage fuel system parts MTBE: methyl ether MTBE: methyl ether ETBE: ethyl ether ETBE: ethyl ether = oxygenated fuels = oxygenated fuels

19 Octane 87 octane fuel is…87 octane fuel is…  87% iso-octane & 13% heptane

20 Diesel Fuel less volatile than gasolineless volatile than gasoline higher flash point (safer)higher flash point (safer)  The flash point is the lowest temperature at which the vapors above a flammable liquid will ignite on the application of an ignition source burns slower contains more heat energy than gasolinecontains more heat energy than gasoline winter fuel: #1 - light diesel, flows easily, less powerwinter fuel: #1 - light diesel, flows easily, less power summer fuel: #2 - the most commonly usedsummer fuel: #2 - the most commonly used “low sulphur diesel” contains <500 parts per million sulphur“low sulphur diesel” contains <500 parts per million sulphur since 1998, all on-road diesel fuel in Canada must be LSDsince 1998, all on-road diesel fuel in Canada must be LSD June, 2006 : ultra-low sulphur 15ppmJune, 2006 : ultra-low sulphur 15ppm additives prevent paraffin wax formation at low temperaturesadditives prevent paraffin wax formation at low temperatures rated by cetane numberrated by cetane number

21 Diesel Fuel’s Cetane Number Cetane: colorless liquid HC with very good ignition qualities cetane ratings range from 40 to 50 higher cetane number = ignites faster high speed diesels require higher # - Why? the percentage of cetane determines the CN opposite of octane rating   higher octane # resists self-ignition   higher cetane # promotes self-ignition

22 comparison of gasoline’s octane rating & diesel’s cetane ratingcomparison of gasoline’s octane rating & diesel’s cetane rating

23 Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): made mainly of propane & blended with other componentsmade mainly of propane & blended with other components 2% of vehicle fossil fuel usage in Canada2% of vehicle fossil fuel usage in Canada a vapor unless cooled or pressurized (> -42°C = vapor)a vapor unless cooled or pressurized (> -42°C = vapor) LPG is stored in liquid form under pressure (≈200psi) in a steel tankLPG is stored in liquid form under pressure (≈200psi) in a steel tank LPG vapor is heavier than airLPG vapor is heavier than air  implications? no appreciable loss in HP (compared to gasoline)no appreciable loss in HP (compared to gasoline) burns clean – few depositsburns clean – few deposits  oil, spark plugs, combustion chambers stay clean/carbon-free can be a dual-fuel systemcan be a dual-fuel system few noxious fumes – great for warehousesfew noxious fumes – great for warehouses 82,000 BTUs compared to 120,000 BTUs for gasoline82,000 BTUs compared to 120,000 BTUs for gasoline must hold a provincial license to work on the high pressure sidemust hold a provincial license to work on the high pressure side high octane rating (104 or higher)high octane rating (104 or higher)  implications? requires > spark plug voltage to fire (has higher ignition temperature)requires > spark plug voltage to fire (has higher ignition temperature)

24 LPG Operation / Components

25 LPG Converter

26 LPG Converter

27 Compressed Natural Gas CNG… made up mainly of methane (≈ 95%)made up mainly of methane (≈ 95%).25% of vehicle fossil fuel usage in Canada.25% of vehicle fossil fuel usage in Canada the tank stores natural gas vapor at 3,000 PSIthe tank stores natural gas vapor at 3,000 PSI low tank capacity = short driving rangelow tank capacity = short driving range limited number of refueling stationslimited number of refueling stations can be dual-fuel systemcan be dual-fuel system 22,000 BTUs22,000 BTUs can be used on diesel enginescan be used on diesel engines  (diesel fuel = 15% to 35%, remainder is CNG) octane rating 120octane rating 120  implications? must be licensed to work on the high pressure sidemust be licensed to work on the high pressure side  implications?

28 CNG Fuel Injection System