Episode 057 - Back To School - Why Diesel Gels

In this episode of the Fuel Pulse Show podcast, host Erik Bjornstad explores diesel fuel's behavior in cold temperatures. He explains the fuel's composition, focusing on paraffin wax molecules and their role in cold weather problems.

The episode covers key concepts such as cloud point and cold filter plug point, detailing how paraffin wax crystallization occurs and affects fuel performance. Bjornstad provides typical temperature ranges for these phenomena and discusses factors influencing fuel gelling. The episode concludes with a preview of future content on temperature patterns and prevention strategies for cold weather fuel issues.

Listen to the Full Episode:

What You'll Learn:

• The composition of diesel fuel and the role of paraffin wax molecules
• How temperature affects the solubility of paraffin wax in diesel fuel
• The concept of cloud point and its typical temperature range
• The process of wax crystallization and its impact on fuel performance
• The definition and importance of cold filter plug point
• Factors influencing the difference between cloud point and cold filter plug point
• Why gasoline and kerosene don't have the same gelling problems as diesel fuel

Ideas Worth Sharing:

Here are three notable quotes from the podcast episode:

• "Diesel fuel is actually a mixture or a blend of a bunch of different petroleum hydrocarbon molecules of varying sizes and shapes."
• "The temperature at which enough of these crystals have come out of solution that you can see them in the fuel, that is called the cloud point of the fuel."
• "Cold filter plug point temperature, when you're looking at that, it's not just the fuel, you've also got the factor of the filter that's involved."

Resources:

• Erik Bjornstad: LinkedIn

Show Notes:

[00:00:00] Introduction to the episode's topic: What happens to diesel fuel in cold temperatures
[00:01:00] Explanation of diesel fuel composition and paraffin wax
[00:02:00] Discussion of how paraffin wax becomes insoluble as fuel cools
[00:03:00] Introduction to the concept of cloud point
[00:04:00] Typical cloud point temperature for ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel
[00:05:00] Explanation of wax crystallization process as temperature drops
[00:06:00] Discussion of what happens when temperature stays cold or drops further
[00:07:00] Explanation of how wax buildup affects fuel filters and engine operation
[00:08:00] Introduction to cold filter plug point temperature
[00:09:00] Comparison of cloud point and cold filter plug point temperatures
[00:10:00] Recap of key points learned about diesel fuel in cold temperatures
[00:11:00] Preview of next episode's content
[00:12:00] Closing remarks and call to action for listeners