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FuelsFuels

Roger BortignonRoger Bortignon

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Oil IndustryOil Industry

Oil RefineriesOil Refineries: transform crude oil into mainly gasoline: 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, ammonia, antiseptics, bubble gum, crayons,

denture adhesive, eyeglass frames, fertilizer, floor polish denture adhesive, eyeglass frames, fertilizer, floor polish

guitar strings, heart valves, ice chests, guitar strings, heart valves, ice chests,

insect repellant, life preservers, liquid detergent insect repellant, life preservers, liquid detergent

mascara, paint, pingpong paddles, mascara, paint, pingpong paddles,

plastic beverage containers, roller-skate wheels, sneakers plastic beverage containers, roller-skate wheels, sneakers

synthetic fibers, telephones, volleyballs… synthetic fibers, telephones, volleyballs…

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What is crude oil?What is crude oil?

Crude oil is comprised of…Crude oil is comprised of…

1)1) Carbon - 84% Carbon - 84%

2)2) Hydrogen - 14% Hydrogen - 14%

3)3) Sulfur - 1 to 3%Sulfur - 1 to 3%

4)4) Nitrogen - less than 1%Nitrogen - less than 1%

5)5) Oxygen - less than 1% Oxygen - less than 1%

6)6) Metals - less than 1% Metals - less than 1%

7)7) Salts - less than 1%Salts - less than 1%

a mixture of crude oil, water and sand about 2 minutes after it has come out of the North Sea…

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Alberta Oil SandsAlberta Oil Sands

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Offshore Oil and Gas Potential in British ColumbiaOffshore Oil and Gas Potential in British Columbia

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Fractional DistillationFractional Distillation

• Crude oil is heated to ≈ 600°CCrude oil is heated to ≈ 600°C

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Fractional DistillationFractional Distillation

• heated vapors rise into heated vapors rise into different chambers via different chambers via ““bubble capsbubble caps””

• liquid & molecules can liquid & molecules can either bubble thru or either bubble thru or condensecondense

• temperatures greatest at temperatures greatest at bottom of towerbottom of tower

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crude oilcrude oilenters here…enters here…

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At the bottom of the column...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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CrackingCracking

CrackingCracking: breaks large HC molecules into : breaks large HC molecules into smaller ones.smaller ones.

• Types of cracking processes…Types of cracking processes…

1)1) thermal cracking thermal cracking uses high heat to uses high heat to break up moleculesbreak up molecules

2)2) catalytic crackingcatalytic cracking uses a platinum uses a platinum catalyst to combine naphtha into catalyst to combine naphtha into gasoline blending componentsgasoline blending components

3)3) hydrocrackinghydrocracking adds hydrogen adds hydrogen under high pressure – produces a under high pressure – produces a liquid hydrocarbonliquid hydrocarbon

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PolymerizationPolymerization

PolymerizationPolymerization is the opposite of is the opposite of cracking.cracking.

• this process combines smaller this process combines smaller fractions into larger onesfractions into larger ones

• natural gas & waste gas is natural gas & waste gas is condensed into high condensed into high

octane liquids used in blending octane liquids used in blending gasolinegasoline

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GasolineGasoline

volatilityvolatility: how easily the gasoline turns to a vapor: 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”reduces “vapor lock” implications?implications?

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Compression Pressure 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

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Abnormal CombustionAbnormal Combustion

Preignition

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OctaneOctaneOctane ratingOctane rating: : reflects a fuel’s ability to combat “knock”reflects a fuel’s ability to combat “knock”

how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously how much the fuel can be compressed before it spontaneously

ignites 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 numbers 2 types of octane numbers

Motor Octane Number (MON) high load test Motor Octane Number (MON) high load test

Research Octane Number (RON) low load testResearch Octane Number (RON) low load test

octane number at the pump is (R+M)÷2octane number at the pump is (R+M)÷2

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Octane BoostersOctane 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 combustionlead absorbs heat = slower combustion early 1970’s lead phased outearly 1970’s lead phased out

Unleaded fuels may include…Unleaded fuels may include…

• MMT: MMT: methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonylismethylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonylis banned in Canada since 2004banned 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…can be produced from petroleum products or… non-petroleum feedstocks; coal, non-petroleum feedstocks; coal, can damagecan damage fuel system partsfuel system parts

MTBE: methyl etherMTBE: methyl ether ETBE: ethyl etherETBE: ethyl ether

= oxygenated fuels= oxygenated fuels

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OctaneOctane

• 87 octane fuel is…87 octane fuel is… 87% iso-octane & 13% heptane87% iso-octane & 13% heptane

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Diesel FuelDiesel Fuel

• less volatile than gasoline less volatile than gasoline

• higher flash point (safer)higher flash point (safer)

The The flash pointflash point is the lowest temperature at which the is the lowest temperature at which the

vapors above a flammable liquid will ignite on the application vapors above a flammable liquid will ignite on the application

of an ignition source burns slowerof 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 sulphurlow 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 15ppm June, 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

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Diesel Fuel’s Cetane NumberDiesel 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

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

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Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG)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?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-freeoil, 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?implications?

• requires > spark plug voltage to fire (has higher ignition temperature)requires > spark plug voltage to fire (has higher ignition temperature)

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LPG Operation / ComponentsLPG Operation / Components

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LPG ConverterLPG Converter

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LPG ConverterLPG Converter

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Compressed Natural GasCompressed Natural Gas

CNG…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 engines can be used on diesel engines

(diesel fuel = 15% to 35%, remainder is CNG)(diesel fuel = 15% to 35%, remainder is CNG)

• octane rating 120octane rating 120

implications?implications?

• must be licensed to work on the high pressure sidemust be licensed to work on the high pressure side

implications?implications?

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CNG Fuel Injection SystemCNG Fuel Injection System