Same Fuel: Different Purpose Different Needs

摘要

It's no secret that ultra-low sulfur products have taken over the distillate pool in New England.First,high-sulfur blends of diesel fuel switched over.Then it was followed a few years later by the advent of ultra-low sulfur heating oil.Reducing sulfuric acid in our atmosphere has led to the championing of a common message: We're cleaner now.This is great for the industry and our customers.I have often been asked what the difference is between ultra-low sulfur diesel and ultra-low sulfur heating oil.They look the same,they smell the same and,hey,they probably taste the same.So,what makes them different? The short answer is nothing,really,save for taxes(exemptions)and federal regulations(prohibited use in off-road vehicles).My expertise in the diesel/oil industry is in advanced chemical application,or in short,additives.That's what I do for a living: help diesel jobbers,heating oil companies and customers with gen-sets deal with everyday problems that middle distillates can cause-in today's case,fuel instability.Ultra-low sulfur blends of fuel are more hygroscopic,meaning they like moisture much more than their predecessors.Unfortunately,they cannot hold that moisture as well,leaving stored fuels susceptible to water entrainment,microbial contamination and corrosion.