Episode 043 - Fuel Distillation Tests

One of the subjects I talk about often on this podcast is what the different diesel fuel properties and tests mean from a property standpoint. The D975 tests are important because, together, they represent the critical benchmarks for quality and performance within the diesel fuel industry. Ensuring fuels meet specific criteria is crucial, so on today’s episode, I’ll be talking specifically about the distillation tests.

Listen in to hear what fuel distillation tests are, why they matter, and how they can help you tell if your fuel has gone bad. You will learn what these tests identify, as well as how you can use them most effectively. I’ll also discuss common explanations as to why fuel may get a bad test result and what you can do to address that situation if it arises.

Listen to the Full Episode:

What You'll Learn:

• Why the distillation test is important.
• How to do the fuel distillation tests.
• How fuel performance and efficiency are affected.
• How to interpret the test results correctly.
• What to do if you get bad test results.

Ideas Worth Sharing:

• “Fuel distillation properties offer insight into the fuel’s composition, quality, and performance characteristics.” - Erik Bjornstad
• “While a 10% distillation can make cold starting better, it can also lead to higher VOC. VOC is bad because they’re a key contributor to smog formation.” - Erik Bjornstad
• “If that 90% measurement is too low, this suggests that the fuel is more volatile overall because a large portion of it is vaporizing at lower than normal temperatures.” - Erik Bjornstad
• “It’s almost never going to be the fault of the refinery. All diesel fuel that leaves the refinery has been heavily tested for quality assurance.” - Erik Bjornstad
• "We don’t think that the longer our fuel is stored, the greater chance that some parts of it are going to evaporate and disappear, but that is a reality." - Erik Bjornstad

Resources:

• Erik Bjornstad: LinkedIn