German Diesel Fuel Specification!

[SkyPup]

8/9/99
The German government announced it will launch low-sulfur automotive fuels in 2001, four years earlier than planned under European Union legislation. The economics ministry said it had been working on a tax cut system on gasoline and diesel containing less than 50 ppm of sulfur.

The ministry also said that Germany would campaign for the EU to limit sulfur content to 10 ppm over the longer term.

The fuel will meet, ahead of time, the 2005 European Union fuel specifications (Directive 98/69/EC). For diesel fuel, these specifications are: minimum cetane number of 51 (year 2000), maximum sulfur content of 350 ppm in 2000 and 50 ppm in 2005. Current EU fuel specs are maximum 500 ppm sulfur and cetane number of 49.

The main advantage from reducing the sulfur content is increased performance and durability of emission control systems on both gasoline and diesel engines. Low sulfur fuel also opens the way for new diesel emission control technologies. These sulfur intolerant technologies include CRT particulate trap, commercially available from Johnson Matthey, and lean-NOx trap-catalyst systems, under development by all major catalyst makers. Several thousand of CRT trap systems have been installed in Sweden and in the UK, where diesel fuels of 10 ppm sulfur content are available.

 

[SkyPup]

Sulfur Standards Could Cause Harm Warns NPRA

7/21/99 The National Petrochemical and Refiners Assn. (Washington, DC) is continuing the drumbeat against sweeping 30-ppm-sulfur limits on U.S. diesel fuel, proposed this spring by USEPA. In testimony before the Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the House, Jerry Thompson, SVP, Citgo, said that "The refining industry asks this subcommittee to urge EPA to develop a more workable and flexible plan which achieves necessary sulfur reductions in a more reasonable manner and timeframe while ensuring an adequate supply of diesel fuel."

Thompson contends that sulfur-reduction technology to reduce sulfur content to 30 ppm by the fall of 2003 is yet to be commercially proven. Over 100 refineries would have to install such technology by then. Thompson, who was representing both NPRA and the American Petroleum Institute in his testimony, noted that the industry's proposal is for a four-year phase-in of the standard. In effect, the capital projects to meet the 2003 deadline would have to begin immediately; a "typical" desulfurization project would take at least four years, including initial studies, process design, engineering, permitting and construction.

Additional trouble is looming from gasoline sulfur standards and MTBE phasedown. "The combined impact could deliver a knockout punch to America's refining industry," he concludes.

 

[mickey]

Somehow I suspect that the German refineries will have no trouble removing the sulphur, while the US refineries will feign ignorance. Don't the idiots realize they can charge extra for the de-sulphured fuel? I don't understand why they're dragging their feet on this issue. I read an article a while back about the advantage of ultra low-sulphur gasoline on engine emissions. The EPA should be forcing the refiners to retrofit their equipment at gunpoint, if necessary! It has an amazing effect on emissions, and would allow engines to meet the steadily tightening standards for years to come with little in the way of mechanical changes. But, money talks and oil companies have most of it.

-mickey

 

[SkyPup]

Don't forget that the VW German diesel fuel is standard cetane of 49+, this is 20% better than here in US. Sweden, Denmark, etc. also have even better standard for their supply. The only standards, or better stated as the lack of standards, in the US are cetane value of 40 and sulfur of 500ppm, not to mention crappy 200+ ppm water contamination at the refinery (God knows what by the time it gets to your tank). Pure crap here. Nowhere near state of the art unless you are near some biodiesel or synfuel experimental outlet!