Fuel Additives

Abstract

In modern automotive fuels, a combination of several chemical additives is used in order for the fuel to meet the desired performance level. This chapter discusses some select detergent and dispersant (DD) additives. It summarizes the most important criteria used in engine tests. The use of antiknock additives permits greater efficiency and higher power output because of the higher compression ratios they produce. In certain diesel engines, the higher cetane fuels have shorter ignition delay periods than lower cetane fuels. Several different additives have been tried to increase the cetane number of diesel fuel. Lubricity improvers and friction modifiers both work through the action of film formation on the metal surfaces. The quality of diesel fuel has undergone tremendous change over the last decade. Aromatics, olefins, and sulfur contents have been drastically reduced.