Why the different type of fuels?
2006-07-02 16:16:17 · 7 answers · asked by Ro¥al Tree® 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Other - Cars & Transportation
Gasoline engines run on the Otto thermodynamic cycle, where diesels run on the Diesel cycle. The transfer of thermal energy differs between the two cycles. Gasoline is more volatile whose ignition is hard to control in large cylinders. Fuel in the large cylinders does not burn at the same time causing the piston is sputter. Big industrial engines do not run well using gasoline. Diesel fuel comes in many grades and is usually less refined than gasoline. The compression within the cylinder of a diesel engine affects fuel equally resulting in an even combustion rate. I'm in the shipping business. One of our merchant ships low speed diesel engine can produce over 2200 hp in one cylinder.
2006-07-02 17:15:16 · answer #1 · answered by Richard B 4 · 6⤊ 1⤋
Regular gas engines generate an explosion when the spark plug jumps an electric spark across the gap in the part sticking in the combustion chamber.
Diesel engines have no spark plug. As the piston rises in the combustion chamber the air and fuel get compressed so much that the heat generated sets off the explosion.
Diesel fuel has a higher octane rating than gasoline (thus more energy per gallon of fuel). If you put gasoline in a diesel it would explode the mixture before the piston reached the top of the combustion chamber and try to run backwards.
If you tried to run diesel fuel in your gas engine the spark plugs would get all wet and foul out. You'd then have to clean the plugs and flush out the diesel fuel before running on gasoline.
2006-07-02 16:39:24 · answer #2 · answered by Larry B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A gas engine uses a ignition source"spark plug"to ignite the gasoline to cause combustion.A diesel engine uses compression to ignite the diesel fuel.Therefore the difference needed in different fuel types.
2006-07-02 17:11:30 · answer #3 · answered by spikejoneshilton 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gas engines are SI (spark ignition) and use spark as mentioned earlier - plus gas is a fuel that is designed NOT to be volatile (to prevent knocking High octane means lower volatility).
Diesel engines are Compression Ignition (CI) and use a very high compression that just at the peak of pressure fuel is injected and the combination provides the "explosive" gas expansion. Diesel fuel is rated just the opposite of gas (Cetane high numbers is high volatility).
Diesel engines are much tougher heavy duty to withstand higher pressures and usually operate at slower speeds They produce lots of torque - suited well for trucks...
2006-07-02 16:35:32 · answer #4 · answered by Steve D 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a diesel engine has no spark plugs and it must compress the fuel until there is enough heat to ignite the fuel, it also has a much higher compression ratio. gas engines have a spark plug that ignites the gas.
2006-07-02 16:21:59 · answer #5 · answered by native 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
a gas engine uses a spark to create compression to create power.
Diesel fuel is kinda like the left over crap from making gas and has a higher oil concentration in it.
2006-07-02 16:20:00 · answer #6 · answered by Stacy R 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Diesels are made for comercial type of vehicles. They are bigger and normally run a little slower (depending on the driver) then regular vehicles.
2006-07-02 16:21:12 · answer #7 · answered by The Kujinator 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋