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Category: Refining
Question: What is the significance of lubricity in diesel fuel?
Keywords: v1i16,lubricity,diesel,fuel,lubrication
Answer: The lubricating properties of diesel fuel are important for rotary and distributor type fuel injection pumps where moving parts are lubricated by the fuel itself as it moves through the pump (not by the engine oil). The fuel lubricates the walls between the reciprocating pieces (plunger or needle) and its container. Lubricity is an indication of the amount of wear that two pieces of metal will experience as they contact one another while covered with the fuel. Lubricity is sometimes mistakenly connected to the viscosity of a fuel. In fact, there are polar compounds in the fuel which prevent wear on contacting metal surfaces. Since 1993, specification changes and changes to how diesel fuel is manufactured have cause a decline in the lubricity of the available fuel.The Fuel Injection Equipment (FIE) manufacturers have adopted the use of a test known as the High Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR, ISO 12156-2:1998) for benchmarking diesel lubricity. They recommend that all diesel fuels meet a limit of 460 microns maximum Wear Scar Diameter (WSD).Reference: Research provided by Mukesh Sahdev, Associate Content Writer"Diesel Fuel Lubricity", Paul Lacey and Steve Westbrook, Southwest Research Institute, SAE Paper 950248, International Congress and Exposition, Detroit, Michigan, February 27-March 2, 1995


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