Emissions from Fischer-Tropsch Diesel Fuels

Diesel fuels derived from Fischer-Tropsch processes have a number of beneficial properties, including zero sulfur, high cetane, and near-zero aromatics content. Previous researchers have shown emissions benefits for using these fuels in light and heavy-duty diesel engines. A series of experimental fuels using neat F-T material or blends of F-T material with conventional cracked stocks was tested in diesel engines and produced lower emissions when compared to current diesel fuel. These experimental fuels cover a variety of boiling point ranges, extending from light naphtha to materials that are significantly heavier than conventional diesel fuels. All of the fuels show lower NOx and particulate emissions. F-T material can be used to increase the use of marginal refinery streams as diesel blend stocks and so increase the volume of low emission diesel fuels produced in current refineries.