THAT reasonably good diesel fuel quality pays dividends is indicated by tests covering a good cross-section of present-day engine construction, the authors reveal. Beyond this point, there is little to be gained, they believe, and the most promising means of improving engine performance is in the hands of the engine designer and builder.
The determination of suitable fuel characteristics for the modern high-speed diesel engine, they explain, resolves itself into two basic problems. The first is named as that involving engine life and maintenance costs, both of which are studied most satisfactorily in the field. The second problem is covered in their paper, and deals with engine performance as evidenced immediately after the fuel is put into the engine, they announce.
An attempt was made, they report, to handle the test equipment in a manner which yields results directly applicable to the customer's problems. The viewpoint, therefore, is that of the fuel supplier and, in analyzing the data obtained, they take care to assign proper weight to the performance improvements obtainable from high-quality fuels as compared with improvements which the engine manufacturer may consider in making minor design alterations.