What is the ignition point of diesel?
2 Answers
Diesel's ignition point is 220 degrees Celsius. Properties of diesel: Diesel is a light petroleum product, a complex mixture of hydrocarbons (carbon atoms approximately 10-22), used as fuel for diesel engines. It is mainly produced by blending diesel fractions obtained from processes such as crude oil distillation, catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, hydrocracking, and petroleum coking. It can also be produced from shale oil processing and coal liquefaction. Diesel is not easily ignited by open flame: Diesel is not easily ignited by open flame because it does not readily evaporate into gas. Only a thin layer on the liquid surface can come into contact with air. Therefore, diesel engines need to spray diesel into a mist, forming many small droplets to increase the surface area of the diesel, allowing it to burn rapidly.
The ignition point of diesel is approximately 220°C, which is significantly higher than that of gasoline. Gasoline can ignite at around 260°C, making diesel relatively safer. I always remind my customers during repairs that diesel vehicles are harder to start in winter because it's difficult to reach the auto-ignition temperature in cold conditions, making glow plugs particularly important. Regarding diesel storage, our fleet requires warehouse temperatures to be kept within a safe range, as high temperatures in areas filled with fuel drums can easily lead to accidents. Different types of diesel have slightly varying ignition points; for example, biodiesel might be about ten degrees lower, so it's crucial to match the fuel grade with the engine requirements when selecting diesel.