New Additives for Diesel Fuels: Cloud-Point Depressants

In order to achieve the cloud point specification of Diesel Fuels, dilution with kerosene is generally needed. This work examines an alternative approach, additives which irreversibly lower the crystallization temperature by specifically increasing the solubility of the heaviest n-paraffins. Large changes in cloud point with small concentrations of additive are observed. The average optimum additive concentration is 500 ppm for a gain of 3 °C in the cloud point corresponding to an increase of 1.5 % in the diesel fuel yield from crude oil.

This is very advantageous for refiners, since it results in increases in the diesel fuel yield or decreases in the amount of kerosene in the diesel fuel pool.