Winter Operability: Notes

While most of this RP discusses the use of fuel additives to improve winter operability, another method used to improve operability is to blend traditional No. 2 diesel with No. 1 diesel. Although blending No. 2 diesel with No. 1 diesel will improve a few of the cold weather characteristics, there are other considerations that must be understood when blending different fuels.

• The British Thermal Unit (BTU) content of the fuel will be lowered and, therefore, fuel economy will suffer. The BTU content of No. 2 diesel is approximately 139,000 BTU/gallon while No. 1 diesel is approximately 135,000 BTU/gallon. This equates to about a three-percent difference, so more fuel will be used to get the same horsepower.
• No. 1 diesel typically has a higher price point than No. 2 diesel, so you will have to include that delta in any cost comparison.

In any scenario, the costs of using additives or blended fuel need to be understood and may be offset by reducing maintenance intervals and maintaining fuel economy. In instances where additives are chosen, consumers should require supporting data from suppliers to ensure that they receive value for the additional expense.