The Density of Diesel Oil

Diesel oil--otherwise known as diesel fuel oil or petrodiesel (to distinguish it from biodiesel, produced from vegetable oil or animal fat)--is produced from the fractional distillation of crude oil.

What Is Diesel Oil Density?

Density is the relationship between the mass and volume of a liquid or a solid and can be expressed in units of grams per liter (g/L) at a reference temperature, usually 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The density of diesel oil is 850 g/L, compared with 720g/L for gasoline.

Why Is Diesel Oil Density Important?

The density of diesel oil is important because it gives an indication of the delay between the injection and combustion of the fuel in a diesel engine (ignition quality) and the energy per unit mass (specific energy). The denser the oil, the more energy it contains.

Measuring Diesel Oil Density

The density of diesel oil can be measured by dropping a device known as a hydrometer into the oil or by placing a sample in a device known as a density meter.

References

• Kittiwake: Measuring Density of Diesel & Fuel Oil
• Solarnavigator: Diesel
• Argonne National Laboratory: Ignition Quality of Residual Fuels in Diesel Engines
• "Fuel and Lubricants Handbook"; George E. Totten; 2003