SUCCESSFUL USE OF UNCONVENTIONAL DIESEL FUELS FROM ATHABASCA TAR SANDS IN RR DIESEL LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES IN CANADA

Experiments were carried out a number of years ago by the two major Canadian railroads (Canadian National and CP Rail) and the National Research Council of Canada in a stationary locomotive diesel engine, laboratory bench tests, and later locomotive field runs to evaluate synthetic crudes as fuels for locomotive diesel engines. These crudes were derived from the Athabasca Tar Sands and supplied by Great Canadian Oil Sands, Ltd. This research received its impetus from the potential price advantage of synthetic crude over conventional RR diesel fuel. The tests were generally successful even though the synthetic crudes had high cloud points and very low flash points. Subsequently, an aromatic distillate (gas oil sidestream) with more desirable flash and cloud point characteristics obtained from the Tar Sands plant was made available in limited quantities by Great Canadian Oil Sands, Ltd. This fuel was tried and is being used successfully in spite of its low cetane number. A marked advantage for Canadian winters is the very low cloud point, below -40 C (-40 F), coupled with a normal diesel fuel viscosity.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Presented at the Diesel and Gas Engine Power Conference and Exhibit, Chicago, Illinois, April 4-8, 1976.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Mechanical Engineers

  Two Park Avenue
  New York, NY  United States  10016-5990
• Authors:
  • Strigner, P L
  • Acosta, J
  • Jackson, D R
  • Bethune, A E
  • Shepp, L P
• Publication Date: 1975-12

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 13 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cetane number; Costs; Diesel fuels; Energy resources; Flash point; Tar sands
• Identifier Terms: Canadian National; Canadian National Railways; Canadian Pacific
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• Old TRIS Terms: Diesel fuel cetane ratings; Diesel fuel costs; Diesel fuel flash points; Diesel fuel pour points; Fuel sources
• Subject Areas: Energy; Finance; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00131625
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: American Society of Mechanical Engineers
• Report/Paper Numbers: 76-DGP-6
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM