Seasonal winter change creates a number of challenges for diesel engine operators. Higher fuel consumption and environmental concerns are just a few of the reasons a quality winter additive should be used. Compared to summer conditions, the following issues cause increased operating costs and maintenance issues.
- Lower temperatures cause higher fuel consumption. According to the EPA, a drop from 75°F to 44˚F can increase fuel consumption by up to 28%. As temperatures drop lower, fuel economy continues to decline.
- Lower temperatures cause aerodynamic resistance. The colder and dryer winter air is denser than the warm, humid summer air. As a result, winter wind resistance can increase fuel consumption by more than 1%. Doesn’t sound like much but this accounts for an increased fuel budget and when combined with other factors, costs add up.
- According to the EPA, poor winter driving conditions increase fuel consumption by as much as 35%. Wheel slippage, slower travel, increased vehicle electrical system usage and weather-related road deterioration contribute to this statistic.
- Fuel composition is seasonally and geographically adjusted to compensate for temperature changes. Winter fuel has 1.5 to 3% less BTU energy than summer fuel resulting in lower fuel economy. Simply put, lower BTUs relate to higher fuel consumption.
- Today’s biofuel blends are highly water soluble. The higher the biofuel blend, the more water it will attract. In lower temperatures, biofuel has greater susceptibility to freezing and gelling than conventional diesel fuel. Water present in the fuel system will freeze as soon as the temperature drops low enough. The diesel fuel itself will begin gelling at around 10°F. This happens when the paraffin waxes in the fuel solidifies. Freezing and gelling contribute to higher operational costs associated with poor engine operation, engine shut-downs, filter clogging and fuel system damage.
The problems associated with winter changes cannot be understated. The answer comes in the form of a quality fuel additive. Hammonds Fuel Additives, BioborDC®+Cetane Winter Blend is a multifunctional cold-weather diesel fuel conditioner that offers cost-effective, superior protection and increased performance. It provides cold weather protection and improved winter operability by preventing fuel gelling, icing, wax formation, cold filter plugging and settling while cleaning the fuel system, lubricating injectors, preventing particulates and maximizing engine performance. It boosts cetane, improving cold starting, providing more efficient combustion and reducing emissions. It is an ashless thermal stability additive that prevents the diesel degradation associated with gum, deposit and sludge formation while decreasing filter and injector plugging. It also contains an HPCR detergent to clean dirty injectors and prevent deposits. Fuel economy is increased, emissions are reduced, power loss is minimized and excessive equipment downtime avoided. It is proven to restore power by an average 7.3%. It adds lubricity, protecting injectors and fuel pumps providing a 13.8% reduction of wear scar. There is no better way to protect your diesel engine than with Biobor® additives. Take the Biobor® challenge and check out Hammond’s winter solutions.
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