Fuel: The Different Types & Their Uses in Industry

The use of fuels are of critical importance within homes and the competitive world of business and industry. Homes and businesses should be looking consistently into the most cost effective methods of supplying fuel to their boilers, machinery, vehicles, and vehicle fleets to establish an exact figure regarding their fuel and energy needs.

Today's business world is constantly thriving, and industries are always face to face with a huge number of economic challenges that have potential to affect their fuel costs. There are new methods being developed that experiment with the effectiveness to save overhead costs whilst simultaneously increasing profitability.

There are a wide variety of fuels used across the various types of industry, which fall into these three main categories; domestic, agricultural and commercial. Here we shall look into what fuels come under those categories and their benefits within the industry, and make sure you are knowledgeable about what you should be getting out of your fuel supplier.

Around 1.5 million UK homes are heated using domestic fuel oil, which provides a majority of these homes that happen to be situated in rural areas with a cost-effective alternative to the mains gas network, which may be hard to reach.

Kerosene oil is manufactured through the distillation of crude oil. When refined, kerosene contains a very small amount of sulphur, much like diesel and petrol. Due to the European Union's commitment to environmental protection, there has been a steady reduction in the amount of sulphur featured in both road and heating fuel oils. From January 2008 the amount was reduced from 0.2% to 0.1%.

Most fuel oils used in Europe is gasoline, not kerosene, so it is interesting to know that a lot of kerosene is imported into the UK from foreign refineries which can cause product quality issues as similar sul[phur restrictions do not apply to the aviation industry, making the refinery of kerosene a lot more expensive.

Fuel additives can be used to enhance the domestic appliances that are using fuel oils. These additives can remove any sludge build-up, reduces time spent on maintenance, and improves overall efficiency. Some additives can also include a pleasant fragrance. Making the most of these fuel additives can dramatically reduce energy wastage in homes by improving the performance of your home machinery.

Quality seriously matters in the agricultural industry. Being responsible for the growing of crops and raising of livestock for eating, it is important that the agricultural industry consistently maintains the highest standards of efficiency. A more obvious use of agricultural oils and their purpose is engine oil.

Farming machinery such as tractors and combine harvesters need to correct lubrication to keep the various hydraulics, cogs, pistons, and gears in a healthy working order. These oils have been specially selected for the job, and are usually fluid at low temperatures but are still more than capable to give substantial protection when farming machinery is running at much higher temperatures.

Red Diesel carries a much lower duty rate compared to white road diesel. The red dye distinguishes it from any other product and is used in a variety of agricultural, plant and construction equipment including diggers, harvesters, tractors and various off-road machinery. The sulphur content has also been drastically reduced from this product to adhere to the strict environmental laws.

Additives can also be acquired for agricultural fuel oils. They also enhance the performance of equipment and/or machinery to drastically improve efficiency. Taking advantage of these fuel additives can drastically improve production flow within your business, keeping your farming machines and equipment running smoother for longer.

Commercial vehicles can be seen everywhere during any working day. Whether you are traveling via motorway, road or country lane, you are sure to see a commercial vehicle on the way to your destination. Any car, van or truck with a company logo potentially delivering certain goods or people is most certainly classed as a commercial vehicle.

Many industries are turning to the variety of commercial fuel services to manage all of their fuel needs and for state of the art management systems, that record essential data to provide businesses with accurate information in order to reduce fuel costs and rid themselves of any wasted energy.

Tank monitoring can be put in place that electronically records you daily tank levels and sends relevant information via SIM card, to inform you and your supplier of your fuel needs without ever needing to manually check the tank yourself, and removing the stress and worries of running out of fuel.

Standard road diesel is used most commonly in cars, buses, and trucks in vehicle fleets of various sizes. The additives used in this fuel can enhance mpg performance, improve emission control, and helps to keep engines clean to give an optimum performance.

Fuel additives used for commercial vehicles and fleets can improve the longevity of drives on a daily basis when delivering goods or transporting people.

There are a wide variety of uses for fuel oils within the vast expanses of industry, whether that be for running fitted boilers, heavy duty machinery, farming equipment or keeping them all lubricated, functional, and running efficiently. Strict environmental laws are gradually making changes to sulphur content and the price to import refined fuels into the UK.

However, despite all of the drawbacks, a reliable fuel supplier can provide high-performance fuel oils, lubricants, and additives to your home, company or business, with modern accessories to maintain fuel supplies and keep energy costs as low as possible. Whether you come under domestic, agricultural, or commercial, your fuel supplies can be easily maintained by a dependable supplier.

Always check that prices are competitive and that the fuel you are using is bringing the maximum amount of benefit available to your home, business or company.

We hope this article on fuel types and their uses in the industry, and has been informative and beneficial to you.

Almost all of our systems, farming equipment and machinery are designed to function with fuel oils. So whilst we are on the subject of fuel and the difficulties surrounding their uses and functions, let's explore some of the facts that you may or may not know about fossil fuels.

1. Fossil fuels can include but are limited to, coal, natural gas, and oil. Over 90% of the energy that we consume globally is powered by fossil fuel.
2. The areas below the Earth's surface are measured to detect evidence of the relevant decomposition and pressurisation required to create crude oil.
3. Natural gas is a form of methane. It becomes trapped in pockets where plant decomposition has taken place. This can occur below or above ground, depending on compounds in water sources being the correct type.
4. Despite a large amount of fossil fuel reservoirs still not being located, they are not a renewable source, taking millions of years to produce.
5. Americans consume roughly 18 million barrels of oil every single day.
6. It takes around 363kg of coal to power a light bulb for an entire year.
7. Fossil fuels consist of hydrocarbons which, when burnt, release stored energy in the form of atomic bonds.
8. 36 billion litres of fuel were sold in the UK by the forecourts alone.
9. Tanks that store diesel fuel are rather susceptible to blockage by hydrocarbon micro-organisms. They can form a thick, slimy mat that can block the system.
10. The energy source found in fossil fuels comes directly from the sun.