why is diesel fuel, even the new "clean diesel" more expensive than gas, when it lower on cracking chain?
338094
Diesel or Diesel fuel is a specific fractional distillate of fuel oil (mostly petroleum) that is used as fuel in a diesel engine invented by German engineer Rudolf Diesel. The term typically refers to fuel that has been processed from petroleum, but increasingly, alternatives such as biodiesel or biomass to liquid (BTL) or gas to liquid (GTL) diesel that are not derived from petroleum are being developed.\nDiesel is produced from petroleum, and is sometimes called petrodiesel (or, less seriously, dinodiesel) when there is a need to distinguish it from diesel obtained from other sources. As a hydrocarbon mixture, it is obtained in the fractional distillation of crude oil between 250 °C and 350 °C at atmospheric pressure. Petro Diesel is considered to be a fuel oil and is about 18% denser than gasoline.\n\nThe density of diesel is about 850 grams per liter whereas gasoline has a density of about 720 g/l, or about 15% less. When burnt diesel typically releases about 40.9 megajoules (MJ) per liter, whereas gasoline releases 34.8 MJ/l also about 15% less. Diesel is generally simpler to refine than gasoline and often costs less (although price fluctuations often mean that the inverse is true; for example, the cost of diesel traditionally rises during colder months as demand for heating oil, which is refined much the same way, rises).\n\nDiesel fuel, however, often contains higher quantities of sulfur. In Europe, emission standards and preferential taxation have both forced oil refineries to dramatically reduce the level of sulfur in diesel fuels. In contrast, the United States has long had "dirtier" diesel, although more stringent emission standards have been adopted with the transition to ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) occurring in 2006 (see also diesel exhaust). U.S. diesel fuel typically also has a lower cetane number (a measure of ignition quality) than European diesel, resulting in worse cold weather performance and some increase in emissions. High levels of sulfur in diesel are harmful for the environment. It prevents the use of catalytic diesel particulate filters to control diesel particulate emissions, as well as more advanced technologies, such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) adsorbers (still under development), to reduce emissions. However, lowering sulfur also reduces the lubricity of the fuel, meaning that additives must be put into the fuel to help lubricate engines. Biodiesel is an effective lubricant. Diesel contains approximately 18% more energy per unit of volume than gasoline, which, along with the greater efficiency of diesel engines, contributes to fuel economy (distance traveled per volume of fuel consumed).\n\nThere has been a lot of discussion and misinformation about algae in diesel fuel. Algae is a plant, and it requires sunlight to live and grow. As there is no sunlight in a closed fuel tank, no algae can survive there. However, some microbes can survive there. They can feed on the diesel fuel.\n\nThese microbes form a slimy colony that lives at the fuel/water interface. They grow quite rapidly in warmer temperatures. They can even grow in cold weather when fuel tank heaters are installed. Parts of the colony can break off and clog the fuel lines and fuel filters.\n\nIt is possible to either kill this growth with a biocide treatment, or eliminate the water, a necessary component of microbial life. There are a number of biocides on the market, which must be handled very carefully. If a biocide is used, it must be added every time a tank is refilled until the problem is fully resolved.\n\nBiocides attack the cell wall of microbes resulting in Lysis, the death of a cell by bursting. The risk of filter clogging may continue for a short period after biocide treatment until cellular residues break down and are absorbed into the fuel.\n\nDiesel fuel is very similar to heating oil which is used in central heating. In Europe, the United States and Canada, taxes on diesel fuel are higher than on heating oil due
29418
Ethanol is bad and creates many nasty acids that wear away the journal bearing babbits, etc.  Many materials cannot stand up to the increase acidity present when burning higher percentages of ethanol. (Boy i hope i don't mean methanol instead of ethanol.  You might want to double check me there!)\n\nCNG can ONLY be used on SUPERCHARGED diesel engines.  To date, there are no SUPERCHARGED automotive diesel engines made.  The only way to get CNG into a diesel engine is to use very large superchargers which run mechanically off the crankshaft to ensure enough air-fuel mixture gets into the engine.  See Waukesha for stationary CNG products.  Traditionally, many diesel/CNG power plants run on CNG most of the time to save $.  \n\nCNG is GREAT for normally aspirated automotive spark-ignition engines.  It may produce less peak power, but the cylinder wear is REDUCED, oil contamination REDUCED--the engine runs SO MUCH CLEANER it is unbelievable.  Combustion chambers remain spotless and spark plugs stay clean.  CNG evaporators need a heat source, so in cold climates you may have to have a preheater.\n\nYou may be able to increase compression ratio when building up an automotive conversion--but don't overdo it.  I know plenty of CNG trucks that end up blowing a head gasket because people have a lead foot.  You could probably run a 9.0.  The best engines to use are V-8 carbureted truck engines.  \n\nTotal fleets of frozen food delivery trucks have been converted to CNG--but none has a diesel engine--they are all gasoline type engines.  So they do use them in trucks.  \n\nCNG will run out fast in your automotive application.  CNG must be stored in a gas phase, which means by the cubic foot.  It is not practical usually to build CNG storage into a car, and check with your Dept. of Transportation on explosion hazards--it may be illegal in some cases to carry so much cubic feet of explosive gas on a car or in a non-rated tank.  The heating value, i.e. energy per cubic foot of fuel is far less than gasoline, and less than propane. \n\nThe most practical conversions for cars are propane kits.  They are very simple: pressure regulator, evaporator, and some kind of throttle linkage.  You will get a few more miles per bottle of propane than CNG.  Both propane and CNG keep engines spotlessly clean.  Be sure to start with a clean engine and be sure that the valves have valve seats in the heads.  Exhaust gases can run the valves a bit hotter than when burning gasoline because of unburnt hydrocarbons in the exhaust--if your air-fuel ratio is right, you will never have that problem with CNG or LPG.
673040
Well, to some extent higher fuel prices will lead to fewer cars on the road...\n\nIf the other states care to implement California's air pollution laws, there would be a big savings for most of them.  (Some other places, parts of Texas and Colorado already have strict laws.)\n\nWe out here are trying to lower toxins from fuel (recent low sulfur diesel is supposed to reduce carcinogens by about 15%) and get railroads, which are federally exempt large polluters to clean up their acts.  Ports are bad too, and difficult because the boats come from all over the world.
68886
First, you have the price of a barrel of oil. It is set basically by OPEC and the futures market. The oil companies buy oil and this rate and send it to the refineries. Refineries then convert the oil in gasoline (among quite a lot else). Refineries in turn sell the gas to wholesalers. The wholesalers then sell to your local gas station.\n\nMany times you will see stations within a mile of each other with wildly different prices. The reason for this is quite simple: busier stations sell more gas, and therefore buy more gas than a slower station. When prices are going up, for example, the station that sold the gas faster will have to buy the more expensive gas while the slower station still has the less expensive stuff in the ground. Then people rush to the lower-priced station and the whole process repeats.\n\nGas stations make, on average, about 5-10 cents per gallon depending on the market. In short, they make more off the car wash or can of Coke than the 50 gallons of gas you just bought.
616877
All engines have a cost.  I suggest that the cost of this form of energy may be the slowing of the rotational period of the Earth.  What would we pay in time
230301
Hydrogen is less efficient that oil right now but if we developed a more clean way of making it (like photobiosynthesis) it would be much better for the environment, and the switch has to start somewhere.\n\nIt is my opinion that it would be better for the environment if we just ran out of fuel, because people tend to destroy the planet when they have lots of energy, regardless of how clean the energy is. It's the greed that is bad for the environment, not the fuel. Hydrocarbons could actually be made to be very environmentally friendly if car and energy companies actually cared about environmental health more than stuffing their pockets with cash.
32625
Rising prices of fuel increases inflation because almost all man made fibers, plastics etc. are created using oil.  Therefore the cost of raw materials goes up.  \n\nThe factory that produces the finished product has to use energy to produce their goods whatever they may be.\n\nThese goods then have to be shipped to market using transportation that requirs fuel.  \n\nAll this leads to a spiral of inflated cost throughout the supply chain which causes an increase in inflation throughout the global economy.
216504
through a process called "Cracking"\nthis is when you take a larger molecule and crack it into smaller more volatile molecules\nthey use this in oil refineries to turn crude oil into more valuable products
374376
To Prove to the Right People that My Compact, Safe, Low Pressure Unit can Turn Regular Pump Gasoline into Propane. I've already Accomplished it. The Problem is the Fact that all Vehicles from 1996 to the Present are Required by the Stringent EPA  OBD II Law to Run at 14.7 Parts of Air to 1 Part of Fuel, or the vehicle will Fail Inspection . Even if Fuel Economy is Markedly Improved, and Emissions Lowered, the Vehicle will fail Inspection because by Law, there is a maximum, and a Minimum Limit. Deviate from Either Parameter and the Vehicle will Fail Inspection. This is Insane! I've been to the US Patent Office and Looked at the Patents for Other Similar Units that have been kept off the Market.The Pogue Carburetor, which is Patented, is Documented to Provide 100 + MPG with a Flat-Head Ford V-8 Engine, that's usually 15 MPG, or Less! We have got to Reduce Dependence on Petroleum Worldwide, Vehicle Emissions, and Global Warming. That's the Dream , and the "Why". So, How am I Doing? 14.7 to 1 is the Law. I've Managed to prove 100 to 1 is Possible, but it's a Losing Proposition at this Point. For even More,http://energy21.freeservers.com/bookrep.html Hybird Vehicles aren't the Answer.At Highway Speed, the Gas Engine takes Over, plus the Heavy Batteries have to be Hauled.Cheap, Safe Hydrogen is the Answer, but as long as there is a High level of Profit in Petroleum, nothing will Change, including the insane EPA OBD II Law.So, I'm not doing very well at this Point. Maybe with the Power of the Internet that will Change.
489581
ain't none 'cept gas and diesel
609355
OIL is $74 per barrel. The amount of that oil which is turned in to gasoline is alot less.
153353
Diesel engines are more efficient than gasoline engines. Also, since diesel fuel evaporates at a higher temperature than gasoline it forms fewer fumes in the air and is less likely to  cause an explosion and fire in an enclosed space. This is why diesel engines are used in submarines and army tanks. Diesel fuel is one of the products made from oil.
236826
High Supply, Low demand = Lower Price\n\nLow Supply and High demand = High Price\n\nSimple economics.  Our gas prices work this way too.. Very few refineries to refine gas, which causes lower supplies.
473712
Not Totally. I Hear Everyone Complaining about the High Cost of Gas. I've Found a Way to Convert Regular Pump Gasoline into Propane.My Unit is Safe, Compact, and Uses Low Pressure Air to Do It. But, it's Illegal to Put on Any U.S. Vehicle Made From 1996 to the Present, even if Fuel Economy is Improved, and Emissions are Lowered.That's the EPA-OBD-II Vehicle Inspection Law.We Can Thank The Clinton Administration for That.If a Vehicle Does Not Emit Enough Pollution, It Will Fail Inspection, and be Illegal to Drive! This is Insane! I've Been to the US Patent Office and Looked at Patents Kept Off The Market. Case in Point, the Pogue Carburetor, Which is On File as Having Achieved 100 + MPG With a Flathead Ford V-8 That Normally Got 15 MPG!All OBD-II '96 ^ Engines are Set To Run 14.7 Parts of Air to 1 Part of Fuel.My Vaporizer Does 100 Parts of Air to 1 Part of Fuel, With an Actual Increase of Engine Power, and Longer Life. 50 + MPG With even the Largest SUV! And, It's Illegal! If I'm Wrong, then How is it That Engines DO Run On Propane? To Do So Legally Requires the Use of a Large, Cumbersome, Expensive Tank Cylinder, Which must be hauled with the Vehicle, Expensive Metering Equipment, and the Added Hassle of Having to Refill the Tank.So Much Hassle that even with Gas Going Back to $3.OO Per Gallon, it's Just Not Worth the Hassle!Again, I've Heard it Over and Over Today, and Tonight, People Complaining About the High Cost of Gas. Know What? All Petroleum is Essentially the Same on a Molecular Level. Only the Dispersal is Altered. But The OBD-II Law, that Applies to the Vehicle That You are Driving Can't be Altered! Most People I Try to Explain This To Don't Want to Hear It, But They Still Complain About the High Cost Of Gas. I'd Like to Fix Up Older Vehicles Converted to Vapor, and Donate Them to The Meals On Wheels Program, Volunteer Veterans' Services [We Owe Them So Very Much!] Homeless Shelter Assistance Centers, and Many Other Worthwhile Charities! See, Greed has Stopped This Every Time! Now, The OBD-II Law. So, No, I'm Not "Happy Tonight"!
457738
I think you should seriously shop around. Maybe you are looking at a fully or hard tail???\n\nScott is a much better brand, lighter and stronger at the top end of the market.\n\nYou could seriously buy something as good for a lot less money than you would pay for a Fuel.
501149
I think the refineries, when the run the oil through a cracker, can determine how much to pull off as gasoline and how much to turn in to other things. Refineries actually make more money on light end hydrocarbons which are sold to the petrochemical industry to make all sorts of things, even plastics.
641301
The gas companies are actually only making around 10% profit on their gas.  This might be slightly above market equilibrium but not much.  Much of the cost goes into taxes and refining.  The bulk is from the increase in the price of crude oil.  The nominal profits are increasing because the oil companies are keeping a fixed profit margin.\n\n10% of 10 is smaller than 10% of 100.  Both have the same margins.\n\nThere's an article here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5365439\n\nPrice ceiling general info here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Price_ceiling\n\nYes, it would create a shortage.  We did exactly this in the 70s.  I guess it's up to the individual as to whether it's preferable to have gas lines and slightly cheaper prices or the current situation.  There's no right answer.\n\nIf the ceiling is low, they'll just cut supply or start exporting it.