Re: using bunker fuel

OK I'll let all my chemistry ignorance hang out and ask. Would it be
practical to brew your own deisel by mixing bunker with regular
gasoline? Would the savings be worth it?

>maxcamirand@xxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> Howdy group,
>> All the yachtsmen I know who run a diesel use only 'diesel fuel', which
>> is light and expensive. However, in the merchant navy we use bunker
>> fuel whenever we're going to be running the engine for a long time,
>> without varying RPM.
>>
>> It's thicker than molasses at room temperature, but when suitably
>> heated, it runs enough to be used in a diesel engine. It also costs a
>> fraction of regular 'diesel fuel' (aka "Champagne"). The engine is
>> started with light diesel fuel until it's running hot enough, then the
>> fuel mixture is gradually changed over to bunker. If the ship comes to
>> manoeuvering conditions, then the mixture is switched back to light
>> fuel. They always go back to light fuel before shutting off the engine,
>> too, to 'clean' the insides for the next start-up.
>>
>> Now I'm wondering why we don't do this in cruising yachts, where the
>> engine is running constantly for days, especially considering the fuel
>> prices of late. All one would need is a heated holding tank and a way
>> of adjusting the fuel mixture. Then again, I'm not a marine engineer.
>> Am I missing something?
>>
>> Regards,
>> -Max
>
>THere's more than the heated day tank, you need separators
>to deal with the sludge, a place for the sludge (sludge
>tank), etc. etc. Most pleasure sailboats turn off the
>engine and sail so you don't have a ready source of heat to
>keep the fuel tank warm....
>
>Oh, small engines just won't run on heavy fuel either. The
>fuel pump on a small (say 50 HP) engine pumps out such tiny
>amounts of fuel with each stroke that it probably couldn't
>meter it if it were heavy fuel.
>
>Evan Gatehouse
>

.

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