Are diesel engines more efficient than gas engines?

When most people think of diesel engines, they get the wrong impression. They think about billowing black smoke coming out of the back of the car which causes untold problems in the environment. What most people do not realize is that diesel actually burns cleaner than regular gas and has more efficient burning properties than any other kind of engine available. There are quite a few different reasons why people prefer the diesel engine over a regular one. Here are just a few examples.

Better Gas Mileage

These days everyone is looking at the price of gasoline so that they will be able to save money. There is a misconception about diesel gasoline because it costs more at the pump that other kinds. While it is a little more expensive, it is important to remember that the engine actually runs more efficiently than other kinds of engines. This is why you will be able to enjoy three times the gas mileage of a normal engine. While you will pay a little bit more at the pump than you will for normal gasoline, you will end up saving money in the long run because you make less trips to the pump.

This kind of gas mileage comes in vary handy when you are going on long trips. This is exactly why the trucking community uses diesel engines almost exclusively. There is another reason why diesel engines are used by the trucking industry. The engines are better suited to producing steam and hydraulics. These are things which are used all the time in the trucks so that they will be able to power the brakes, steering and many other properties of the engine. This is just one of the many reasons why truck engines are diesel engines.

Cleaner Burning

There are a few different reasons why the diesel engines are cleaner burning than the regular engines. The first reason has to do with the type of fuel itself. This is because the gas is burning at a much higher temperature than normal gasoline does. This eliminates many of the pollutants which the gas can release into the air. The result is that you do not see any black smoke coming from the back of diesel cars anymore. This is in part because of better filtration systems in the car for the exhaust. It is also because of more efficient usage of the fuel itself.

Getting Gas

The most difficulty people with diesel engines run into is finding gas stations which sell the diesel fuel. This is because the industry is still trying to get used to the fact that more car manufacturers are using this type of engine than ever before. At best you will be able to find one pump available at most locations which sell the fuel. This is sure to increase in the future as more car makers turn to this kind of engine. This will happen as more people find the benefits of the diesel engine.

Considering a turbocharged vehicle? Big kahuna intakes or parallel twin turbo? That’s not important for now if you have a shoestring budget. The first thing you should consider is how fuel efficient is it? Then whether gas or diesel. Read on!

Turbocharging is the method with internal combustion engines to use a vehicle’s exhaust gases to cram force-induced compressed air into the engine. This concept follows the idea that a normal internal combustion engine’s ability to use air to power a combustion cycle is limited to the negative pressure its pistons creates to draw air in from the outside unaided.

However, with the turbocharger, more air mass is forced into the engine, thereby making the engine burn much more efficiently, and hence performs much better.

Comparatively, turbochargers are used more often in diesel engines due to the following characteristics:

-Normal diesel engines are designed to be over-built, helping it withstand higher pressures and heat from the start.

-Diesel engine power outputs are less compared to gasoline engines which require less pressure from turbochargers to produce more power.

-Diesel engines are not limited by the octane ratings of gasoline as diesel engine are designed to pump fuel into its combustion chamber only at the moment of ignition.

-Are proven to be fuel-efficient than diesel engines with no turbocharger. In diesel engines, more air compressed into the engine results in greater fuel efficiency.

Practically, there is little downside to owning a turbodiesel vehicle.

Turbocharged gasoline engines, though, may perform better than turbodiesels but require more consideration for balance and maintenance.

On the other hand, installing turbochargers in gasoline engines have the following caveats:

-Gasoline engines are lighter than diesel engines. Forcing air into engines has the added effect of “overclocking” the engine, increasing heat and pressure above normal specifications.

-Adding a turbocharger to a car is more expensive than buying a car with a stock turbocharger as upgrades to other parts of the car are needed to bear the added heat, pressure, torque and power.

-Gas turbochargers have to take into account the octane ratings and autoignition temperatures of its fuels.

-Gasoline engines spray gas and air into the combustion chamber at the same time it is being compressed. The act of compressing the air with already compressed air from the turbocharger may detonate a low octane gas prematurely.

-Maintenance is high, which limits gas turbochargers to high performance vehicles.

So how can I turbocharge my vehicle more fuel efficient without spending so much more?

Buy a turbodiesel. Hands down turbocharged diesels have the advantage by the price of diesel nowadays, the very design of diesel engines, and the way it saves diesel the more air you pump into the engine! Turbodiesel vehicles have a good resale value so don’t expect rock bottom prices, but expect years of good use from even an old turbodiesel. Best value for money!

Buy gasoline vehicles with turbo already installed. Face it. Unless you’re a car enthusiast, installing a turbocharger in a car will cost you too much!

Buy smaller gasoline vehicles with turbo installed. There are smaller vehicles in the market that sell units with turbochargers to maximize the small size of the engine. Look up units in the Volvo and Saab lines.

Consider alternative fuels. You can use alternate fuels such as a hydrogen-on-demand (HOD) system to supplement a smaller turbocharger and engine tandem. This system creates hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (O2) gas on demand from a water medium to mix with the air and fuel in the combustion chamber for even better performance.

What does a HOD system do?

Hydrogen when compressed and introduced to an internal combustion engine:

-Releases more energy than ethanol-based mixes, maintaining the overall power of the car

-Burns the fuel more completely which gives cleaner emissions

-Raises the octane level of the fuel, preventing knocking, making the engine quieter

-Lowers overall engine temperature slightly

-Requires the engine to use less gas per cycle

Is it safe?

HOD systems generate hydrogen only on demand and are therefore safe. When no electricity is routed through the HOD system, no reaction is generated. No hydrogen is in storage in this system but is kept in medium, which is basically water.

Cost?

Parts are sourced from everyday parts found in hardware shops and basic electronics stores. Total cost for a basic unit can range between $70 to over $200 USD.

What’s offered by most HOD enterprises are plans for do-it-yourself systems, with offers to build the system for the consumer if they so wish. This way the customer can opt to build it himself or to buy a unit once the concept is understood after obtaining the plans to prevent fraud.

Better Fuel Economy: Diesel engines use compression ignition instead of spark plugs to start the combustion process. Using compression as the ignition source, combined with the higher energy content of diesel fuel, provides a much more efficient engine which requires less fuel to operate than a gasoline engine. A diesel engine is also able to operate at peak torque at lower RPM, like you would typically see at cruising speeds, further boosting fuel economy.

More Power: A turbodiesel engine can produce much more peak torque than a gasoline engine of equal size, and maintain peak torque over a broader RPM spectrum.This provides for much more power throughout the operating range, less downshifts for improved fuel economy, and increased payload ratings.

Higher Towing Capability: Due to the stout structure and additional torque of a diesel engine, payloads on diesel powered trucks are much higher than those on similarly sized gasoline V8 powered trucks. If you have something large to tow, a diesel will make the task much easier and provide the best fuel economy possible while loaded.

Aftermarket Support: Diesel powered trucks are receiving much more attention from the aftermarket than gasoline powered trucks due partly to the fact that diesel engines are easy to tune for more performance. Where a few simple bolt on parts may increase your gas powered truck’s performance by 50-75 horsepower, the same parts could take your diesel to extreme performance levels. How does an additional 200-350 horsepower sound? (Based on performance testing of a tuner, cold air intake, and exhaust system; the three most common and readily available engine modifications.)

Driving Experience: If your any sort of automotive enthusiast, or just like a truck that can run through the gears fast, diesel is the way to go. Just remember to hang on once the turbocharger spools, because you will be in for one wild ride. Diesel engines produce gobs of torque at low RPM, which pushes you back in your seat as the truck takes off when you start getting into the throttle.

Engine Longevity: Diesel engines operate at lower RPM and have much stronger engine parts than comparable gasoline engines. This translates into increased engine life, with diesel engines generally lasting up to 2x longer than gasoline engines before needing an overhaul or major repairs.

Cleaner Emissions: New technology has cleaned up the diesel combustion process, reducing the amount of harmful greenhouse emissions and virtually eliminating diesel soot from the exhaust.

Both diesel and petrol are taken out of mineral oil but diesel has better fuel efficiency and lower Carbon dioxide emission. Thus, with respect to the engine concept and combustion process, a diesel engine is more efficient for the same power output. This means diesel consumes lesser fuel. Though diesel is considered to be heavier, it is more efficient than petrol and the engine efficiency is higher by about 20%.

Unlike petrol engines, there is no spark plug-in diesel engine. Ignition of the mixture is achieved by the pressure of air.

Functioning of the petrol engine

1. Suction stroke: When the piston comes down a low pressure is created in the upper part of the cylinder. This causes the inlet valve to open through which the mixture of petrol and air from the carburetor enter the cylinder.

2. Compression stroke: During the upward movement of the piston, the mixture gets compressed causing the inlet valve to close. The volume of the mixture drops to about one eighth of the original volume. Pressure and temperature of the mixture rise enormously.

3. Power stroke: As the piston gets to almost the last part of the upward stroke, the mixture is so highly compressed that its temperature and pressure reaches the maximum point. At the same time an electric spark at the top of the cylinder causes the mixture to ignite and explode. This piston is forced down within the cylinder. This movement is transmitted to the crankshaft through the piston rod. The crankshaft is attached to the car wheel. Hence the movement of the crankshaft is transmitted to the wheel of the car.

4. Exhaust stroke: As the piston comes down to the lower part of the cylinder the pressure inside the cylinder falls allowing the exhaust port to open. As the wheel makes the piston go upwards the waste mixture is discharged.

Functioning of the diesel engine

1. Suction stroke: As the piston comes down air is drawn into the cylinder.

2. Compression stroke:As the piston goes up the drawn air is compressed to high pressure and temperature.

3. Power stroke: At the end of the compression stroke, the air is compressed to the maximum increasing in its temperature and pressure. Now the fuel is injected into the air. Ignition takes place immediately causing the piston to go down. Its movement is transmitted to the crankshaft and to the flywheel and then to the car wheel.

4. Exhaust stroke:As the piston goes up to complete the cycle, the exhaust vapours are discharged out through the exhaust valve.

Advantages of Diesel Engine

It has higher torque
It gives higher power output
It is economical to use diesel as only 70% needs to be spent for fuel for getting the same mileage as a petrol car
Relaxed driving is ensured especially for long distances

Advantages of Petrol Engine
It is cheaper
Maintenance is easier
Engine noise is lesser

The choice between the two is dependent on individual requirements.