[Big Dave]

Roflwaffle posted:
“I've seen 1-2% less energy on ULSD, but not 4%, any sources?”

Big Dave sez:
That isn’’t 4% less heating value in the fuel. What that 4% refers to is the EPA’s underestimation of the loss of thermal efficiency of the engine compliant with Tier II engine requirements. Tier II and ULSD go together. As usual, the EPA has (deliberately I believe) underestimated the efficiency penalty of Tier II. 2008 model IH 6.4 (Ford) and Cummins (Dodge) 6.7 diesels are showing 10% lower MPG than the same 2007 model 6.0 IH and 5.9 Cummins engines.


Vehicular sulfur emissions are miniscule compared to those from fossil fuel power generation. If sulfur in the air is a problem for you (ambient concentrations are down 70% from the early 70s levels) you should be a huge fan of nuclear power. Zero sulfur emissions.

Dirty little secret: All rain is acidic. Rain falling through the air reacts with the carbon dioxide in the air to form carbonic acid. On remote Pacific islands, far from any source of sulfur dioxide) the pH of the rain is about 5.6.

Keep in mind that prior to the advent of ULSD and Tier II, the EPA reported to Congress that air quality was the best in living memory. Not only was SO2 ambient concentration down 70% form the early 70s (when the EPA began monitoring air quality) but particulates were down by 80%. Lead and carbon monoxide had almost disappeared and tropospheric ozone (the surrogate for LA-type smog) was down 50%.

The problem is that the improvement curves have all flattened. We have hit the asymptote. All improvements will be very, very small and witll come at very high cost. This is exactly what we are seeing with ULSD/Tier II. The promised improvement in measureable air quality will be miniscule, but the costs will be enormous. At this point, until there is a massive embrace of nuclear (zero air emissions) power, all improvements in air quality come at an unacceptable price.

If you fell as you do, Lost Cause, why are you here? Anything done to improve efficiency acts to defeat your agenda.