I believe distillate refers to that which is 'boiled off' (distilled). It would probably be done under reduced pressure to lower the boiling points, but that is by-the-by.
The opposite is a residual fuel. One that may have had some parts distilled off and that is what is left.
It will contain higher amounts of tars, ash, sulphur and other impurities as far as the average modern engine is concerned. It can be used in certain types of engines which are designed for this fuel, but is often just burned for the energy content.
Distillate fuels can have wide range of different fractions, flash-points, viscosity etc. Most fuels are probably distillates - even petrol might be regarded as of this type, except it is probably produced by 'cracking' not by distillation (a subtle difference of chemical change but the similar molecule chain-length result).
The petrologists, or whatever they were/are called, simply used the terms generically and the end-users eventually picked up on their particular fraction (molecule size range, basically) and assumed that is what it was called for simplicity.
Distillate fuel was a cheaper alternative fuel to kerosene (which was probably a 'cracked' fuel).
I'm not an oil expert, but that is my view of the subject.
We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]
All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy
TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.
