DIESEL FUEL SYSTEMS

• Like the gasoline engine, the diesel engine is

an internal combustion engine using either a
two- or four-stroke cycle.
• Burning or combustion of fuel within the
engine cylinders is the source of the power.
• The main difference in a diesel engine is that
the diesel fuel is mixed with compressed air
in the cylinder
• The speed of a diesel engine is controlled by the
amount of fuel injected into the cylinders.
• In a gasoline engine, the speed of the engine is
controlled by the amount of air admitted into the
carburetor or gasoline fuel injection systems.
• Mechanically, the diesel engine is similar to the
gasoline engine.
• The intake, compression, power, and exhaust strokes
occur in the same order.
• The arrangement of the pistons, connecting rods,
crankshaft, and engine valves is about the same.
• The diesel engine is also classified as in-line or v-type.
• In comparison to the gasoline engine, the diesel
engine produces
• more power per pound of fuel,
• more reliable,
• has lower fuel consumption per horsepower
per hour,
• presents less of a fire hazard.
• These advantages are partially offset by higher
initial cost, heavier construction needed for its
high compression pressures, and the difficulty
in starting which results from these pressures.
1. Fuel tanks
• Fuel tanks used today can be constructed from aluminum
or alloy steel.
• Baffles are welded into the tanks during construction. The
baffle plates are designed with holes in them to prevent
the fuel from sloshing while the vehicle is moving.
• The fuel inlet and return lines should be separated by a
baffle in the tank and be at least twelve inches apart to
prevent warm return fuel from being sucked right back up
by the fuel inlet line.
• Both the inlet and return lines should be kept at least 1
inch above the bottom of the tank so sediment or water is
not drawn into the inlet.
The fuel tank filler cap
• The fuel tank filler cap is constructed with both
a pressure relief valve and a vent valve.
• The vent valve is designed to seal when fuel
enters it due to overfilling, vehicle operating
angle, or a sudden jolt that would cause fuel
slosh within the tank.
• Although some fuel will tend to seep from the
vent cap, this leakage should not exceed 1
ounce per minute
2. Supply Pump
• Fuel injection pumps must be supplied with fuel under
pressure because they have insufficient suction ability.
• All diesel injection systems require a supply pump to
transfer fuel from the supply tank through the filters
and lines to the injection pump.
• There are several types of supply pumps used on
diesel engines.
• The remaining task to be accomplished by the fuel
system is to provide the proper quantity of fuel to the
cylinders of the engine.
• This is done differently by each manufacturer and is
referred to as fuel injection.
3 Fuel Filters
• Diesel fuel filters must be capable of trapping
extremely small contaminants. The porosity of the
filter material will determine the size of the impurities
it can remove.
• Typical fuel injector nozzles are measured in microns.
• Therefore, it is necessary to filter very small
impurities out of the fuel before it gets to the injector
and plugs it.
• Diesel fuel filter elements fall into two categories of
construction, depth filters and surface filters
• Depth filters are made of woven cotton. The
most popular material used for these filters
• These filters are typically used as a primary
filter and are located between the fuel tank
and the transfer pump.
• Surface filters are made of pleated paper
that is made from cellulose fiber. The physical
properties of the paper; thickness, porosity,
tinsel strength, basic weight, and micron
rating--can be very closely controlled during
the manufacturing process
 4 Water Separators
• The purpose of a fuel filter is mainly to remove foreign
particles as well as water. However, too much water in a
fuel filter will render it incapable of protecting the system.
• So most diesel engine fuel systems are now equipped
with fuel filter/water separators (Figure 5-8) for the main
purpose of trapping and holding water that may be
mixed in with the fuel.
• Generally, when a fuel filter/water separator is used on a
diesel engine, it also serves as the primary filter.
• There are a number of manufacturers who produce fuel
filter/water separators with their concept of operation
being common and only design variations being the major
difference.
The basic operation:
• The first stage of the fuel filter/water
separator uses a pleated paper element to
change water particles into large enough
droplets that will fall by gravity to a water
sump at the bottom of the filter.
• The second stage is made of silicone-treated
nylon that acts as a safety device to prevent
small particles of water that avoid the first stage
from passing into the engine.
5 Injection Pump
• A fuel injection pump is the pump that takes
the fuel from the fuel manifold and pushes it
under high pressure through the fuel lines to
the fuel injectors.
• The fuel injection pump, or metering pump,
boosts low and medium fuel pressures to the
high pressures needed for injection.
6. Return Line
• The fuel return line returns fuel to the tank and
deposits it into the open space above the fuel.
• This allows the air bubbles to be vented.
• It should also be inserted to the tank at least 12
inches away from the fuel pickup point so that
the returned fuel will not be picked up before
the air is vented.
 METHODS of INJECTION
• The fuel injection system is the actual heart of
the diesel engine.
• There are various methods of mechanical
injections and metering control.
• There have been many important developments
in pumps, nozzles, and unit injectors for diesel
engines over the years.
• The latest injection system today relying on
electronic controls and sensors.
• Diesel fuel injection systems must accomplish five
particular functions:
• meter,
• inject,
• time,
• atomize, and
• create pressure.
Metering--Accurate metering or measuring of the
fuel means that, the same quantity of fuel must be
delivered to each cylinder for each power stroke of
the engine.
• Only in this way can the engine operate at
uniform speed with uniform power output.
• Smooth engine operation and an even
distribution of the load between the cylinders
depend upon the same volume of fuel being
admitted to a particular cylinder each time it
fires and
• upon equal volumes of fuel being delivered to all
cylinders of the engine.
Injection control--A fuel system must also control the rate of
injection.
• The rate at which fuel is injected determines the rate of
combustion.
• The rate of injection at the start should be low enough that
excessive fuel does not accumulate in the cylinder during the
initial ignition delay (before combustion begins).
• Injection should proceed at such a rate that the rise in
combustion pressure is not too great.
• An incorrect rate of injection affects engine operation in the
same way as improper timing.
• When the rate of injection is too high, the results are similar to
those caused by an injection that is too early;
• when the rate is too low, the results are similar to those caused
by an injection that is too late.
Timing--In addition to measuring the amount of fuel injected,
the system must properly time injection to ensure efficient
combustion so that maximum energy.
When the fuel is injected too early in the cycle, ignition may
be delayed because the temperature of the air at this point is
not high enough.
• An excessive delay, on the other hand, gives rough and noisy
operation of the engine. It also permits some fuel to be lost
due to the wetting of the cylinder walls and piston head.
• This in turn results in poor fuel economy, high exhaust gas
temperature, and smoke in the exhaust.
• When fuel is injected too late in the cycle, all the fuel will not
be burned until the piston has traveled well past top center.
• When this happens, the engine does not develop enough
power, the exhaust is smoky, and fuel consumption is high.
Atomization of fuel—
• Atomization means the breaking up of the fuel as it
enters the cylinder into small particles which form a
mist-like spray.
• Atomization of the fuel must meet the
requirements of the type of combustion chamber
in use.
• Some chambers require very fine atomization,
while others function with dispersed atomization.
• Proper atomization makes it easier to start the
burning process and ensures that each minute
particle of fuel is surrounded by particles of oxygen
that it can combine with
• Atomization is generally obtained when liquid
fuel, under high pressure, passes through the
small opening (or openings) in the injector or
nozzle.
• As the fuel enters the combustion space, high
velocity is developed because the pressure in
the cylinder is lower than the fuel pressure.
• The created friction, resulting from the fuel
passing through the air at high velocity, causes
the fuel to break up into small particles.
Creating pressure--A fuel injection system must
increase the pressure of the fuel to overcome
compression pressure and to ensure proper
dispersion of the fuel injected into the
combustion space.
• Proper dispersion is essential if the fuel is to
mix thoroughly with the air and burn
efficiently. While pressure is a chief
contributing factor, the dispersion of the fuel
is influenced, in part, by atomization and
penetration of the fuel.
Diesel engines are equipped with one of several
distinct types of fuel injection systems:
1. Individual pump system;
2. multiple-plunger, inline pump system;
3. unit injector system;
4. pressure-time injection system;
5. distributor pump system; and
6. common rail injection system.
2.1.1 Individual Pump System
• The individual pump system is a small pump
contained in its own housing, and supplies fuel
to one cylinder.
• The individual plunger and pump barrel are
driven off of the engine’s cam shaft.
• This system is found on large-bore, slow-speed
industrial or marine diesel engines and on
small air-cooled diesels; they are not used on
high-speed diesels.
2.1.2 Multi-plunger, Inline Pump System
• Multiple-plunger, inline pump systems use individual
pumps that are contained in a single injection pump
housing.
• The number of plungers is equal to the number of cylinders
on the engine, and they are operated on a pump camshaft.
• This system is used on many mobile applications and is
very popular with several engine manufacturers.
• The fuel is drawn in from the fuel tank by a pump, sent
through filters, and delivered to the injection pump at a
pressure of 10 to 35 psi.
• All pumps in the housing are subject to this fuel.
• The fuel at each pump is timed, metered, pressurized, and
delivered through a high-pressure fuel line to each
injector nozzle in firing order sequence.