Farm News
Gas oil helps farmers
meet new standards
»»AN ADVANCED NEW FUEL
designed to ensure UK farmers
meet the latest off-road engine
standards has been launched
by leading family fuel supplier
Rix Petroleum.
Gas Oil Plus has a higher
cetane number than regular
gas oil to meet the demands
of modern tractor diesel
engines whilst also improving
performance.
Benefits of using the new
fuel include smoother power
delivery, reduced black smoke
and nitrous oxides (NOx)
emissions, and reduced engine
noise.
Gas Oil Plus also prolongs
the life of fuel injectors by
helping to keep them clean,
and contains a demulsifier
and corrosion inhibitor to help
protect fuel systems.
Duncan Lambert, director of
Rix Petroleum, said: “The Tier 4I
and Tier 4 emissions standards
introduced significantly reduced
NOx levels compared with
Tiers 2 and 3, as well as more
stringent HC levels.
“As a result we needed to
formulate a new gas oil product
that compliments modern
tractor diesel engines, enabling
farmers to ensure they meet the
stricter criteria without causing
damage to their expensive
plant and machinery.
“The higher cetane number
of Gas Oil Plus means it ignites
more quickly, particularly on
cold, frosty mornings, and that
reduces NOx and hydrocarbon
emissions, and can reduce
engine noise and increase fuel
economy.
“But the reduction in
sulphur concentration,
which successive tiers have
demanded, can reduce the
lubricating properties of the
fuel and cause issues around
injector function, so we have
6 Jun/Jul 2016 www.farmers-mart.co.uk
formulated Gas Oil Plus to
ensure these problems don’t
arise, making the fuel entirely
compatible with modern, diesel
tractor engines.”
The tier system was devised
by the Environmental Protection
Agency in the US and has been
adopted across Europe as a
standard to reduce emissions
from non-road diesel vehicles.
Tier 1 was introduced in
1994 and each successive
tier has seen reductions in
environmental pollutants such
as smoke, hydrocarbons, NOx
and sulphur.
Mr Lambert added that the
fuel would be available across
all of Rix’s depots, stretching
from Aberdeen in the north to
Essex in the south.
“We serve farming
communities across the length
and breadth of the UK,” Mr
Lambert said.
“So rather than just offer Gas
Oil Plus at a limited number of
depots our plan is to roll it out
everywhere we operate in time
for harvest. That way, farmers
can be sure they are in line
with the most up-to-date fuel
emissions regulations.”