Context:
Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) released the first barrel of reference gasoline and diesel fuels.
Reference Fuels – Key Details
What are they?
- These fuels have higher specifications and are critical for calibrating and testing by automobile manufacturers and testing agencies.
What is the need?
- For vehicle testing purposes, the fuel has to be of a higher grade than regular or premium petrol and diesel.
- India has heavily relied on imports to meet the demand for these specialized fuels, creating a dependence on foreign suppliers.
What are the specifications listed under government regulations?
- Cetane number, flash point, viscosity, sulphur and water content, hydrogen purity and acid number.
- Cetane number (CN) is a relative measure of the time delay between the injection of fuel into the chamber and the start of combustion.
What is the difference?
- The difference between the normal and premium fuel lies in the octane number.
What is the octane number?
- Octane number is a unit used to measure the ignition quality of petrol or diesel.
- A measure of a fuel’s ability to resist knocking or pinging during combustion in an internal combustion engine.
- A higher octane number indicates a higher resistance to knocking
- It is often associated with higher-performance or high-compression engines.
Benefits –
- Ensures a reliable supply of ‘reference’ fuel
- Reduces costs for vehicle manufacturers and testing agencies
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
According to India’s National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels?
1. Cassava
2. Damaged wheat grains
3. Groundnut seeds
4. Horse gram
5. Rotten potatoes
6. Sugar beet
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2020 Prelims]
(a) 1, 2, 5 and 6 only
(b) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only
(c) 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
(d) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Answer: (a)
