An experimental comparison of the effects of jet fuel (F-34) and diesel (F-54) on the wear of fuel system components and fuel consumption of an internal combustion diesel engine

The logistics of maintaining a fuel supply is a significant consideration for the military. Members of the North American Treaty Organization (NATO) prefer to use a single fuel to avoid problems with fuel transport and storage. Thus, we chose the kerosene-based F-34 jet fuel as the “single fuel” for testing on a land-based vehicle. We examined the feasibility of using F-34 jet fuel in a diesel engine and compared the performance of the jet fuel with a conventional F-54 diesel fuel. We compared the power and torque characteristics of an M52 diesel engine, as well as fuel consumption as a function of engine speed and torque using F-34 jet fuel and F-54 diesel fuel. Moreover, wear of the fuel pumps in Magirus Unimog and MAN trucks was measured during long-term tests operating with F-34 and F-54 fuels, respectively. We found that there was no obvious difference in engine power and torque using F-34 or F-54 fuel.