Chinese Diesel Air Heaters Part 5 - Kerosene Use.

Running a Chinese Diesel Air Heater on Kerosene.

These heaters run very well on kerosene, and if mixed with Diesel in winter the kerosene helps prevent issues with gelling of the diesel in cold conditions. Kerosene can also be used to flush the fuel lines of bio diesel residue, and can help with some removal of soot build up.

However there will be lubrication issues with the dosing pump due to the lack of lubricity of the kerosene if running on 100% kerosene. The dosing pump has a small metal piston in a small metal cylinder with very fine tolerances. There is no external lubrication of the piston, and the little pump uses diesel to provide lubrication. Lighting kerosene does not have sufficient lubricity for long term use in these heaters.

The little piston has 10 to 12 scrapes of the cylinder a second on a high setting. That is approx. 43,000 scrapes per hour. You do not need to be a rocket scientist to understand the damage that could be caused to the little piston and cylinder by running this pump at that rate without adequate lubrication.

Commercial grade kerosene (K2, C2) has a much higher sulfur content than lighting kerosene which may provide sufficient lubrication to the piston, however I can not comment here as I have done no testing on high sulfur content kerosene.

If you wish to use kerosene in these heaters you must do your own research on the lubricity of the kerosene available in your own district and its suitability for use in your heater in your situation. J