If you are making precise calculations with energy fuels, you might need to know the accurate diesel fuel density. That’s why we prepared an overview of diesel fuel densities, expressed in kg/m3, lb/gallon, lb/ft3, g/cm3, and kg/L.
There are different kinds of diesel (1D, 2D, 4D, EN 590 diesel), and we will cover the densities of all of them at standard 15ยฐC (59ยฐF) temperature. Here is a quick summary:
- Density of US diesel fuels (1D, 2D, 4D, mixtures) ranges from 849 to 959 kg/m3.
- Density of EU and international diesel fuel (EN 590 standard) ranges from 820 to 845 kg/m3.
Basically, these different diesel fuels have different densities, boiling points, and viscosity, and therefore, they have different uses. All US diesel fuels are more dense than European diesel standard.
Depending of the type of diesel fuel, a gallon of diesel weighs 7 to 8 pounds.
Example: 4D US diesel fuel (highest density diesel) is used in heavy-duty diesel engines and stationary diesel generaturs. 1D US diesel fuel is used for heating in the winter. In Europe and internationally, most countries use EN 590 standard diesel.
Here are diesel fuel densities in different density units:
Diesel Fuel Density Chart
Here is the full chart of diesel fuel density at standard 15ยฐC (59ยฐF) temperature, expressed in kg/m3, lb/gallon, lb/ft3, g/cm3, and kg/L units of density:
| Diesel Type: | kg/m3: | lb/gal: | lb/ft3: | g/cm3: | kg/L: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1D Diesel Density: | 875 kg/m3 | 7.30 lb/gal | 54.6 lb/ft3 | 0.875 g/cm3 | 0.875 kg/L |
| 2D Diesel Density: | 849 kg/m3 | 7.09 lb/gal | 53 lb/ft3 | 0.849 g/cm3 | 0.849 kg/L |
| 4D Diesel Density: | 959 kg/m3 | 8.00 lb/gal | 59.9 lb/ft3 | 0.959 g/cm3 | 0.959 kg/L |
| EN 590 Diesel Density: | 820-845 kg/m3 | 6.84-7.05 lb/gal | 51-53 lb/ft3 | 0.820-0.845 g/cm3 | 0.820-0.845 kg/L |
Let’s break these numbers down type by type:
1D Diesel Fuel Density
1D diesel fuel, also known as “winter diesel”, is primarily used during winter. It has the lowest viscosity (flows easily). Regularly, it is mixed with 2D diesel (primarily used in the summer) to create a fortified winter diesel fuel.
The density of 1D diesel fuel expressed in different density units is:
- 875 kg/m3 or kilograms per cubic meter.
- 7.30 lb/gal or pounds per gallon.
- 54.6 lb/ft3 or pounds per cubic foot.
- 0.875 g/cm3 or grams per cubic centimeter.
- 0.875 kg/L or kilograms per liter.
Thus, 1D diesel fuel is more dense than 2D diesel fuel and EN 590 European diesel standard, but it’s less dense than 4D diesel fuel.
When 1D diesel is mixed with 2D diesel (to create a fortified winter diesel fuel), the density of 1D + 2D mixture decreases to between 849 kg/m3 and 875 kg/m3.
2D Diesel Fuel Density
2D diesel fuel, also known as “summer diesel”, is used in warmer seasons (summer). It is the lowest-density US diesel; here are the densities in different units:
- 849 kg/m3 or kilograms per cubic meter.
- 7.09 lb/gal or pounds per gallon.
- 53 lb/ft3 or pounds per cubic foot.
- 0.849 g/cm3 or grams per cubic centimeter.
- 0.849 kg/L or kilograms per liter.
We see that 2D diesel fuel has a 3% lower density than 1D diesel. We will see that it has an almost 10% lower density than 4D diesel.
4D Diesel Fuel Density
4D diesel is the most dense (heaviest) diesel in the US. It is primarily used in low-speed engines where we need a lot of torque and power.ย Examples are marine vessels, heavy-duty off-road equipment, diesel generators, bulldozers, and so on. 4D diesel is less refined and doesn’t perform as well in cold weather, especially compared with the 1D “winter diesel”.
Here are the specific densities of 4D diesel in different density units:
- 959 kg/m3 or kilograms per cubic meter.
- 8.00 lb/gal or pounds per gallon.
- 59.9 lb/ft3 or pounds per cubic foot.
- 0.959 g/cm3 or grams per cubic centimeter.
- 0.959 kg/L or kilograms per liter.
We see that 4D diesel is 10% more dense than 1D diesel and 13% more dense than 2D diesel.
How does European diesel fuel density compare to the US diesel fuel density? Let’s look at the European EN 590 diesel density:
European EN 590 Diesel Fuel Density
European diesel fuel is lighter (less dense) than US diesel fuel. EUย updates theirย diesel standard every 5 years or so; the current standard is the EN 590. Here is the density of European diesel in different units:
- 820-845 kg/m3 or kilograms per cubic meter.
- 6.84-7.05 lb/gal or pounds per gallon.
- 51-53 lb/ft3 or pounds per cubic foot.
- 0.820-0.845 g/cm3 or grams per cubic centimeter.
- 0.820-0.845 kg/L or kilograms per liter.
You can see that EN 590 has a bit of range as far as density is concerned. At its highest density (845 kg/m3), the EN 590 diesel has almost the same density as the lightest US diesel (that would be 2D type with 849 kg/m3) density.
Compared to the most dense US diesel (type 4D), the EN 590 diesel is about 15% less than.
We hope that this overview of diesel fuel densities will help you in further calculations. If you have any questions about these densities, you can use the comment section below for all your questions. Thank you.