Examples
| Fuel | Flash point | Autoignition temperature |
|---|---|---|
| Ethanol (70%) | 16.6 °C (61.9 °F) | 363 °C (685 °F) |
| Gasoline (petrol) | −43 °C (−45 °F) | 280 °C (536 °F) |
| Diesel | >62 °C (144 °F) | 210 °C (410 °F) |
| Jet fuel | >60 °C (140 °F) | 210 °C (410 °F) |
| Kerosene (paraffin oil) | >38–72 °C (100–162 °F) | 220 °C (428 °F) |
| Vegetable oil (canola) | 327 °C (621 °F) | |
| Biodiesel | >130 °C (266 °F) |
Gasoline (petrol) is a fuel for use in a spark-ignition engine. The fuel is mixed with air within its flammable limits and heated above its flash point, then ignited by the spark plug. In order to avoid preignition by the residual heat of a hot combustion chamber, the fuel must have a low flash point and a high autoignition temperature.
Diesel fuel flash points vary between 52 and 96 °C (126 and 205 °F). Diesel is suitable for use in a compression-ignition engine. Air is compressed until it has been heated above the autoignition temperature of the fuel, which is then injected as a high-pressure spray, keeping the fuel-air mix within flammable limits. In a diesel-fueled engine, there is no ignition source (such as the spark plugs in a gasoline engine). Consequently, diesel fuel must have a high flash point and a low autoignition temperature.
Jet fuel flash points also vary. Both Jet A and Jet A-1 have flash points between 38 and 66 °C (100 and 151 °F), close to that of off-the-shelf kerosene. Yet both Jet B and JP-4 have flash points between -23 and -1 °C (-9 and 30 °F).
Read more about this topic: Flash Point
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