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EN 590 Diesel Fuel Specifications (ULSD)

All road diesel must meet EN 590 specification and many off-road engines in Europe are designed with ULSD EN 590-standard fuel in mind. Find out what this specification means

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Read the Specifications for EN 590 Diesel and EN 590 Gas Oil

EN 590 is the current standard for all automotive diesel fuel sold in the European Union member states and other European countries. This grade of fuel is also called ultra-low sulphur diesel (ULSD).

All road diesel (DERV) that is now sold in the UK meets the EN 590 standards and has a compulsory 7% by volume biodiesel component blended into it, usually EN 14214 FAME biodiesel. This is optional for EN 590 fuel used as gas oil, as is the cetane content.

EN 590 compliant fuels supplied by Crown Oil include red diesel (EN 590 gas oil )and DERV diesel (EN 590 diesel).

Confused by the various fuel specifications? Read our fuel specification guide.

Crown Oil also supplies fuels that meet Class A2 or Class D gas oil, providing the highest quality fuel for each specific application.

EN 590 ULSD Road Diesel Specifications

Crown Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel is road fuel, also called DERV or white diesel, that is suitable for use in all road vehicles powered by a diesel engine. Crown Oil’s white diesel is supplied with the below specifications:

ParameterUnit
AppearanceClear and bright, free from visible sediment and water.
Colour2.5 max
OdourMerchantable
Density @ 15°C g/ml0⋅820 min – 0⋅835 max
Cold filter plugging point 
 Winter °C (*)-15 max
 Summer °C (*)-5 max
Cloud point 
 Winter °C (*)-5 max
 Summer °C (*)+3 max
Flash point (PMCC) °C56 min
Cetane number51 min
Cetane index46 min
Viscosity cst @ 40°C2.0 min – 4.5 max
Sulphur % Wt0⋅001 max
Copper corrosion 3 hr @ 50°Cclass I
Micro carbon residue:
Residue wt on 10% bottoms 0⋅30
Ash % Wt0⋅01 max
Particulate matter mg/kg24 max
Water mg/kg200 max
Distillation °C 
% Vol Rec @ 250°C65⋅0 max
% Vol Rec @ 345°C85·0 min
95% Vol recovered ºC360·0
Oxidation stability mg/100ml2·5 max
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (%)11 max
Lubricity, Corrected water scar460 Diameter @ ºC

*: Unless otherwise advised the following seasonal dates apply at point of sale:

Summer: 16th March – 21st October / Winter: 22nd October – 15th March

Download the datasheet as a PDF here

EN 590 Gas Oil Specifications: what physical properties does EN 590 diesel have? What are the fuel’s chemical properties?

Gas Oil meets BS 2869 (2010) Class A2 and the EN590 specification. Gas oil is a dyed and marked product, to be used for small furnace or boiler applications, stationary diesel and untaxed engines. Crown Oil supplies red diesel that meets EN 590 standards.

For diesel fuel to meet EN 590 specifications, it means that the fuel must have the required physical and chemical properties that the standard requires. The table below shows the physical properties and chemical properties that the EN 590 standard requires, as well as how the fuel meets these characteristics.

ParameterUnitMinimumMaximumTypical
AppearanceClear & bright, Cherry Red, Free from visible sediment.Pass
Density at 15°Ckg/m³0.8200.860
Kinematic viscosity at 40°Cmm²/s1.55.53.0
Carbon residue(Ramsbottom on 10% residue)% (m/m)0.300.10
Distillation recovery at 250°C% (v/v)6542
Distillation recovery at 350C% (v/v)8592
Flash point (PMCC)°C56>62
Water contentmg/kg200<100
Particulate contentmg/kg24<10
Ash content% (m/m)0.01<0.001
Sulphur content% (m/m)0.002<0.0015
Copper corrosion(3 hrs at 50°C)Class11a
Cold filter plugging point(1) Summer°C-4-8
Cold filter plugging point(1) Winter°C-12-14
Cetane number4548
Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME)% (v/v)7.0<0.1
Carbon% (m/m)87
Hydrogen% (m/m)12.75
Nitrogen% (m/m)0.01 – 0.05
Gross specific energy (MJ/kg)MJ/kg45.4
Gross specific energy (MJ/litre)MJ/litre38.8
Mean specific heat capacity over 0 – 100°CKJ/kg °C2.05
Volume correction factorper °C0.00081
Strong acid numbermg KOH/gnilnil
Lubricity (HFRR)µm460<460
Oxidation stability 0.0 – 7.0% FAMEg/m³25
Oxidation stability 2.0 – 7.0% FAMEh20
Download the EN590 Gas Oil Spec Sheet as PDF

For a supply of EN 590 fuel that you can trust, contact the Crown Oil team on 0330 123 1444 today.

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