What are the 4 types of fuel systems?

Fuel refers to substances that can release their stored energy through chemical reactions (such as combustion) or nuclear reactions. It is widely used in scenarios like power generation, transportation, industrial production, and daily life, providing thermal energy, mechanical energy, or electrical energy support for various equipment and systems. Classified by physical state, fuel can be divided into three categories: solid (e.g., coal, wood, biomass fuel), liquid (e.g., gasoline, diesel, biodiesel), and gas (e.g., natural gas, hydrogen, liquefied petroleum gas); classified by source, it can be divided into fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas) and renewable fuels (e.g., biomass fuel, ethanol, etc.), in addition to nuclear fuels (e.g., uranium, plutonium) that can release nuclear energy. In the automotive field, gasoline and diesel are currently the most commonly used conventional fuels, suitable for spark-ignition and compression-ignition engines respectively; meanwhile, alternative fuels such as compressed natural gas (CNG), liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), biodiesel, and ethanol are gradually being applied in automotive power systems due to their advantages in environmental protection or renewability, to meet different energy needs and environmental requirements.

Actually, gas (short for gasoline in American English) and petrol (a term used in British English) essentially refer to the same fuel—gasoline. Both are flammable liquids refined from crude oil and used in spark-ignition internal combustion engines. They share identical core components and functions, differing only in terminology due to regional linguistic conventions. In the local market, the primary gasoline variants are RON95 and RON97. RON95, being more affordable due to government subsidies, serves as the recommended fuel for most vehicle models (such as the Jaecoo J7 SUV). The 1.6TGDI turbocharged engine equipped in these models is specifically calibrated to leverage RON95's anti-knock properties, delivering 156 horsepower while optimizing fuel efficiency—making it ideal for local hilly terrains and congested urban roads. RON97, with its higher octane rating, offers superior anti-knock performance but at a comparatively elevated cost. Octane rating serves as the critical metric for evaluating gasoline's anti-knock capability. Vehicle owners should adhere to the engine compression ratio specified in their owner's manual when selecting the appropriate fuel grade, thereby preventing diminished engine performance or accelerated wear. Furthermore, local motorists should prioritize reputable gas stations to mitigate risks posed by substandard gasoline to the fuel system. The use of OEM-recommended fuel additives can also help maintain injector cleanliness, preserving both vehicle performance and longevity.

The four common types of fuel include solid fuels, liquid fuels, gaseous fuels, and nuclear fuels. Solid fuels such as coal and coke can release a large amount of thermal energy when burned, and are often used in thermal power generation or industrial heating scenarios; liquid fuels like gasoline and diesel, refined through petroleum processing, are the main power sources for transportation tools such as cars and trucks; gaseous fuels such as natural gas and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) have a clean and efficient combustion process, and are widely used in household cooking, heating, and industrial production equipment; nuclear fuels like uranium-235 and plutonium-239 release energy through nuclear reactions, which is used in nuclear power generation, featuring high energy density and no direct greenhouse gas emissions. These fuels play key energy supply roles in different fields, meeting the diverse energy needs for power generation, transportation, industrial manufacturing, and daily life.

In Malaysia, different types of fuels have different names. Gasoline (used in spark-ignition internal combustion engines such as passenger cars and motorcycles) is usually called "petrol" (in English) or "minyak petrol" (in Malay) instead of "gas"; while fuels like liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) are sometimes abbreviated as "gas". Common gasoline variants in Malaysia include RON95 and RON97. Among them, RON95 is more affordable due to government subsidies. In April 2024, the price of RON95 was approximately $0.43 per liter, and RON97 was about $0.73 per liter. Gasoline is produced through the fractional distillation of crude oil, with various additives added to enhance chemical stability, control corrosion, and clean the fuel system. Some gasoline also contains components such as ethanol to improve combustion efficiency.

Yes, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a type of fuel gas. It is mainly composed of propane and butane, with some products containing small amounts of propylene and butylene. It is derived from the petroleum refining process or volatile gases from natural gas extraction. LPG is a gas at normal temperature and pressure, but can be liquefied into liquid form through pressurization or low-temperature treatment for easy storage and transportation, and is released as a gas when used. It has a wide range of uses, including as fuel for automobiles (especially suitable for light vehicles), domestic cooking fuel, industrial heating fuel, etc., and is also an important petrochemical raw material. Compared with traditional fuels, LPG has advantages such as less pollution (no dust residue after combustion), high calorific value (about twice that of coal per unit weight), convenient transportation, and stable supply pressure. However, due to its flammable nature, strict compliance with safety operation regulations is required during use to avoid safety risks caused by leakage.