Abstract: Cetane number is the key index to measure the ignition of diesel fuel, which reflects the combustion characteristics of diesel in engine. At present, the test methods of measuring cetane number of diesel are mainly divided into engine direct test method and constant volume combustion simulation method, each of which includes several test methods. In this paper, the test characteristics of each method were compared from the principle and precision of the method, the comparison tests of various cetane number test methods were carried out, and the advantages and disadvantages and applicability of each method were summarized. Finally, the existing problems in the field of cetane number testing were summarized and the future development direction was prospected.

Key words: cetane number, diesel, measurement method, precision