The aim of the present work is to identify novel chemical approaches to the dual management of both water contamination and ice formation in jet fuel. Free water in jet fuel is a contaminant that can starve engines, freeze to form ice crystals capable of blocking fuel feeds, support microbial growth, and contribute towards corrosion. At present, jet fuel maybe protected from the potentially hazardous effects of free-water using biocides and icing/corrosion inhibitors. The strategy of using organic dehydrating agents remains relatively neglected, perhaps because of the complexity of the physical organic chemistry involved in developing and refining these systems. However, organic molecules with well characterised dehydrating properties - such as ortho esters, acetals, hemiacetals, ketals, hemiketals - present themselves as ideal candidates for development and optimisation. This paper describes our systematic approach towards the development of kinetically fast, selective organic jet fuel additives capable of converting water into combustible products which also possess ice inhibitor characteristics. We anticipate that this class of Fuel Dehydrating Icing Inhibitors (FDII) represents a novel approach towards protecting jet fuel against the effects of water contamination.
展开▼
