Routine testing of ignition and combustion qualities of bunker fuel still holds something of a mystery even to specialist chemists and bunker fuel testers. This may be somewhat surprising, given the fact it is the amount of heat energy that the fuel releases when it burns that determines how far a ship will travel per tonne of fuel. Specific energy is a key indicator as to how cost-effective the bunker fuel is and combustion/ignition are important factors. But fuel combustion is an extremely fast process. In the past it has been difficult to study in detail.
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