Evaluation of Commercial Additives for Fuel Stability Enhancement; Bottle Testsat 65 deg C

摘要

In a joint program with NRL, the Center has been evaluating the effectiveness ofusing 10 commercial additives (and two Army additives) to suppress the formation of insolubles in mid-distillate fuels from different fuel sources and processes. The Center contracted ARTECH Corp. to evaluate the 10 additives at two concentration levels in each of four base fuels, using a bottle test similar to ASTM D4625, but run at 65 C rather than 43 C. Four of the additives were found to be effective, and six were slightly effective or innocuous. ARTECH also conducted two special studies. One evaluated the effect that preaged fuel had on insolubles formation in 65 C bottle tests; the other examined the effect of the condition of sampling and storage, e.g., air versus argon blanketing, epoxy-lined versus unlined storage cans, and wet versus dry storage. It was found that air blown or air blanketed fuel stored in unlined cans in the presence of moisture produced appreciably more insolubles than the same fuels under an argon blanket in a lined can in the absence of moisture. Keywords: Diesel fuels; Distillate fuel; Fuel stability; Stability additives; Fuel additives. (EDC)