Sources of Error in Accelerated Stability Test Methods for Diesel Fuels

摘要

Ten test methods (including ASTM D 2274) used to determine the accelerated oxidation stability of middle distillate fuels were reviewed. A critique of various procedures (such as weight and volume measurements) within these test methods was written, including an estimation of which procedural steps had the greatest effect on the final test results. Subsequent laboratory work allowed more definitive conclusions to be made on the effect of particular preaging, aging, and post-aging procedures on test results using a small set of test fuels. Changes in the particulate filtration procedure and adherent fuel insolubles determination were incorporated into a new test method which was cooperatively 'round-robin' tested. A summary of these data are also included in this report. Precision data suggest that this method is an improvement over that of the standard D 2274 test method.