Performance Evaluation of Potential Fuel System Icing Inhibitors in Aviation Jet Fuel Using the US Navy Aircraft Fuel System Icing Simulator

摘要

The Naval Air Warfare Center, together with the Air Force's Wright Laboratories, is actively looking for additives which can be used as potential Fuel System Icing Inhibitors (FSII) in military aviation turbine fuels in place of the current standard FSII, Diethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether (DiEGME). This was started because of concern that DiEGME, as a member of the glycol ether chemical family, might be regulated more stringently, greatly increasing the costs (procurement, disposal, etc.) associated with use of this additive. DiEGME, used by the U.S. Navy for over 20 years, was chosen as the DOD/industry standard FSII when the use of the former standard FSII (Ethylene Glycol Monomethyl Ether or EGME) was stopped due to concerns over safety of use. Current efforts to determine suitable substitute FSII additives are directed in two areas: development of non-environmentally dangerous FSII additives and adaptation of readily available, more environmentally friendly, off-the-shelf compounds to use as FSII additives. FSII is added to military jet fuels for two reasons: to prevent the formation of ice in aircraft fuel systems and to prevent the growth of micro-organisms in fuel tanks (aircraft and bulk storage). References (a) and (b) set down the required specification concentration of FSII in military aviation jet fuel in terms of minimum and maximum allowable additive concentrations (measured in volume percent). EGME, DiEGME and 23 candidate additives were evaluated. Descriptions and chemical structures of each additive are provided in the report.