Method and apparatus for improving the oxidative thermal stability of distillate fuel

摘要

The present invention provides methods of improving the thermal oxidative stability of a distillate fuel which comprise selectively reducing the active concentration in the fuel of N—H containing heterocyclic aromatic compounds in which the nitrogen atom of the N—H group is part of the aromatic system, and wherein said fuel also contains an active concentration of metal compounds or will be exposed to active metal compounds in storage or in use. The present invention also provides methods of determining the thermal oxidative stability of a distillate fuel and apparatus for performing said methods.