Bureau Veritas Oil Analysis Programs
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Bureau Veritas Oil Analysis Programs Controlling Power from the Source Dave Yunkers Bob Broaddus Mark Smith Technical Application Specialist SE Regional Sales Manager Technical Administrator FUEL ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Prices quoted on request INTRODUCTION It doesn’t matter what your business is: Over-the- provide a framework for definition and reference road trucking, city delivery, locomotive, marine, off- that include: ASTM D975 Diesel Fuel Oils; D2880 road machinery, or stationary power generation, the Gas Turbine Fuel Oils; D2069 Marine Fuels; and quality of your fuel reflects directly on your bottom D396 Fuel Oils. However, these are minimum line profits. Cost and consumption are the most requirements and they do not provide complete obvious direct overhead factors, but operating with functional specifications for the indicated fuels. In aged or contaminated fuel affects the short and general, they represent the requirements necessary long term service of your equipment as well. Filters, to assure reasonable operation under typical injectors, EGR components, deposit formations conditions. When operational application, location, – all of these can be affected by fuel properties and ambient specific characteristics are being and contaminants. Are you getting the most out of considered, additional properties are identified and your investments or are you adding to your already must be specifically measured and evaluated by high fuel costs by having to correct for fuel related appropriate testing and analysis. deficiencies? ASTM defines fuels as being in long term storage The basic fuel requirements are satisfactory ignition conditions after only six months. These fuels are and combustion, compatibility with fuel injection all subject to aging degradation (oxidative products, systems, and convenient handling at all levels (from condensation buildup, microbiological growth, etc.) the refinery to the engine fuel delivery) without and appropriate treatment and handling is necessary suffering degradation or contamination. Their make- for safe and satisfactory performance. Emergency up represents various combinations of volatility, power supply systems have a high incidence of failure ignition quality, viscosity, sulfur, gravity, stability as a result of poor fuel quality due to degradation and and other characteristics. Various additives are contaminants. Since emergency and back-up power employed to improve certain properties and enhance systems do not run continuously, it is necessary to the stability of the finished fuel. implement a periodic fuel surveillance program to ensure reliable operations. The properties and contaminants within fuels affect more than just the combustion and power output Our comprehensive fuel analysis programs enable of an engine. Fuel characteristics also affect filter end users to anticipate problems, implement a plugging, injector deposits and wear, upper engine preventive fuel handling program, ensure reliable deposits, soot generation, acidity in combustion equipment operations, extend the performance gases, and lube oil additive depletion (dispersants life of filters, reduce engine deposits, and assist in and alkaline reserve (BN). Most of the changes to achieving safe maximum lube oil service intervals. fuels in the past several years have been related These controls will increase equipment reliability, to progressively stricter controls over exhaust longevity, and profitability. emissions. Current emission regulations have It is the purpose of this document to assist in making impacted the manufacturing processes, additive you aware of the problems that can be associated requirements, handling procedures, performance, and costs of today’s fuels. with fuel oils, what testing is available to monitor theses fuels, and offer the tools and means to The properties of a product define its fitness to implement preventive and/or corrective actions. serve a stated purpose. The American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) has established various specifications used to characterize fuels and Bureau Veritas - Oil Analysis www.oil-testing.com 2 FUEL ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Prices quoted on request QUALIFICATIONS OF BUREAU VERITAS FUEL OIL • Independently owned and operated with over 45 Are you sure about the quality of your fuel? Fuel years experience. consistency and cleanliness is increasingly variable. • Quality First: ISO 9001 registered, certified Will your engines run on long-term stored fuel that compliant to10CFR50 appendix B. is one, two, three years old or older? Most abnormal • Five laboratories in the USA and international fuel conditions can be corrected without major service in Monterrey Mexico & Tokyo Japan. expense, if each condition is diagnosed promptly. Fuel analysis gives you the diagnostic information • Chemists, STLE Certified Lubrication you need to prevent real trouble with your engines, Specialists (CLS), and Oil Monitoring Analysts your fuel storage tanks, and your operating budget. (OMA) at all locations. Three primary factors have a direct impact on your fuel performance: physical characteristics, stability LABORATORY SERVICES AND SUPPLIES in storage and use, and contamination. The diesel engine fuel system is sensitive to various design • 3-5 day turnaround on fuel analysis dependant aspects, to contamination, or to poor fuel quality that upon test requirements. may cause the engine to fail to supply power when • Rush analysis available at 1.5 times the cost of needed. Excessive water, dirt, particulate debris, analysis (minimum $50 additional charge). oxidation products, and microbiological growth can cause plugged filters and early fuel injector failure. • Fax transmission and/or emailed reports upon Water and debris are especially destructive to the request. tight clearances and valve seat arrangements in • Comprehensive interpretation with modern fuel injectors. Erosion and corrosion of valve recommendations provided on each report. seats and lapped metal-to-metal interfaces cause poor combustion, smoke, and high or low combustion • Sample container, processing form, and pre- temperatures in the cylinder. A poorly adjusted or addressed mailer available. malfunctioning injector can wash the cylinder wall of • D.O.T. approved shipping materials available. its lubricating oil film causing premature wear and • Bacon Bomb Sampler for storage tank sampling failure of pistons, rings, cylinder liners, or bearings. available. It is important to realize that over an extended • Vacuum Pump Sampler and rolled tubing period of time fuel oils will degrade through available. oxidation, poor housekeeping practices and from normal condensation buildup in the tank. Water • Oil, transformer oil, refrigerant, coolant/ can combine with other compounds in the fuel to antifreeze, and grease analysis programs create corrosive by-products that can corrode fuel available. tank system components. Since the rate at which • Field training and Root Cause Solutions fuel oils degrade is unpredictable, it is important Services available. to take the necessary precautions to increase fuel system reliability. Good design and preferred fuel properties, sampling, testing, and maintenance all contribute to efficient fuel quality management that will ensure your engine has an opportunity to deliver optimum service. Bureau Veritas - Oil Analysis www.oil-testing.com 3 FUEL ANALYSIS PROGRAMS Prices quoted on request PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS Your engine performance depends partly on whether corrosion, avoid degraded fuel performance in your fuel measures up to ASTM defined product winter and correct underlying problems with requirements. ASTM D975 & D2880 list the minimum supplier storage facilities or handling procedures. requirements necessary to assure reasonable Separate spectrochemical and physical tests detect operation under typical conditions. To meet special metallic corrosion products, inherent trace metals operating conditions, modifications of individual that can act as a catalyst to oxidation, and solid limiting requirements may be agreed upon by the contaminants such as sediment and insoluble gum. purchaser, seller and equipment manufacture. Fuel If solid contaminants and water accumulate in your oil normally recommended by engine manufactures storage tanks, you could be facing the formation of and used most commonly in power generation water-particulate sludge, an ideal growth medium engines is fuel oil No. 2-D or DF-2 and No. 2-GT or for microorganisms (bacteria, yeast or fungi) which GT-2. Once your specifications and requirements are is a leading form of fuel contamination. Detection determined, the stored fuels should be monitored of these conditions in the early stages can lead to with the appropriate testing and analysis. With minor corrective action of improper fuel handling each new delivery of bulk fuel, a sample should be procedures, filtration, additive treatment, and analyzed to assure it meets the minimum quality problems with storage tank corrosion before they criteria, and is free of unwanted contamination. cripple your fuel storage and handling equipment. STABILITY PERIODIC SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS Even if your fuel initially meets ASTM minimum Scheduled sampling and analysis packages are requirements, you must still take steps to keep designed to support your overall fuel management it stable. As your fuel ages, chemical oxidation program with thorough, scientific testing and sound creates particulate formation and associated advice. Bureau Veritas’ fuel testing packages are deposits or