Effective approach to fuel testing

Depending on the production method and availability of blending components, blended marine fuels can be predominantly aromatic, paraffinic, or somewhere in between. Although these fuels are stable on their own, variations in solvency when mixed can increase the risk of incompatibility, leading to serious issues such as filter blockages and fuel system disruptions due to flocculated asphaltenes.

In practice, complete fuel segregation during bunkering is not always feasible. There is no guarantee that a vessel refuelling with a 0.50% sulphur fuel in Rotterdam will be able to obtain a compatible fuel in Fujairah. The only reliable way to assess potential issues is through compatibility testing between the existing and proposed bunker fuels.

AD Systems has developed the ST10, a portable, fully automated instrument for testing the stability and compatibility of heavy fuel oil, either in the lab or on board a vessel. The ST10 automates the ASTM D4740 method, a simple yet effective test that can be performed onboard to evaluate the cleanliness and compatibility of marine fuels, including both residual and distillate types.

This quick test is invaluable for the ship’s crew in operations such as fuel switching, preparing new bunker supplies, and conducting tank transfers to ensure ship stability.

Read this technical article to learn more details.