BunkerCare

BunkerCare- Fuel Characteristics.

IFO/HFO stability and compatibility.
Introduction:
Modern fuels are getting more and more complex, along with more and more sophisticated
refineries with many new installations, improving the utility and high-end yield of the crude oil.
This makes the very low-end fuel residues more and more complex with the asphalt molecules
highly manipulated and amputated. And by that more difficult to handle because of high
sedimentation and instability. To utilize the low-end residues as fuel for diesel engines the
refiner or bunker supplier must blend the product to lower viscosity and density and by that
there is a significant risk that the product will be even more unstable.

Fuel Stability and Compatibility are two sides of the same coin. Stability is when one single
sample is tested and Compatibility is where two products are mixed in a certain ratio for a
stability check. Tests can give us a hint of how stabile the product will be during storage and
how fast it will start to precipitate asphaltenes (Or maybe more correct - amputated asphaltene
molecules) Also it can reveal the probability of problems in case blending of products is
necessary to do on board

Testing:
TSE – Total Sediments Existing – ISO 10307-1
The sample is heated to 100 C. where it is filtered, in a standard filter, by hot filtration. The
filter is weighed before and after. The result is given in percent with two digits. (Not specified in
ISO8217)
TSE is an expression for the content of sediments and dirt there is in the fuel at the time of
testing.

TSP – Total Sediments Potential - ISO 10307-2 by thermal aging

The sample is heated and stored at 100 C. in 24 hours, where it is filtered, in a standard filter,
by hot filtration. The filter is weighed before and after. The result is given in percent with two
digits. (ISO8217 limit 0,1%)
TSP is an expression for the likelihood of sedimentation during storage in a heated tank

TSA – Total Sediments Accelerated ISO 10307-2 by chemical aging

10% hexadecane is added to the sample and heated to 100 C, stored for one hour, where it is
filtered, in a standard filter, by hot filtration. The filter is weighed before and after. The result is
given in percent with two digits. (ISO8217 limit 0,1%)
TSA is a fast way to test; and close related to the TSP testing, however can it reveal the
tendency of how willing the product is to blend with lower viscosity products as gas oils and
ULSFO.

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TSE=TSP=TSE Most probably a dirty product – Most probably a stable product.
TSE=TSP<TSA Most probably a highly cracked product – Can be unstable.
TSE<TSP=TSA Most probably a cracked and blended product –Can be unstable.
TSE<TSP<TSA Unstable fuel

Spot test:
Spot test is a very simple test and can easily be made on board.

• Make a representative blend in a small bowl in the wanted ratio.

• Take a paper coffee filter (or alike) and place one small droplet on the paper.
• Put the paper into an oven for one hour at 100 C.
• Compare the spot with the 5 spots here in this document
• Identify and rate the spot from 1 to 5 accordingly.

This test is very simple and gives a good idea of the stability of the product. The test is normally
valid for residual and cracked fuels, however not suitable for hybrid fuels/ULSFO mainly
deriving from processed distillates. Tests on hybrid/ULSFO fuels can give a false spot formation.

Tests rated 1 & 2 are normally considered stable and acceptable for blend. 3, 4 & 5 not
recommended for blending.

Recommendation on product handling:

Mainly two things create sedimentation, time and temperature. So, it is a good idea to burn the
most unstable fuel first. However often we cannot do much about time, but it is always
recommended to keep the storage temperature as low as possible. Suggest 10 to 12 C higher
than the pour point.

Rules of thumbs:
Whenever mixing two fuels try to avoid blend ratios close to 50/50. Try always to keep low
ratios.

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The more cracked a fuel is (high visc. & dens.) the more difficult to blend.
Avoid blending highly cracked fuel with gasoil.
Straight run fuel (low visc & dens. No cat fines) is often highly compatible with distillates and
other residual fuels.
Order and run your vessel on highest possible viscosity and density products available. This is
more likely a stable product with few or no unknown blend stocks added. Lower viscosity and
density products are most likely heavily blended from the supplier.

Blending Scheme
residual. (DOBA)

Cracked HFO
Straight run
Gas oil

ULSFO

Gas oil Normally OK

Straight run After compatibility test.

residual. (DOBA) "Dry spot analyses"

ULSFO Not recommended

Cracked HFO

Fuel switch over process.

Above scheme is not necessarily valid for fuel switch over processes as other parameters have
influence, e.g. viscosity indexes and configuration of the physical fuel system onboard.
Fuel change over processes are always critical seen from several perspectives. And switch over
should never be performed without considerations on safety issues.

Steffen Kortegaard.

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