Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) News
Printer Friendly VersionSwRI® to qualify synthetic jet fuel for use in commercial aircraft
Program marks first commercial attempt to qualify synthetic and semi-synthetic jet fuels
San Antonio -- December 12, 1996 -- The first phase of a project to qualify synthetic and semi-synthetic hydrocarbon-based jet fuels for use in commercial aircraft was described by Dr. Clifford A. Moses, an Institute engineer at Southwest Research Institute® (SwRI), in a presentation made to the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D-2 meeting on Petroleum Products and Lubricants.
SwRI is conducting the project for Sasol Oil (Pty) Ltd., a South African-based oil company, in an effort to establish a scientific program to evaluate Sasol's fully and semi-synthetic jet fuels for use at Johannesburg International Airport.
"The Institute will be providing independent consultation for Sasol Oil, " says SwRI project manager Leo L. Stavinoha. SwRI is an independent nonprofit research and development organization with considerable international experience in analyzing and evaluating alternative fuels.
Currently, international commercial aircraft refueling at Johannesburg is supplied with petroleum-based Jet A-1 fuels from crude oil refineries within the Republic of South Africa. Sasol Oil markets a range of synthetic fuels produced from coal by their sister company, Sasol Synthetic Fuels (Pty) Ltd. They believe that their synthetic and semi-synthetic jet fuel is commercially viable and can compete in quality with conventional petroleum-based fuel in response to increased demands for jet fuel, especially at Johannesburg Airport.
Commercial aircraft fuels are required to meet internationally accepted standards such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Guidance Material for Aviation Turbine Fuels, Def Stan 9191 Issue 2 (formerly known as DERD 2494) standard requirements, and ASTM D 1655 specification requirements. The Sasol synthetic and semi-synthetic jet fuels meet all these international specification requirements for conventional jet fuel. This is the first commercial attempt to qualify synthetic and semi-synthetic jet fuel coordinated with ASTM and IATA.
"The first phase of the project," says Moses, "includes discussions and consultations with the major airframe and turbine engine manufacturers and airline operators that have an interest in the South African market to identify possible concerns that would impede market acceptance."
In addition, SwRI scientists will develop the normal international specification requirements data to characterize Sasol synthetic and semi-sythetic fuels and demonstrate their acceptability at the laboratory or bench-test level, to provide a plan of action for Phase Two. Although Sasol's synthetic jet fuel has superior properties in terms of cold flow behavior and combustion characteristics, concerns that have previously been identified with highly-treated synthetic fuels will be carefully addressed. These include evaluating fuel lubricity and the use of lubricity-improving additives, if necessary; examining elastomer compatibility to ensure that seals do not shrink or swell excessively by maintaining a minimum aromatic concentration; assessing the dielectric constant correlation to density of the fuels; and ensuring the fuels' compatibility with jet fuel from other sources.
"Based on the results of the research in Phase Two,"
adds Moses, "the plan of action, fully coordinated with industry, will be implemented
to ensure complete compliance and ready market acceptance of Sasol's synthetic and
semi-synthetic jet fuel."
For more information about the SASOL program, contact Deborah Deffenbaugh, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, Texas 78228-0510, Phone (210) 522-2046, Fax (210) 522-3547.
