Fuel Laboratory Research Program Summary

The SwRI Fuel Laboratory offers quality control evaluation for a wide variety of clients. We meet ASTM D 4814 for gasoline and ASTM D 975 for diesel fuel specifications. We also test for fuel regulations such as the Clean Air Act on reformulated gasoline for use in non-attainment areas. This includes type and amount of oxygenates in gasoline in addition to the normal specification testing. We run more than 27,000 analyses per year in our highest volume tests, such as sulfur content, distillation, oxygenates and aromatic content. We serve clients who have an interest in fuels, such as oil companies, additive companies, automotive equipment manufacturers, power plants and more.

Fuel Laboratory Equipment

The SwRI Fuel Laboratory has a full spectrum of specialized equipment including wavelength X-rays, gas chromatographs with various detectors including mass-selective detectors, ultraviolet-fluorescence sulfur analyzers, chemiluminescent nitrogen analyzers, high-performance liquid chromatographs, Fourier transform infrared analyzer, supercritical fluid chromatograph, broad band NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) analyzer, atomic absorption, vapor pressure and vapor-liquid ratio analyzers, distillation equipment, density meters, flash point analyzer, gum blocks and cold baths.