IP 463: Determination of the presence of phenalenes and phenalenones in middle distillate fuels which affect potential instability - Rapid method by portable spectrophotometer

Overview:

This standard specifies an ambient temperature procedure for the rapid determination of the presence of compounds in middle distillate fuels which affect the potential instability in storage.

The fuel types include automotive and marine diesel fuels, heating fuels and gas turbine fuels, in which products of fuel degradation lead to performance problems. The test method uses a portable spectrophotometer to measure the absorbance of light caused by the presence of phenalene and/or phenalenones, and can thus be carried out on site or in the laboratory. It is applicable to distillate fuels from both petroleum and non-petroleum origin, and at all points in the distribution chain from refinery to end use. It is also applicable to fuels containing dyes and/or markers, but not those containing residues from petroleum processing. It may not give the same predictive power on potentially unstable fuels containing other degradation precursors.