How to identify the quality of marine fuel oil and the classification of marine fuel oil

About The Classification And Quality Standards of Marine Fuel Oil

Marine fuel oil must strictly control water content and mechanical impurities, otherwise it will block the oil circuit, oil filter or nozzle and cause the ship to stop halfway, or even a dangerous accident. Fuel oil with poor stability may block the fuel supply pipeline due to the precipitated asphalt gum sludge, or block the fuel pump or nozzle after shutting down and fail to start.

Requirements:

Fuel oil are mainly from vacuum residual oil and cracked residual oil. This fuel oil has low viscosity and low freezing point, so it can be used with a little or no preheating. Therefore, the storage stability of marine fuel oil is extremely important. Recently, marine fuel oils in many countries have added anti-sludge sedimentation additives. In order to achieve good combustion performance and reduce coking of nozzles and furnaces, in addition to better stability, it is also required to contain less hard pitch. It is best to use fuel oil that does not contain asphaltenes. This is also to reduce the carbon dust content in the combustion exhaust gas, to prevent sudden black smoke, to save fuel and prevent air pollution.

Classification and Quality standards of Marine fuel oil:

Marine fuel oil is divided into two types of products, one is distillate-type marine fuel, and the other is residue-type marine fuel.

Distillate fuels are mainly used in high-speed diesel engines and medium-speed diesel engines, mainly to provide power for small and medium-sized ships sailing short distances, such as sand ships, fishing boats, and dry bulk ships sailing on the Yangtze River and the canal.

Residual fuels are mainly used in international transportation ships, as well as in larger ships transported along the coast and along the river. Large engine horsepower requires high viscosity, up to 700 CST.

The evaluation of the quality of marine fuel oil includes ASTM D445 kinematic viscosity,  ASTM D1298 density,  ASTM D4294 &ASTM D5453 sulfur content,  ASTM D93 closed cup flash point,  ASTM D664 acid value, ASTM D2274 oxidation stability,  residual carbon,  low temperature, ASTM D6304 water content,  ASTM D482 ash content, calorific value, total sediment and so on.