Newsletter Issue 19

Research Notes

Articles

Phenolics in Jet Fuel Can Interfere with Conductivity Response to Static Dissipator Additive
Update of Worldwide Fuel Survey by U.S. Navy
10th International Biodeterioration and Biodegradation Symposium
SAGESS Discharges Stockpiled Gasoline EBV Continues Assessing Sludge at Etzel Site
French Heating Oil Stability

Phenolics in Jet Fuel Can Interfere with Conductivity Response to Static Dissipator Additive

Brian Dacre and Janice I. Hetherington

For some years, the UK MOD has supported work at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham leading to an understanding of the variable conductivity response of jet fuels from different crudes to static dissipator additives.

Now we have shown that certain phenols can interact with the additive Stadis7 450 in jet fuel to cause considerable reductions in conductivity. Further, the magnitude of the effect is markedly dependent on the structure of the phenol and especially on whether the phenol is hindered or not. Highly hindered phenols cause almost no reduction in conductivity, whereas a completely unhindered phenol, such as m-cresol, shows a large effect. The nil effects of highly hindered phenols, which are of the type used as antioxidants, confirms the behaviour observed by antioxidant suppliers.

A range of unhindered and partially hindered phenols have been shown, by BP, to be present in jet fuels. Total phenol concentrations are much higher than had been realised earlier - with values ranging up to approximately 700 ppm.