A novel method to evaluate synthetic fuel options for gas turbines in terms of O-ring swelling
Master Thesis
2009
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
Before 1999, all commercial aviation fuel had been produced from petroleum feedstock. With the growth in demand, it has put significant strain on the availability of jet fuel at Oliver Tambo International Airport (ORTIA). In 2008, Sasol was granted an approval to use fully synthetic jet fuel upon the publication of Defence Standard 91-91, Issue 6 [1]. Sasol's fully synthetic jet fuel is the only fuel in the world which had obtained the necessary approval for commercial use. The DEF STAN had an 8 minimum aromatic limit in the final blend. Sasol produces fully synthetic jet fuel from its Fischer-Tropsch process and the latter is the source of synthesised paraffinic kerosene (SPK). SPK typically contain iso paraffins and small quantities of normal paraffins. However, they do not contain heteroatomic species or aromatic compounds. Advantages of the use of F-T fuels over petroleum-derived fuels include outstanding thermal-oxidative stability characteristics with relatively lower particulate matter (PM) combustion emissions. The lack of aromatics causes a decrease in the tendency of the fuel to swell nitrile O-rings. This is of particular concern as the transition of synthetic fuels to conventional fuels can result in fuel leakage and elastomer shrinkage in fuel distribution systems.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 105-111).
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Visram, S. 2009. A novel method to evaluate synthetic fuel options for gas turbines in terms of O-ring swelling. University of Cape Town.