Biofouling of Several Marine Diesel Fuels

Abstract

The US Navy is facing exposure to new fuels that may behave differently in the marine environment, in comparison with high sulfur diesel. This laboratory work has investigated the effects of biofouling and seawater exposure to high sulfur diesel, ultralow sulfur diesel, synthetic diesel, biodiesel, and hydrotreated renewable diesel fuels. Bulk chemical changes and differences in biofouling between the fuel were not detectable under the laboratory test conditions, but changes in fuel lubricity, controlled by traces of polar compounds in fuel, were detectable in several fuels by both physical and chemical testing. Machinery dependant upon fuel lubricity, such as fuel pumps and fuel injectors, may be at risk when new fuels enter use in the near future. Actual shipboard testing should be undertaken to determine the actual risk, however.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA546379

Entities

People

  • David Stamper
  • Michael T. Montgomery
  • Robert Morris

Organizations

  • Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biodiesels
  • Chemical Synthesis
  • Chemistry
  • Diesel Fuels
  • Energy
  • Environment
  • Fatty Acids
  • Fuels
  • Green Diesels
  • Materials
  • Materials Laboratories
  • Materials Science
  • Materials Testing
  • Petroleum
  • Synthetic Diesels
  • Synthetic Fuels
  • Uss Gettysburg

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Petroleum Engineering
  • Systems Analysis and Design