Legislation passed on 15th
December 2003 (R.D. 1700/2003) defines the specifications of the fuel oil sold in Spain, among
other fuels, implementing the European Directive 2003/17/CE while compiling
all specifications for fuels (petroleum spirit, diesel fuels, fuel oils,
liquid gases and bio fuels) in a single legal text.
The specifications for fuel oils are laid down in the law passed on 4
December 1987 (R.D. 1485/1987) and the law of 16 March 2001 (R.D. 287/2001)
that concerns the content in sulphur. Annexe IV of R.D. 1700/2003 (see
above) compiles the specifications for fuel oils within a single Group:
Kinematic viscosity at
50ºC (mm2/S) 380
max. (equivalent to 35 mm2/S at 100ºC)
Sulphur (*)
(% m/m) 1.0 maximum
Vanadium (*) (mg/kg) 300
maximum (equivalent to 300 ppm)
Flash
point (ºC)
65 minimum
Water (%
vol.) 0.5 maximum
Water and
sediment (%
vol.) 1.0 maximum
Ash (%
m/m) 0.15 maximum
Potential sediments (%
m/m) 0.15 maximum (related to stability)
High Calorific
value
(kcal/kg) 10,000 minimum
Low Calorific
value (kcal/kg) 9,500
minimum
This sees the first
introduction of a specification for vanadium,
which is the main cause of corrosion on exhaust valves and
turbo-compressors of Diesel engines running on fuel oil. The maximum
value specified (300 ppm) is far in excess of the usual values recorded in
recent years for Fuel BIA and Fuel No. 1 supplied to Cogeneration [power]
Plants, with a range of 30-130 ppm and an approximate average value of
60-80 ppm. In such plants, the additive for fuel oil
“rb bertomeu”
beco F1/ASF has demonstrated, beyond all doubt,
its efficiency in preventing corrosion.
The fuel oil additives
“rb
bertomeu” beco F1/ASF for cogeneration engines and
“rb bertomeu”
beco F1-Ship for marine engines protect valves and
turbo-compressors from corrosion at high temperature caused by vanadates up
to approximately 300 ppm of vanadium. Although the fuel oil supplied in
Spain normally has a lower content in vanadium, the additive “rb bertomeu” has undergone industrial
tests in Cogeneration [power] Diesel engines over several months and has proven to
be a complete success with a fuel oil containing up to 250 ppm of vanadium,
using the normal dosing of 0.5 parts per thousand.
(*) Note: In some countries heavy fuel oil and crude oil is consumed with high sulfur and vanadium contents that can exceed 700 ppm. The additive "rb bertomeu" beco F1/ASF neutralizes the corrosion due to high contents of Vanadium pentoxide and Sodium vanadates, adjusting the proper dosage.
For further information on
this subject, consult the following documents compiled by rb bertomeu (by
double-clicking on the chosen title):
· Test with fuel oil with a high content in Vanadium (210 –
250 ppm) in engines at the co-generation plant of Minera de Santa Marta
(M.S.M.).
· Fuel oil and its corrosive effects in industrial
combustion.
