Specialty Fuel Additives for Hydrocarbon Fuels

Chemtech International, Ltd. Dobac Internacional, S.A. Edelweiss Enterprises, Inc. Emission Control Products WLL Energy Conservation Products, Ltd. Esilanna Marine, Ltd. Global Fuel Technologies, LLC G.O.A. Enterprises, LLC Grace Corp. JLCC, Inc. Microbond, LLC Nordic FuelTech Systems AS
Combustion Turbine Fuel Additives Diesel Engine Fuel Additives Boiler and Process Heater Fuel Additives Demulsifiers and Flocculants Gasoline Engine Fuel Additives General Purpose Products Organo-Metallic Oil-Soluble Compounds Warehouses

AquaSpec Demulsifiers and Flocculants

This Union Pacific engine contained a General Electric Frame 5 combustion turbine (in the second unit) and an auxiliary Diesel electric generator set (in the first unit). This was an early example of a combustion turbine operated on washed residual oil (in the converted steam locomotive tender) treated with a magnesium fuel additive. It developed 10,000 HP and was the most powerful locomotive in the world in the 1960's.

Water-Washed Ash-Bearing Combustion Turbine Fuels

Manufacturers of high-temperature combustion turbine engines capable of operating ash-bearing fuels recommend removal of water-soluble contaminants from fuels by water-washing fuels. These manufacturers require reduction of sodium plus potassium to 1 ppm (part per million) or less. The remaining oil-soluble contaminants (e.g. compounds of vanadium and lead) are treated with magnesium at a rate of 3 parts magnesium to 1 part contaminant. Organometallic magnesium products such as SFA International’s FuelSpec® 120 and 130 Series products are recommended for fuels containing up to 50 ppm vanadium plus lead.

Water-Washing Aids

Water soluble salts are removed from fuels by forming an emulsion with water and breaking the emulsion to remove the water solution of salts. This is carried out in fuel oil treatment plants (FOTP) by combining water and a demulsifier with the fuel to form the emulsion. The emulsion is passed through a centrifuge where the water and oil phases are separated by centrifugal force.

Diagram of combustion turbine fuel oil treatment plant

This is a typical design of a combustion turbine Fuel Oil Treatment Plant for water washing fuels containing water-soluble salts of sodium, potassium and calcium. Combustion turbine manufacturers typically require Na + K < 1 to 0.5 ppm and Ca < 10 ppm in the fuel. Demulsifiers and flocculants are required for clean water / oil separation and effluent water than can be returned to the environment.

Demulsifiers and flocculants used in combustion turbine fuel oil treatment plants are broad spectrum products chosen to treat a range of fuels. AquaSpec® Demulsifiers and Flocculants are not recommended for petroleum production and refining applications where selections are based on specific fuels and low dosage rates.

SFA International’s AquaSpec® Demulsifiers are used to (a) produce a better separation of water from fuel following the water-washing process and as it passes through the centrifuge and (b) produce water with less entrained oil in the effluent. Demulsifiers are complex, surfactant type compounds that require careful selection for optimum performance. AquaSpec® Flocculants are used to treat oily effluent water before release to the environment. These are generally used with air flotation or separation equipment. As with demulsifiers, the optimum product must be selected for best results.

Key Benefits from these SFA Products:

Longer Turbine Blade Life
Less Downtime for Maintenance & Repair
Reduced Smoking & Pollution
More Efficient Heat Generation & Better Fuel Economy

Technical Service

SFA Engineers provide technical service to aid customers in achieving optimum results from use of boiler fuel additives. Before a recommendation is made, a survey of the plant is made. From this information, a proposal is prepared outlining the additive application, dosage rate, function and expected benefits.