PLATTS2013

FuelQualityIssuesRaisedbyLowSulfurFuels

CONTENTS

1) GlobalandUS‐ SulfurandCatfine data2) HSFOV/SLSFOProblems3) ProblemswithLSFObunkers4) NewmethodtoidentifyFilterChoking4)Solutions5)FutureScenario6)Conclusion

GLOBAL BUNKERFUELSULFUR&CATFINECONTENT

PreAugust2012 PostAugust2012

FuelType Sulfur Catfines Sulfur Catfines

HighSulfurFuels 2.72 22.2 2.67 22.3

LowSulfurFuels 0.91 28 0.92 28.1

DistillateFuels 0.36 0.6 0.37 0.6

LowSulfurDistillates 0.07 0.6 0.07 0.5

US BUNKERFUELSULFUR&CATFINECONTENT

PreAugust2012 PostAugust2012

FuelType Sulfur Catfines Sulfur Catfines

HighSulfurFuels 2.67 21.4 2.76 23.1

LowSulfurFuels 0.92 28.1 0.97 37.1*

DistillateFuels 0.15 0.1 0.08 0.1

LowSulfurDistillates 0.02 0.1 0.02 0.1

*32%increaseincatfine contentafterUSECA

HSFO V/S LSFO (2013)FuelGrade ProblemCases TypesofProblems

HSFO 52(0.24%ofallsamples)

17‐FilterChoking7– PistonRingBreakage8– PurifierChoking

1– Fuelpumpjamming19–Misc*

LSFO 18(0.45%ofallsamples)9‐FilterChoking5‐PurifierChoking

4–Misc*

* IncreasedExhausttemperatures,Explosion,ProblemswithIgnitionandcombustion,Machinerybreakdownorwearingout,Blackout,Pistonringwear

TwiceasmanybunkerfuelrelatedproblemswithLSFOin2013

INSURANCE COMPANY DATA

• Averagecostofmainenginedamagehasrisen52%fromUSD358,000toUSD545,000since2004

• AveragecostofPistonDamageclaimsis$438,488• AveragecostofCylinderLinerDamageclaimsis$553,998• AveragecostofFuelPumpDamageclaimsis$313,764• AveragecostofMultiplePartDamageclaimsis$684,885

SWEDISHP&ICLUBREPORT– DECEMBER2012

PROBLEMSWITHLowSulfur fuels

1. RapidFilterChoking2. HeavyPurifierSludging3. FuelPumpJamming4. PoorIgnitionandCombustionProperties5. HighWearduetoincreasedcatfines6. HighWearduetoincreasedacidity7. OrganicChloridesinfuelresultingincorrosion8. PistonRingBreakage

FilterChoking/PurifierSludging

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PossibleCauses• ContaminantssuchasDCPD,Styrene,Indeneinfuel• Unstablefuel(ImproperBlending)• Polymericmaterialinfuel• Waste/Offspec Biodiesel(FAME’s)

SuggestedSolutions• Blendingwithbetterfuels• Addingsuitableadditives• Onboardsolutions– Heating/Purificationetc

FILTERCHOKING(Glycerine infuel)

9GLYCERINE

PURIFIERSLUDGINGSeattleBunker‐ UnstableLSFO

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VISWALABTechnicalUpdate2013/3/3Unstablefuelsfromvariousports

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PURIFIERSLUDGINGHoustonBunker– DCPD,Indene,Styrene

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NEWTECHNOLOGYTOIDENTIFYFILTERCHOKINGFBTN(FilterBlockingTendencyNumber)

• More than 200 cases of Main Engine fuel filters gettingblocked .

• Identified reasons are presence of Polypropylene,Polystyrene, contaminants such as Styrene, DCPD andIndene, high sediment and unstable fuel

Hazards due to this Problem• Complete Filter Choking resulting in Main Enginestoppage, Auxiliary Engine stoppage

• Black Outs and 3 recent cases of Ships Drifting

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HowFBTNcansolveFilterBlockingProblems

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• IfFBTNvalueishighwhileusingsamefiltermeshasthevesselsfiltrationsystem,identifythesubstanceblockingthefilterusingFT‐IR/GCMS

• 3Typesofpolypropylene(polymers)possible• Eachoftheabovehavedifferentmeltingpoints• BymanipulatingFBTNsetuptemperature(limit150

degC),possibletoidentifytypeofpolymer• Inactualengine,temperaturescanbeincreasedto

solvefilterblockingproblem

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DeterminationofFBTNofproblemfuel4samples– 10micronfiltermesh

VesselName AAA BBB CCC DDD

Density(kg/m3) 987.8 974.3 942.3 988.1

Viscosity@50°C(cst) 330.3 310.3 407.1 330

Temperaturetoattain15cst viscosity (°C)

126 124.5 129.7 125.7

Al+Si(ppm) 143 58 43

TSP(%,mass) 0.02 0.06 0.03

Iron(ppm) 10 36 22

Water(%,vol) 0.10 0.10 0.70 0.20

FBTN 1.04(Normalsample)

15.09(Filterchoked)

2.02(Filterchoked)

3.53(Filterchoked)

Testparametersoffueloil

*FBTN‐FilterBlockingTendencyNumber

ViswaR&D‐ FBTNAlgorithm

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FBTNSystemSetup

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ApplicationofFBTN

18* FBT-Filter Blocking Tendency

InterpretationofFBTNresults:

FBTN<1.4:NofilterchokingproblemexpectedFBTN>1.4Pa/mL:Seriousfilterchokingproblemexpected

Note – Aboveiswhileusing10micronfilter.Ifthefiltermeshisofadifferentsize,theFBTNwillbedifferent.Testscarriedoutusingsamefiltermeshsizeusedbyship.

FBTNCONCLUSION

19* Patented

1. FBTNtestisapracticalandeasytest2. Clearresultsthatwillreflectactualconditions3. Resultsobtainedinquicktimebeforestartingto

usethefuel4. Byidentifyingcontaminant,itispossibletosolve

blockageproblembymanipulatingthefuelheatingtemperature

5. ApaperhasbeenpresentedatCIMACShanghai2013onViswaFBTN– Paper140

ViswaLabisveryproudtohavedevelopedandpioneeredthisinstrument

FuelPumpJamming

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PossibleCauses• ContaminantssuchasDCPD,Styrene,Indeneinfuel• Unstablefuel(ImproperBlending)• OrganicChlorideinFuel

SuggestedSolutions• Blendingwithbetterfuels• Addingsuitableadditives• Onboardsolutions– Heating/Purificationetc

FUELPUMPJAMMING

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HighCatfinesinLowSulfurFuel

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LSFOcatfine contentincreasedby32% sinceAug2012• CatfinesHardestsubstancesafterdiamond• Catfinesgetembeddedinlinerandpistonringsurfaces– Portionsstickingoutwilldigintotherubbingsurface– 15to25micronstilltheywearout

• In7‐8hoursthelinerandpistonringscanberuined!

SuggestedSolutions• TestOnboardPurificationsystemefficiencyregularly

SEMimageofparticlefoundonmetalmesh(scalebaris20micron)

SEM/EDSofCatfine Particletrappedinfilter

ElementalanalysisofcatalystfinesshowspresenceofAl,Si

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HighCatfines– IncreasedWear

25Acceptablelevel<200/cm2

CatfinesDensity– ReplicaTest

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CatfinesDistributionArea

HighCatfines‐MachineryAffected

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WearduetoIncreasedAcidity

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PossibleSourcesofIncreaseAcidity• OrganicChloridesinFuel• Waste/OffSpecBiodieselinfuel• ShaleOil(Phenol)usedascutterstock

SuggestedSolutions• Blendingwithbetterfuels• Someadditivescanreducetheacidity

BlendingwithShaleOil

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Shaleoilisfrequentlyusedascutterstock• ShaleOilislowcost($100/MT)• ShaleOilhaslowsulfur(under1%)• ShaleOilhashighdensityandlowviscosity

ShaleOilcontainsPhenol.Phenols:• HavepoorIgnitionandCombustionProperty(ECN1.5)• HavehighAcidity(AcidNumberaround1mgKOH/g)• Stabilityoffuelswithphenolsgoesdownovertime

IncreasedpresenceofOrganicChlorides

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• In2013VLhashad7casesoffuelsfoundwithorganicchlorides.

• OrganicChloridescanbefromcleaningagentsorchemicalwaste

Problemscausedbyorganicchloridesinclude• Totalwearoutofrubbingparts,fuelvalves,fuelpump,cylinderliners,pistonrings

WHATTODOIFCONTAMINANTSAREFOUNDINFUELS?

• Quantifycontaminants,findiflevelslikelytocauseproblems

• Useempiricaldataavailablewithtestinglabtodeterminedamagepotential

• Blendingwithbetterqualityfuel(compatible)willreducethecontaminantlevels

• Additivetreatmentchemicalsworkinsomecases• Lastresortde‐bunkering

FUTURESCENARIO• In2015,ECAarea(rapidlyexpanding)callfor0.1%sulfurcontent

• From2020,HSFOgloballyis0.5%andECAisstill0.1%• RefineriesnotplanningtoproduceLSHFO• Someresearch‐PeroxidesandSulfones• Optionsare:‐ LowSulfurfuelatexorbitantcost($300moreperMT)‐ LNG(Smallpercentage)‐ Scrubber

“ Out Of Clutter, Find Simplicity.From Discord, Find Harmony.Realize That In The Middle Of Difficulty, Lies Opportunity”.—ALBERT EINSTEIN

Conclusions

Testingincludingadditionaltestingislikealockonthedoor(PeaceofMind)

OnboardFuelTreatmentatmaximumefficiency.Tryblending.Useadditives

Knowledgeisthenameofthegame.Themoreyouknow,themoreyougain.

VISWALABPHILOSOPHY

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Thereare3kindsoflabs.• Firstisthosethattestandgiveresults.• The2ndlevellabstestandtellthecustomeraboutpotentialproblems.

• VLbelongstothe3rdcategoryWetest,identifypotentialproblemsandalsoPROVIDESOLUTIONS.SolutionsarebasedonpastexperienceinproblemsolvingandR&Defforts.

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EMPOWERMENT THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

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