Jet fuel
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2008-07-13T02:23:00Z
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'''Jet fuel''' is a type of [[aviation fuel]] designed for use in [[aircraft]] powered by [[Aircraft engine#Gas turbine engine configurations|gas-turbine engines]]..
{| border=1 align=right class="wikitable"
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| colspan=2 align=center | '''JET A-1'''
|-
|'''[[Flash point]]:''' || 38 °C (100.4 °F)
|-
|'''Autoignition temperature:''' || 210 °C (410 °F)
|-
|'''[[melting point|Freezing point:]]''' || −47 °C (-52.6 °F). (−40 °C (-40°F) for ''JET A'')
|-
|'''[[Dirty burn|Open air burning]] temperatures:''' || 287.5 °C (549.5 °F)
|-
|'''Maximum burning temperature:''' || 980 °C (1796 °F)
|-
|'''[[Density]] at 15 °C (59 °F):''' || 0.8075 kg/L
|-
|}
== Description ==
Jet fuel is clear to straw colored. The most common fuel is an [[unleaded]]/paraffin (kerosene) oil-based fuel classified as ''Jet A-1'' (otherwise known as '''AVTUR'''), which is produced to an internationally standardized set of specifications. (see below).
The only other jet fuel that is commonly used in civilian turbine engine-powered aviation is called ''Jet B'', a fuel in the [[naphtha]]-[[kerosene]] region that is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance. However, Jet B's lighter composition makes it more dangerous to handle, and it is thus restricted only to areas where its cold-weather characteristics are absolutely necessary.
Jet fuel is a mixture of a large number of different hydrocarbons, possibly as many as a thousand or more. The range of their sizes (molecular weights or carbon numbers) is restricted by the requirements for the product, for example, freezing point or smoke point. Kerosene-type jet fuel (including Jet A and Jet A-1) has a carbon number distribution between about 8 and 16 carbon numbers; wide-cut or naphtha-type jet fuel (including Jet B), between about 5 and 15 carbon numbers. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/aviationfuel/4_at_fuel_comp.shtm|title=Aviation Turbine Fuel Composition|author=Chevron Products Corporation}}</ref>
Both standard jet fuels (Jet A and Jet B) may contain a number of additives:
* [[Antioxidant]]s to prevent [[gumming]], usually based on [[alkylation|alkylated]] [[phenol]]s, eg. [[AO-30]], [[AO-31]], or [[AO-37]];
* [[Antistatic agent]]s, to dissipate [[static electricity]] and prevent sparking; [[Stadis 450]], with [[dinonylnaphthylsulfonic acid]] (DINNSA) as the active ingredient, is an example
* [[Corrosion inhibitor]]s, e.g. [[DCI-4A]] used for civilian and military fuels, and [[DCI-6A]] used for military fuels;
* [[Fuel System Icing Inhibitor]] (FSII) agents, e.g. [[diethylene glycol monomethyl ether|Di-EGME]]; FSII is often mixed at the point-of-sale so that users with heated fuel lines do not have to pay the extra expense.
* [[Biocide]] can be added if evidence of bacterial colonies inside the fuel system exists.
Militaries around the world use a different classification system of JP numbers. Some are almost identical to their civilian counterparts and differ only by the amounts of a few additives; Jet A-1 is similar to [[JP-8]], Jet B is similar to [[JP-4]]. Other military fuels are highly specialized products and are developed for very specific applications. [[JP-5]] fuel is fairly common, and was introduced to reduce the risk of fire on aircraft carriers (has a higher flash point - a minimum of 60 °C). Other fuels were specific to one type of aircraft. [[JP-6]] was developed specifically for the [[XB-70 Valkyrie]] and [[JP-7]] for the [[SR-71 Blackbird]]. Both these fuels were engineered to have a high [[flash point]] to better cope with the heat and stresses of high speed supersonic flight. One aircraft-specific jet fuel still in use by the [[United States Air Force]] is [[JPTS]], which was developed in [[1956]] for the [[Lockheed U-2]] spy plane.
Jet fuels are sometimes classified as kerosene or naphtha-type. Kerosene-type fuels include Jet A, Jet A1, JP-5 and JP-8. Naphtha-type jet fuels, sometimes referred to as "wide-cut" jet fuel, include Jet B and JP-4.
===Jet A===
[[Image:Shell Refueller.JPG|thumb|250px|[[Royal Dutch Shell|Shell]] [[Jet A-1]] refueller truck on the ramp at [[Vancouver International Airport]] (notice the 1863 Hazardous Material placard and "JET A-1" stickers)]]
Jet A is the standard jet fuel type in the [[United States|U.S.]] since the 1950s and is only available there. Jet A is similar to Jet-A1, except for its higher freezing point of −40 °C (vs −47 ° Jet A-1). Like Jet A-1, Jet A has a fairly high flash point of 38 °C, with an [[autoignition temperature]] of 410 °F (210 °C). Jet A can be identified in trucks and storage facilities by the [[UN number]] 1863 [[Hazardous Material]] placards. Jet A trucks, storage tanks, and pipes that carry Jet A will be marked with a black sticker with a white "Jet A" written over it, next to another black stripe. Jet A will have a clear to straw color if it is clean and free of contamination. Water is denser than Jet A, and will collect on the bottom of a tank. Jet A storage tanks must be sumped on a regular basis to check for water contamination. It is possible for water particles to become suspended in Jet A, which can be found by performing a "Clear and Bright" test. A hazy appearance can indicate water contamination beyond the acceptable limit of 30ppm ([[Parts-per notation|parts per million]]).
The U.S. commercial fuels are not required by law to contain antistatic additives, and generally do not{{Fact|date=July 2007}}.
The annual U.S. usage of jet fuel was 21 billion gallons (80 billion liters) in 2006. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_cons_prim_dcu_nus_a.htm|title=U.S. Prime Supplier Sales Volumes of Petroleum Products|author=Energy Information Administration}}</ref>
A consortium consisting of [[Boeing]], [[NASA Glenn Research Center]], [[MTU Aero Engines]] (Germany), and the US [[Air Force Research Laboratory]] is investigating development of jet fuel blends containing a substantial percentage of bio-fuel. [http://www.boeing.com/commercial/environment/pdf/alt_fuels.pdf]
==History of jet fuel==
Fuel for a [[piston-engine]] powered aircraft (usually a high-[[Octane rating|octane]] [[gasoline]] known as [[Avgas]]) has a low [[flash point]] to improve its ignition characteristics. Turbine engines can operate with a wide range of fuels, and jet-aircraft engines typically use fuels with higher flash points, which are less flammable and therefore safer to transport and handle. The first jet fuels were based on [[kerosene]] or a gasoline-kerosene mix, and most jet fuels are still kerosene-based.
==Piston engine use==
Jet fuel is very similar to [[diesel fuel]], and a few aircraft engine manufacturers, most notably [[Thielert]], have begun offering [[piston engine]]s which run on jet fuel. The technology promises to be a way to provide light, powerful, and environmentally-friendly engines for the [[general aviation]] market while simplifying airport logistics and phasing out leaded [[avgas]].{{Fact|date=March 2008}} However, widespread use of diesel aircraft engines is still years in the future.
Jet fuel is often used in ground support vehicles at airports, instead of diesel. The United States military makes heavy use of [[JP-8]], for instance. However, jet fuel tends to have poor lubricating ability in comparison to diesel, thereby increasing wear on fuel pumps and other related engine parts. Civilian vehicles tend to disallow its use, or require that an additive be mixed with the jet fuel in order to restore its [[lubricity]].
== Jet biofuels==
{{Main|Global warming|Biofuel|Algae fuel|Peak oil}}
The airline industry is responsible for about 11 percent of [[greenhouse gas]]es emitted by the U.S. transportation sector. {{Fact|date=July 2008}} [[Boeing]] estimates that biofuels could reduce flight-related greenhouse-gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent. The solution would be blending algae fuels with existing jet fuel: <ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/03/AR2008010303907.html A Promising Oil Alternative: Algae Energy - washingtonpost.com<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Green Flight International flew the World's first jet aircraft on 100% biofuel. The flight from Nevadas Reno - Stead airport was in a single engine L-29 piloted by Carol Sugars and Douglas Rodante.{http://www.greenflightinternational.com/index.htm}
* Boeing and [[Air New Zealand]] are collaborating with leading Brazilian biofuels maker Tecbio <ref>[http://www.tecbio.com.br/ Tecbio<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[Aquaflow Bionomic]] of New Zealand and other jet biofuel developers around the world.
* [[Virgin Atlantic]] successfully tested a biofuel blend made from 20% [[Babassu oil|babassu nut]]s and coconut and 80% conventional jet fuel fed to a single engine on a 747 flight from London to Amsterdam. <ref>[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/3/story.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10494543 Crop this: Virgin takes off with nut-fuel - 26 Feb 2008 - NZ Herald: New Zealand Business, Markets, Currency and Personal Finance News<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
[[Oil price increases since 2003|Oil prices increased about fivefold]] from 2003-2008, raising fears that world petroleum production is becoming [[peak oil|unable to keep up with demand]]. The near-total dependency on [[petroleum]] for aviation fuel adds extra urgency to the [[Aviation history#The challenge of peak oil|search for alternatives]]: tweinty-five airlines went bust or stopped operations in the first six months of 2008 and more could fold as fuel prices soar, IATA warned <ref>http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest+News/Business/Story/A1Story20080708-75407.html</ref> .
=== Jet biofuels in in practice ===
* [[Virgin Atlantic]] flew a Boeing 747-400 in early 2008 with one engine operating on a 20% biofuel mix of babassu oil and coconut oil
* [[Air New Zealand]] will fly a Boeing 737 with one engine on a biofuel/kerosene mix in 2008/2009
*[[Continental Airlines]] will fly a Boeing 737 on [[3rd generation biofuel]] in 2009 <ref>http://www.iata.org/pressroom/facts_figures/fact_sheets/alt_fuels.htm</ref>.
==References==
{{reflist}}
==See also==
* [[Aviation fuel]]
* [[JP-1]]
* [[JP-4]]
* [[JP-5]]
* [[JP-6]]
* [[JP-7]]
* [[JP-8]]
* [[JPTS]]
==External links==
* [http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/economics/fuel_monitor/index.htm Jet Fuel Price Monitor] ([[IATA]])
* [http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/bulletin/aviationfuel/toc.shtm Aviation Fuels] (by [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]])
* Day, Dwayne A., [http://www.centennialofflight.gov/essay/Evolution_of_Technology/fuel/Tech21.htm Aviation Fuel]
* [http://www.csgnetwork.com/jetfuel.html Jet fuel information]
* [http://www.spragueenergy.com/documents/MSDS%20Jet%20A%20Aviation%20Fuel%2006.pdf Jet A MSDS]
[[Category:Aviation fuels]]
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