Lab keeps fuel, oxygen flowing

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Cassandra Locke
  • 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) --  Some laboratory workers here provide a quality analysis of all fuels and gases used in the region. They also analyze fuel when a mishap or possible contamination occurs.

In a war zone, both these functions are important missions.

“The majority of the samples we receive are products that have been procured or have been sitting unused for a certain amount of time. We need to verify that the quality of the product is good,” said Mike Casanova, the lab’s chief deployed from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England.

The lab is part of the 379th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron. It has a chemist, a quality assurance specialist and a chemical engineer. They check the quality control of fuels and gases to make sure they meet specifications.

For fuel samples, the lab tests the density, flash point and distillation. Testing the density helps determine the weight and volume of the fuel at a given temperature. The flash point determines the flammability of the fuel. And the distillation of the fuel shows if it has the proper molecular makeup. The lab also filters fuel to look for contaminants.

For cryogenic samples -- products at very cold temperatures -- the lab test for purity, moisture content and trace contamination. Their cryogenic samples include liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen.

“We don’t actually test it in its liquid state. A sample of the liquid is taken by the petroleum, oils and lubricants people and brought to us. We test it as a gas. But it is representative of the liquid oxygen and of how the oxygen will be used,” said Mr. Casanova.

In oxygen and air, they look for trace contamination, purity and the moisture content of the product. When they have potential contamination issues, they look for traces of one product in the other.

The lab also analyzes four fuels: JP-8 (a kerosene-based fuel used on most aircraft), JPTS (used for high-altitude aircraft), aviation gasoline (usually used in unmanned aircraft) and motor gasoline. The crew also tests aviation breathing oxygen, nitrogen and compressed breathing air for the fire department.

“If the product fails or if someone suspects any possible contamination we can also troubleshoot it to try and figure out what the cause may be,” Mr. Casanova said.

The chemist said there is no one answer to cover all possibilities and every sample is treated on a case-by-case scenario.

“The general rule is that we ask for a resample to confirm results. We also try and determine what could have been the root cause of the original failure so they can try and correct the problem before the resample,” Mr. Casanova said.

If the resample fails, they might give it a waiver -- depending on what characteristic fails. If the product is unusable, it will sometimes be downgraded or disposed.

“When we test a product we usually test it for several parameters that are characteristic of the product,” Mr. Casanova said.

He said diesel fuel has a certain flashpoint, density and cloud point it must meet.

“Let’s say we tested some diesel fuel and it had a low cloud point (this is the test that helps determine when diesel fuel might start causing clogging problems in trucks),” he said. “If the fuel is being used in Afghanistan during winter we would not give it a waiver. If the fuel is being used here in the summer, the cloud point is not an issue. So we might waiver that result and still use the fuel.”

They could also blend some JP-8 with the diesel fuel to lower the cloud point. JP-8 has a lower cloud point than diesel.

“This has to be done very carefully because JP-8 will also lower the lubricity of the diesel and that could cause other problems.”

That is where the technical team comes in. The team tells the lab what ratio they think would be best for blending. They would then simulate the blending in the laboratory “but on a smaller scale -- only about a gallon’s worth,” he said, and analyze it to make sure it still meets all the other specifications.

“With more than 32 years of cryogenics and fuels experience, I find it rewarding to work with the bases in the AOR by helping them to correct any problems as quickly as possible so as not to impede their mission,” said Frederick Dembinski, a quality assurance specialist deployed from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.