Speedy analyzer ensures safe fuel Published Aug. 15, 2003 By Sarah Hubbard Air Force Research Laboratory Propulsion Directorate WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFPN) -- Air Force Research Laboratory Fuels Branch workers developed a new tool that analyzes jet fuel within five minutes and estimates important properties in a mobile laboratory setting.The fast gas chromatograph is an instrument that examines different types of fuels to determine whether or not they are safe for military use. The GC creates a very accurate “fingerprint” depiction of each fuel type, according to Rich Striebich, chemical research engineer in the fuels branch.The parts of the fast GC include the oven, column, injector, flame-ionization detector, auto sampler and gas generators which make the system portable. There are separate gas generators for hydrogen, air and the main carrier gas, nitrogen.The process is both fast and simple, said Striebich. Samples of fuels are placed in a computer-controlled auto sampler, ending up in a glass tube, the inside of which is slightly larger than a human hair. According to Striebich, the smaller the dimensions of the tube, the faster the analysis.The fuel then separates inside the tube into its volatile and non-volatile components. A volatile substance is one prone to evaporation. The most volatile components come out of the process first and the least volatile ones last.This process forms a gas chromatogram. The chromatogram can then be related to various properties of fuel, including freezing point, flash point, sulfur content and distillation range. Different features of the unique chromatograms are important in predicting these properties.“Our goal in this project was to create a GC that would run faster than a standard GC, which takes about one to two hours, and (one) that can be field-deployable,” said Striebich. “In Operation Iraqi Freedom, fuel is being obtained from European countries and often has to be tested for what type of fuel it is and what quality it is. There is no time to have it shipped to a regional lab to be specification-tested, so we realized the need for something field-deployable and fast to ultimately help the warfighter.”The fast GC is also relatively inexpensive, at an estimated $35,000 per instrument, said Striebich.The system is about to be deployed overseas and will help to keep aircraft and other systems operating safely and efficiently.