Esfil Tehno AS
Esfil Tehno AS

Fuel quality indicators

The fuel quality indicators are intended to express an analysis of aviation fuel for the presence of emulsive water and mechanical impurities with the help of a PEK-T instrument (detecting instrument for expressing the examination of the level of aviation fuel purity and presence of fluids).The fuel quality indicator is represented by two rectangular sheets of filtering material, impregnated by tracer salts and fastened together at one edge. One sheet of material (white) is impregnated with salt of trivalent iron, the second with potassium ferrocyanide and potassium ferricyanide.

For specialists

Technical characteristics
Characteristic name Norm Admissible deviations
Dimensions of indicators, mm:
- length 50 ±3
- width 30 ±2
Sensitivity on water (reaction on test emulsion) Presence of two light blue spots Presence of one light-blue and one pale light blue or presence two light-blue and one pale blue spots
Appearance Two uniform sheets of a filtering material, one of white colour, second of light yellow up to yellow, folded together, strongly fastened among themselves at one edge. The breaking, punctures, mechanical inclusions in sizes more than 1 mm and colour stains are not accepted. Blue colouring permitted along the fastening line and at the edges, not more than 1 mm width.

The detection of emulsive water and mechanical impurities in aviation fuel is based on discoloration of the indicator during filtering of the sample of aviation fuel through the indicator.

The fuel quality indicator reacts to the presence of emulsion water within the limits of a mass fraction 0.001-0.003% and to the presence of mechanical impurities within the limits of a mass fraction 0.0002-0.0003% at conducting trials according to the methodology stated in the operation manual on the monitoring of the quality of aviation petroleum products and special liquids in general aviation.

When conducting an analysis of fuel for the presence of emulsive water and mechanical impurities, the quality indicator is used complete with the detecting instrument PEK-Т. The sample of 50 cm3 of fuel should be filtered through the indicator, which should be placed in such a manner, that the flow of analyzed fuel passes initially through the white sheet of the indicator, and then through the yellow.

The presence of mechanical impurities is determined by comparison of traces resulting on the first sheet in the case of fuel with control prints applied to the device PEK-T (TU 54-53-031-0001-82). In the presence of emulsive water in a fuel on the second sheet of the indicator (in the case of fuel) light-blue spots will be formed. The quantity and intensity of the produced colour will show the degree of flooding of the fuel (according to the manual on the application of the PEK-T).The fuel quality indicator is sensitive to the affect of moisture in an environment; therefore open the packing directly ahead of use.

The fuel quality indicator can be used at air and fuel temperatures ranging from -60°С up to +60°С. The conformity of the fuel quality indicators with the technical requirements is guaranteed for a period of 2 years from the moment of fabrication in the case of the observance of the stipulated conditions of transportation and storage by the customer.