JetA / JetA-1
Jet A and Jet A-1 are the most predominant aviation fuels in the world. 1
Jet A is used in the United States while most of the rest of the world
uses Jet A-1. The important difference between the two fuels is that
Jet A-1 has a lower maximum freezing point than Jet A (Jet A: –40ºC,
Jet A-1: –47ºC). The lower freezing point makes Jet A-1 more suitable
for long international flights, especially on polar routes during the
winter.
JP-4
JP-4, or JP4 (for "Jet Propellant")
was a jet fuel , specified in 1951 by
the U.S. government (MIL-J-5624E). It was a 50-50 kerosene - gasoline blend.
It has lower flash point than JP-1 ,
but was preferred because of its better availability. It was the primary
U.S. Air Force jet fuel between 1951 and 1995. Its NATO code
is F-40 . It is also known as avtag .
JP-4 is a mixture of aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons .
It is a flammable transparent liquid with clear or straw color, with
a kerosene-like smell. It evaporates easily. Its freeze point is at
-77 °F (-60 °C) and its flash point temperature is 0 °F
(-18 °C).
Commercial aviation uses a similar mixture under the name Jet-B .
JP-4 in addition contains corrosion
inhibitors and icing
inhibitors . Since the mid 1980s, antistatic
agent was added to the fuel to decrease the risk of fires caused
by static electricity discharges.
JP-4 is a nonconductive liquid, prone to build up static
electricity charge when being moved through pipes and tanks.
As it is volatile and with low flash point, the static discharge
may cause a fire. An antistatic
agent is used as a fuel additive to lower the charge buildup,
the flow rates have to be controlled, and all the equipment used
has to be electrically interconnected and well grounded.
JP-4 was phased out by the U.S. Air Force, and was replaced with JP-8 .
The transition was finished by the fall of 1996, and was motivated
by the desire to use less flammable, less hazardous fuel.
JP-4 floats on water.
JP-5
JP-5 , or JP5 (for "Jet Propellant")
is a jet fuel with a high flash
point (min. 60°C), developed in 1952 for use in aircraft stationed
aboard aircraft carriers where
the risk from fire is particularly great. JP-5 remains the primary
jet fuel for most navies. Its NATO code is F-44 .
It is also called avcat . It is specified by MIL-PRF-5624S
and meets the British Specification DEF STAN 91-86 AVCAT/ FSII (formerly
DERD 2452).
Freezing point of JP-5 is -46°C. It does not contain antistatic
additives . It is a yellow liquid, based on kerosene .
Other names for JP-5 are NCI-C54784 , Fuel
oil no. 5 , Residual oil no. 5 .
JP-5 is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons ,
containing alkanes , naphthenes ,
and aromatic hydrocarbons .
AVGAS
Most Aviation Fuel available for aircraft are kinds
of gasoline used in engines with spark
plugs i.e. piston engines and Wankel
rotaries or fuel for jet turbine engines which is also used in
diesel aircraft engines. Alcohol, alcohol mixtures and other alternative
fuels may be used experimentally but are not generally available.
Avgas is sold in much lower volumes, but to many more individual aircraft,
whereas Jet Fuel is sold in high volumes to large aircraft operated
typically by airlines, military and large corporate aircraft.
Avgas has a lower
volatility than mogas and does not evaporate as quickly, which is important
for high-altitude use. The particular mixtures in use today are the
same as when they were first developed in the 1950s and 1960s ,
and therefore the high-octane ratings are achieved by the addition
of tetra-ethyl lead (TEL), a
fairly toxic substance that was phased out for car use in most countries
in the 1980s . The main petroleum component
used in blending Avgas is alkylate , which
is essentially a mixture of various iso octanes ,
and some refineries also use some reformate .
Avgas is currently available in several grades with differing maximum
lead concentrations. Since TEL is a rather expensive additive, a minimum
amount of it is typically added to the fuel to bring it up to the required
octane rating so actual concentrations are often lower than the maximum.
Jet fuel is similar to kerosene and
is used in turbine engines. It is also used in the few aircraft with diesel engines.
Civilian aircraft use Jet-A, Jet-A1 or in severely cold climates Jet-B.
There are other classification systems for military turbine and diesel
fuel.
Inquiries for aviation fuel can be found on our CONTACT
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