German chemical specialist BASF has acquired an innovative product for aviation fuel to expand its additive range.
The company will produce and market Kerojet™ Aquarius under exclusive licence from Cypriot firm Palox Ltd once joint approval has been granted for use in aviation.
Designed to bind water to kerosene, the additive will be tested by German airline Lufthansa's fleet across a range of aircraft and routes. Under certain conditions and during flight, maintenance and refuelling small quantities of water can enter fuel tanks largely due to condensation. Under normal circumstances, the water separates from the fuel, settling at the bottom of the tank and potentially causing corrosion and being expensive and complex to remove.
Kerojet™ is an additive which allows the water molecules to bind to kerosene. Because the quantities involved are small the water is absorbed and dispersed in the fuel load and is easily burnt-off during combustion in the aircraft's engine.
Testing is set to begin in Q2 of 2011.