Aluminum powder impact on the efficiency of diesel fuel dewaxing by centrifugation

Relevance. The improvement of the low-temperature properties of diesel fuels is achieved using various methods of dewaxing and isomerization, leading to almost complete loss of n-alkanes and, accordingly, to deterioration in the detonation properties of fuels. Partial dewaxing of diesel fuels is of interest. It allows the preservation of most of the n-alkanes. Objects. Diesel fuel of a weighted fractional composition, the improvement of low-temperature properties of which is carried out by means of its partial dewaxing by centrifugation with the addition of aluminum powder to the fuel. Methods. Initial diesel fuel dewaxing was carried out on a refrigerated centrifuge SL/8R Centrifuge, which provides a rotor rotation speed of up to 9500 rpm in the temperature range from 40 to minus 10°C. At low temperatures, relatively high-melting paraffin components were released as a precipitate in the rotor tubes. The efficiency of the initial diesel fuel dewaxing was evaluated by the dewaxed diesel fuel yield and by its quality indicators – turbidity temperature, refractive index, filterability limit temperature and solidification temperature. The distribution of n-alkanes in the dewaxing products relative to the starting fuel was determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Aim. To increase the efficiency of the diesel fuel dewaxing by centrifugation with the addition of aluminum powder to the raw material as a paraffin weighting agent. Results and conclusions. The authors have determined the optimal parameters of diesel dewaxing to ensure the production of summer diesel fuel of the "C" brand corresponding to EN 590. The maximum yield of dewaxed diesel fuel at optimal process parameters reaches 78.6 wt %. Dewaxed diesel fuel has a turbidity temperature of minus 5°C, its maximum filterability temperature is minus 6°C and the solidification temperature is minus 15°C.