A terminal storage company has successfully used the Infraspec VFA-IR spectrometer to analyse the blend ratio of jet fuels.
Preliminary results indicated that the Infraspec VFA-IR Spectrometer had accuracy better than 0.5 per cent by volume for commercial (Jet A) and military spec (JP8) fuels.
Both types of fuels were blended with different levels of synthetic jet fuel.
In addition, it was possible to calibrate the Infraspec Spectrometer using Jet A fuel and predict the synthetic blend ratio on JP8 fuel, showing that the analysis is robust enough to compensate for different fuel types.
Measurement results were obtained in less than a minute.
The Infraspec VFA-IR Spectrometer utilises a detector array with linear variable filter.
It is a compact and portable spectrometer with many advantages over conventional infrared instruments, including no optical path through air and no moving parts.
It can also be operated by individuals with little or no technical knowledge of infrared instrumentation.
