A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TESTING THE THERMAL STABILITY OF AN (AVIATION) FUEL

摘要

A method and apparatus for testing the thermal stability of an (aviation) fuel. Under pressure a fuel sample to be tested is supplied to a small-bore capillary tube (2) of a test section and the fuel in the test section is allowed to be heat stressed. The fuel sample in the test section is under turbulent flow regime. The thermal degradation of the test fuel within the section is monitored by measuring by means of contactless thermometry the outer wall temperatures along the test section and subsequent increases in these temperatures, promoted by the insulation effect of fuel degradation products. From the temperature data, thus obtained, information on the thermal stability of the fuel is derived.