High Vanadium content in fuel

[Pengze]

What is the allowable range for Vanadium content in bunkered fuel so that it won't cause problems for medium speed diesel engine?
Do you think that 183 mg/kg out of 200 mg/kg (ISO specs IP501 std max) is too high for a 180cst fuel ?

[jmm2020]

I know from conversations I have had with Fuel compliance officials in the US that fuel quality in general is declining alarmingly and at this point fines are cheaper than upgrades to refining infrastructure so ...I believe that the problem with Vanadium is not always with the vanadium content number but rather the amount of combined vanadium, sulfur and I believe sodium which react in combustion so a complete fuel analysis which delivers that ratio is what I believe would be most helpful.

[JollyJack]

On the subject of Sulphur in fuel, the North America Emmissions Control Area comes into effect on 1st August 2012. The ECA ranges from 60 N, (northern bank of the enterance to Hudson Bay) to the Panama Canal, 200 nautical miles from the coast. The maximum allowable sulphur content in fuel will be 1% instead of the 4 - 4.5% at present. This will decrease to 0.1% over a number of years. Europe already has an ECA in the Baltic and Mediterrean seas and, I think, the North Sea. Only heavy fuels will be impacted, and diesel sold, on the east coast anyway, has a sulphur content of 0.05% or less, thanks to California emmissions standards which forced motor vehicles to burn low sulphur fuel. As usual, the Marine industry lags behind, ships at sea are not visible to millions of land-based people and out of sight, out of mind.

[JK]

Given how environmental protection is slipping in this country so badly, I am rather surprised that Harper and his cronies have not cancelled the North America Emmissions Control Area.

[JollyJack]

Not cancelled, but implementation of enforcement postponed.