Fuel oil

Bunker oil, HFO, RFO, IFO, Bunker C, Bunker B, heavy fuel oil ( heavy) fuel oil ES (extra heavy )

Marine ( Residual ) Fuel Oil ( MFO )

Fossil

• RME 180: max. 180 mm ² / s ( 50 ° C)
• RMG 380: max. 380 mm ² / s ( 50 ° C)
• RMK 700: max. 700 mm ² / s ( 50 ° C)

• RME 180: max. 0.991 kg / L ( 15 ° C)
• RMG 380: max. 0.991 kg / L ( 15 ° C)
• RMK 700: max. 1.010 kg / L ( 15 ° C)

Min. 60 ° C.

Risk

Heavy oil (English Heavy Fuel Oil, HFO ) is a residual oil from the distillation or cracking plants Petroleum. It is used as a fuel for diesel engines, for example, for the propulsion of ships and as a fuel for steam locomotives with oil firing as well as for power plants to generate process steam or to generate electricity. International trade name of such oil is Marine ( Residual ) Fuel Oil ( MFO; German Marines residue oil), sometimes the U.S. designation Bunker C.

Production

Heavy oils are produced mainly from residues of petroleum processing. This is called residue that this component as no longer part of evaporable ( "swamp " ) of an oil-processing (usually by distillation ) process has emerged. Technically, a distinction is made between atmospheric residue (long residue, the bottom of the atmospheric column ), vacuum residue (short residue, the bottom of the vacuum column ), Visbroken residue ( bottoms from the atm. Visbreaker column ) or flashed Visbroken residue (vacuum residue from the vacuum column of a vis-breakers ). Nowadays come for economic reasons mainly cracked vacuum residue are used. In all of these components are the " most serious" constituents of crude oil, called asphaltenes, highly condensed aromatic compounds, which are complexed to part with metals. These compounds are responsible for the black color of these heavy oils.

Such residues have (300 to 30000 mm ² / s at 100 ° C ), they are ( called Diluent, even cutter stocks ) with so-called thinners mixed back high viscosities to the specification viscosity ( to spec MFO ). Such a mixture is called Blend ( from individual components on specification mixed). However MFO usually consisting of only two or three components; In comparison, gasoline consists of optionally 10 or more components. As a thinner can do everything possible - from kerosene ( 0.1 mm ² / s at 100 ° C ) to " Visbreaker vacuum distillate " ( Flashed Cracked Distillate, 6 mm ² / s at 100 ° C) - are used. Popular is called Light Cycle Oil ( LCO ), heavy cycle oil (HCO ) or slurry from the FCC unit. Of course, other specifications - specifically the flash point - mitzuberücksichtigen. Therefore, kerosene precipitates in many cases as Diluent, although economically the best alternative is (the best "viscosity effect", therefore less need for this Diluent and - despite the relatively high price - the best fuel economy ). The sulfur content of the heavy oil produced is controlled by the selection of the oil and, if necessary, adjusted by metering hochschwefliger residue components.

When using heavy cycle oil or slurry fuel with so-called "catalyst fines" ( finely ground zeolite catalyst of the FCC) may be contaminated. Fines can not be completely eliminated (or old separator system or similar) during the treatment phase on board under certain circumstances. You are responsible for the abrasions in the fuel transport system and engine components.

Properties

Main components of the MFO are primarily alkanes, alkenes, cycloalkanes, and highly condensed aromatic hydrocarbons ( asphaltenes ) with about 20 to 70 carbon atoms per molecule and a boiling range between 300 ° C and ≈ 700 ° C ( the final boiling point of 700 ° C and a calculated size). Besides occur even aliphatic and heterocyclic nitrogen and sulfur compounds (nitrogen content: 0.5 %, and more / sulfur: up to ≈ 6%). In residual oils all metallic impurities in the oil are concentrated, such as nickel, vanadium, sodium and calcium. All other properties are given in the specification.

Specifications

Heavy oil is available in various qualities. So regulates MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI emissions of sulfur combustion products in certain sea areas, which is why even - deviating from the norm - reduced sulfur grades are made. According to the standard for marine fuels in the current version of 2005 is between "Marine Distillate Fuel Oil" (DMX, DMA / MGO = Marine Gasoil, DMB / MDO = Marine Diesel Oil, DMC) and "Marine Residual Fuel Oil" (see table) distinction, which is to heavy oils in the narrower sense is at the " Residual Fuels " (see above). A special case is the variety DMC encouraging, with the specifications allow the mixing of residual oil.

Non-compliance with the ordered specifications of the ship owner can complain about the delivery and be completely pumped out at the expense of the supplier under certain circumstances the tanks.

The main specifications limit the density, viscosity, water content and the flash point. Other quality characteristics arise from the so-called micro carbon residue test ( MCR, describes the tendency of the MFO to form coke deposits ) and total sediment potential ( TSP).

• The density shall not exceed the specification limit, otherwise the water separation ( see below) no longer works. Previously, the limit was 0.991 kg / L; new Separatortechniken enables density of the heavy oil of up to 1.010 kg / L (varieties RMK ).
• The viscosity is determined by the technical capabilities of the system is determined ( eg storage temperature, maximum pumping viscosity, preheating injectors viscosity). The number after the 3- letter abbreviation describes the viscosity at 50 ° C (for example, has a 380 - RMH viscosity of 380 mm ² / s at 50 ° C on ).
• A high water content is economically undesirable and causes damage to the separators and the injection system.
• The flash point is an important safety size (see below).
• Too high a MCR leads to deposits of coke in the injector and the combustion chamber.
• The TSP describes the potential of the MFO to form sediments ( = deposits of flocculated asphaltenes ) ( see # treatment). No flocculation resulted in pollution of the separators, in extreme cases, to block the entire fuel system.

Quality control

In accordance with the MARPOL regulations (MARPOL 73/78 ANNEX VI) has to be taken of each fuel delivery Bunkermanifold of bebunkernden to ship at least one sample ( MARPOL sample). Permitted methods of sampling are under MARPOL:

These samplers have to work so that a representative sample over the entire bunkering operation arises. In general, a larger sample is drawn through the sampler in a special vessel and this ( after the bunkering operation is completed) transferred to four special sample bottles, labeled and sealed by both parties. One of the samples will be sent to a testing laboratory. Ideally, this should be started with the consumption of the new fuel only when the laboratory confirmed that the fuel complies with the details on the delivery (Bunker Delivery Note ) and thus the norm. A sample bottle is replaced by the supplier of the fuel. The MARPOL sample and the fourth sample, called commercial sample, remain on board. The MARPOL sample shall be retained on board until the fuel is mostly consumed, but at least 12 months. It is used to control by the authorities of port States, for example, to test the sulfur content. The labels of the sample bottles must always be signed by the chief engineer on board and the supplier. Most of the supplier of the fuel transfers in a bunker equipment (Bunker Barge or country means) solid sample. These will be kept on board.

Treatment and environmental aspects

Heavy oil is at room temperature (20 ° C), high viscosity (from about 1,500 to 10,000 mm ² / s, depending on the variety ) with a density to 1.010 kg / L (that is slightly heavier than water). To make heavy oil pumpable or hold, it must be storage or Verpumpungstemperatur be heated to 40 ° to about 50 ° C. For injection into the engine combustion chamber MFO is heated to 130 to 140 ° C ( corresponds to 8 to 15 mm ² / s). For the auxiliary boiler operation and the boiler operating on steamships or steam locomotives similar values ​​apply.

Heavy oil contains up to 2.5% non-combustible constituents. Normally, prior to combustion, the water first and then the solid components ( fines, sediments from asphaltenes ) from ( settling tank separators, filters), and as waste, so-called mud (English sludge ) are collected in the tank. Excessive sludge quantities burden the cleaning equipment. The capacity of the cleaning equipment can in extreme cases be a bottleneck ( the captain can not drive as fast as he really wants ); this may affect the safety of the ship at sea.

Sludge ( the content of the sludge tanks) may be subject to charges disposed of in ports. Any remaining oil content contains a certain energy. To save costs, sludge was previously dumped at sea. At beaches purged or driven sludge lumps pollute some sections of the beach today.

In 1973, continued the International Maritime Organization ( IMO) International Convention for the Prevention of Marine Pollution from Ships ( MARPOL) in force. The Convention has been expanded fundamentally in 1978; it is commonly referred to as MARPOL 73/78. The MARPOL 73/78 has six Annexes ANNEX to ANNEX VI, the regiment I dealing with pollutants on ships.

MARPOL 73/78 Annex I regulates the handling of oil-like substances on board vessels, in particular the management of an oil diary, which documents the whereabouts of all oils. Compliance with these rules is controlled by the flag States and port States at frequent intervals irregular.

The use of heavy oil as fuel from ship engines is denounced by environmental groups such as NABU. The criticism is directed against the dumping of sludge and also against the high pollutant emissions during normal operation. The main criticisms of the high soot emissions and to the sulfur content of heavy fuel oil (see table above). By comparison, heating oil standard has a sulfur content of up to 1 ‰, heating oil (as 20xx ) sulfur such a maximum of 0.05 ‰. According to NABU a large cruise ship emits the same amount of pollutants as five million cars on the same track.

Prices

Prices for MFO based in Europe at the Rotterdam market, internationally also with the market prices of Houston, Fujairah and Singapore. It listed several varieties, for example BUNKER 380 CST (equivalent RMG 380). The varieties ( U.S. $ / t) traded in U.S. dollars per 1000 kg. Various official publications report (some daily) on current trading prices and volumes. The price is, at least in Rotterdam, as: "delivered in ship". A precise definition of the different prices can be found in Platts. Seagoing vessels use MFO as fuel for main propulsion, the price rose from the spring of 2005 of about 200 to about 700 U.S. $ / t in July 2008. Rotterdam cost on June 19, 2013 1 t IFO380 $ 595, IFO $ 180,618, MGO $ 894. The high prices and weak demand for goods by the global economic crisis meant that ships often are traveling at reduced speed to conserve fuel (slow steaming ). A reduction in travel speed of 25 to 20 knots for example, the consumption by around 50 % lower (depending on the design of the hull, amount of fouling (fouling ) on the lower hull, trim of the vessel, etc.).

Supply and demand

For example, although in Germany the oil industry by modern refining techniques (for example, delayed coker, flue gas desulfurization ) is the proportion of the heavy oil in the product portfolio significantly reduced, MFO pleased - because of the sharp rise in international trade flows and the associated vessel traffic - increased demand. Also because of the rapidly increasing demand of the People's Republic of China is not expected to decline in the Bunker C combustion, but with an increase. Taxes can be the offer actually just about the crude oil selection ( processing " heavier " crudes ).

Due to increasing energy criminal illegal additions are becoming increasingly common. It can, for example, residues from the manufacture of plastics or waste oils are added. To save the perpetrators disposal costs and earn additionally on sale. The admixtures often lead to problems with the on-board fuel purification.