Low-sulphur fuel oil
(lower than 1%) has been compulsory since 01-01-2003, having replaced Fuel
oil No.1 (heavy), which had been utilised until that time in the majority of cases,
and contained 2.5% sulphur on average. This may lead to the assumption that
this fuel prevents corrosion on valves and turbo-compressors of
engines operated with fuel oil, due precisely to the reduced content in sulphur in the combustion process..
This assumption
of reduced corrosiveness is incorrect, since it is widely recognised
that the corrosive effects
on those components are mainly caused by the presence of vanadium and sodium in fuel oil,
which does not depend on the levels of sulphur contained in the fuel.
The literature from rb bertomeu, which you may
consult below, provides sound arguments for the continued use of additives
in low-sulphur fuel oil, in order to prevent corrosion on valves and
turbo-compressors. This corrosion would undoubtedly occur in the event of
discontinuing the additive treatment with the changeover from Fuel oil
No. 1 (heavy) to low-sulphur fuel oil. Also included are data on a
cogeneration plant, where research carried out in recent years has
demonstrated that the use of Fuel oil BIA (light), which contains less than 1%
sulphur, also caused corrosion on exhaust valves, and that, with the
changeover to utilising Fuel-oil No. 1 (heavy), with 2.3% sulphur, there was
no excessive increase in the level of corrosion. In both cases the fuel
oils were treated with additives from “rb bertomeu”.
For further information
on this subject, consult the following documents compiled by rb bertomeu (by
clicking on the chosen title):