Fuel quality control: Five years of activity in laboratories

A description of how ENEL (Italian National Electricity Board) carries out the activity of fuel quality control is given, and the results of the Round Robin circuit which has been operating for five years in laboratories regulary performing the control analyses of these products are reported. The laboratories taking part in the Round Robin circuit are 41 (out of which 35 are ENEL laboratories and 6 are owned by external companies) and they are situated throughout Italy; the controlled parameters are the following: heat of combustion (PCS), sulphur (S), vanadium (V) and asphaltenes (ASF); the adopted methods are the official ASTM or IP ones. The statistical analysis of the results has permitted, for every parameter, the calculation of the repeatability and the reproducibility which, in most cases, have turned out to be in keeping with the values provided for in the regulations. Among the collateral initiatives promoted in the framework of this Round Robin, the following are reported: preparation of standards of fuel oil with a known content of a sulphur and vanadium; expediting visits to all the ENEL laboratories participating in the RRT; publication of a handbook of the adopted analysis methods (in Italian); definition of guide-lines on the right selection of new automatic equipment