what is jet aviation fuel is it just kerosene?

Answer 1

There are currently two main grades of turbine fuel in use in civil commercial aviation : Jet A-1 and Jet A, both are kerosene type fuels. There is another grade of jet fuel, Jet B which is a wide cut kerosene (a blend of gasoline and kerosene) but it is rarely used except in very cold climates.

Answer 2

Jet A, known in the military as JP-5, is basically kerosene. My knowledge differs from the article in Wiki to some extent, perhaps due to my military background. JP-4, for example, was developed at Muroc in the 50s by Chuck Yeager and the pilots and scientists there at that time. It is (or was the last I knew) 60% avgas and 40% kerosene. This fuel was used in the afterburning engines of the military, JP-5 in the non-afterburning engines. JP-5 was also used as a purge material for the fuel systems in the fighters and fighter/bombers.

My thanks to Colin M for the update. I left all military service is 87 and hadn't done more than the keep-alive stuff for several years even then. I wonder how much better your JP-8 performs in the aircraft, as in more efficient, more power, etc.

Answer 3

Okay, you've got two questions for the price of one question mark; I'll adress them in order.

If you're buying at a small airport in the conterminous United States, chances are you're getting Jet-A, if you're buying at a major, international airport, chances are that you're going to get Jet A-1.

Jet A-1 has a lower jelling point than Jet A, meaning that high altitude, long distance flights don't have to worry about the fuel in the unheated tanks and transfer lines turning into something with the consistancy of Smuckers grape jelly after 6 hours at 40,000'.

Jet fuel, at least the modern variants, is a highly refined kerosene deriviative. For ground operation, home heating oil, diesel fuel, Jet A and Jet A-1 are largely interchangeable; every diesel powered piece of equipment on an airport runs on jet fuel. In winter, every kerosene heater on an airport runs on jet fuel. Every captive turbine at an A&P school runs on diesel fuel.

We get a number of products from a galon of oil; it's basically distilled, in a collection tower so that the lighter of the products condense at the upper levels. #2 Diesel fuel condenses a layer lower than the kerosene that jet fuel is derived from; a specific gravity around 38 for diesel compared to a specific gravity of 42 for jet fuel.

From straight kerosene, the fuel is purefied to remove parrifins that can settle out of the fuel at low temperatures and clog fuel filters. After each batch is tested and sampled, it's sent off through pipelines and on trucks to the airports that have ordered it.

Don't try to fly with home heating oil.

Best of luck.

Answer 4

This might give a lead :

JP-8 jet fuel was developed as a jet fuel in response to problems encountered in use of JP-4 jet fuel. By the fall of 1996, JP-8 completely replaced JP-4 in the United States Air Force. Compared to JP-4, JP-8 has a higher flash point and lower vapor pressure, making it less volatile; contains less benzene, a known carcinogen; and contains less n-hexane, a known neurotoxicant. However, as a kerosene-based fuel, JP-8 has a strong odor and is oily to the touch, while JP-4, a kerosene-gasoline mix, is less pungent and has a non-oily, solvent-like feel.

Answer 5

Jet fuel is Royal standard kerosene known as RSK. It has a viscosity number of "28 seconds" and is sometimes refered to as just 28 seconds, it is also used as heating oil.
Diesel/gas oil has a viscosity number of 35 seconds that indicates that is a thicker liquid and takes longer to pass through a calibration orifice.
A slightly better quality paraffin is 22 seconds.
As you can see RSK is the middle of the road average fuel.

Answer 6

It's Kerosene with additives.

Answer 7

might that be a French Galleon or a Spanish Galleon? a usual sixteenth Century Spanish galleon weighed approximately 500 tonnes, so a million ton of jet gas could be equivalent to a million/500 of a galleon. Now in case you had asked approximately gallons, that could be diverse. U.S. or Imperial?

Answer 8

I run a Canberra B6 up and down a runway several time a year (non airworthy) and we fill it with heating oil.

Aviation fuel it pretty much the same but has additives to stop sludging, bacterial contamination, and to ensure it burns efficiently.

Answer 9

Not only, can also be gasoline for aviation and even diesel in the mix. There is even alcohol. Depends on the application and engine type.

Answer 10

Jet fuel is the same thing as diesel, its just refined further so its alot cleaner