Impact of the additives used in mineral jet fuels on the lubricating properties of synthetic fuels for turbine aircraft engines

Hydrocarbon containing synthetic fuels represent a promising alternative fuels. Despite different chemical compositions, their properties should be similar to properties of mineral fuels, as they are designed for the same drive units. The basic parameter related to the protection of the adequate service life of the power supply devices, including precision pairs, is lubricity. Lubricity depends on a number of factors, including these related to the chemical composition of fuel components and operating additives introduced into fuels in order to modify their properties. The preliminary results of research on the effect of additives: lubricating, anti-corrosion and anti-electrostatic once, on the lubricating properties of a synthetic fuel are shown in the paper. It was observed that there are relations between the content of additives and the dynamics of film formation. It is significant that this does not apply only to the lubricating additive, but also the additive, which protects the correct electrostatic balance by providing sufficiently high electrical conductivity of the fuel. This may indicate that the formation of a lubricating film remains in relation to the intensity of energy transport from the lubricated surface to the molecules of lubricating additives inside the film. The results shown in the paper preliminary confirm the hypothesis, that synthetic components of fuels change the concentration of ordered molecular structures (which are present in mineral part of fuels and which can be responsible for energy transport inside the lubricating film), what resulted in worse fuel ability to create protective film, and anti-electrostatic additive improves lubricity of blends of synthetic and mineral components.