Jet fuel

This article is about aviation turbine fuel. For the chain of European fuel stations, see Jet (brand).
Jet fuel
An Airbus A310-304 of Czech Airlines (OK-WAA) being fueled at Prague Václav Havel Airport
Identifiers
ChemSpider
  • None
UNII
Properties
Appearance Straw-colored liquid
Density 775-840 g/L
Melting point −47 °C (−53 °F; 226 K)
Boiling point 176 °C (349 °F; 449 K)
Hazards
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)
NFPA 704 four-colored diamondHealth 2: Intense or continued but not chronic exposure could cause temporary incapacitation or possible residual injury. E.g. chloroformFlammability 2: Must be moderately heated or exposed to relatively high ambient temperature before ignition can occur. Flash point between 38 and 93 °C (100 and 200 °F). E.g. diesel fuelInstability 0: Normally stable, even under fire exposure conditions, and is not reactive with water. E.g. liquid nitrogenSpecial hazards (white): no code
2
2
0
Flash point 38 °C (100 °F; 311 K)
210 °C (410 °F; 483 K)
Safety data sheet (SDS) [1] [2]
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).
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Jet fuel or aviation turbine fuel (ATF, also abbreviated avtur) is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in aircraft powered by gas-turbine engines. It is colorless to straw-colored in appearance. The most commonly used fuels for commercial aviation are Jet A and Jet A-1, which are produced to a standardized international specification. The only other jet fuel commonly used in civilian turbine-engine powered aviation is Jet B, which is used for its enhanced cold-weather performance.

Jet fuel is a mixture of a variety of hydrocarbons. Because the exact composition of jet fuel varies widely based on petroleum source, it is impossible to define jet fuel as a ratio of specific hydrocarbons. Jet fuel is therefore defined as a performance specification rather than a chemical compound.[1] Furthermore, the range of molecular mass between hydrocarbons (or different carbon numbers) is defined by the requirements for the product, such as the freezing point or smoke point. Kerosene-type jet fuel (including Jet A and Jet A-1, JP-5, and JP-8) has a carbon number distribution between about 8 and 16 (carbon atoms per molecule); wide-cut or naphtha-type jet fuel (including Jet B and JP-4), between about 5 and 15.[2][3]

  1. ^ Defence Standards. "Ministry of Defence Standard 91-91: Turbine Fuel, Kerosine Type, Jet A-1" (PDF). p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2022-03-07. Retrieved 2019-01-27.
  2. ^ Chevron Products Corporation. "Aviation Fuels Technical Review" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-07. Retrieved 2014-05-06.
  3. ^ Salvatore J. Rand (ed), Significance of Tests for Petroleum Products (8th Edition) ASTM International, 2010, ISBN 978-1-61583-673-4 page 88