Engine Durability and Operational Efficiency

When fuel lacks adequate lubricity, it can lead to excessive wear on critical components like fuel pumps and injectors. Over time, this contributes to engine damage, costly repairs, and reduced service life. Ensuring proper wear protection is essential to maintain performance and avoid unexpected maintenance.

Marine distillate fuels must meet wear protection requirements defined by the High Frequency Reciprocating Rig (HFRR) test, as specified in ISO 12156. The maximum allowed wear scar diameter is 520 micrometers. This sets the baseline for how much lubrication the fuel needs to provide in real-world engine conditions.

Straight-run distillates naturally contain small amounts of organic acids, trace metals, and sulfur or nitrogen compounds that form a protective layer on metal surfaces and help reduce wear in the injection system. However, to meet strict environmental regulations, especially sulfur limits, refineries use hydrotreating, which removes these beneficial compounds along with sulfur. It also reduces aromatics, which provide secondary lubrication. As a result, ultra-low sulfur diesel and similar fuels often lack the lubricating qualities needed to protect engine components from wear unless additives are used.

VeloX – L40

The treat rate of Additive A may vary depending on the quality of the base fuel. However, a general dosage guideline is 1:10,000 (100 ppm) and can be modified based on the desired final HFRR value.

Physical Properties