Indian Navy to use a new type of diesel
The Indian Navy is going to use a new type of diesel for its ships. According to a statement, the Indian Oil Corporation has developed a NATO-grade diesel oil for use in Indian Navy’s ships.
This fuel is called the High-Flash High-Speed Diesel IN 512 (HFHSD- IN 512). The fuel was launched in a ceremony presided over by Vice Admiral G.S. Pabby and IOC Director (Research and Development) SSV Ramakumar, along with IOC Director (Refineries) S.M. Vaidya.
The ships will receive fuel refined by IOCL units at Paradip and Haldia. The High-Flash High-Speed Diesel will result in lower pollution, better combustion efficiency and reduced stack emissions (smoke emitted from a ship’s stack). According to the IN-IOC statement, the fuel meets the MIL DTL 16884 M norm, the universal diesel standard for all ships in NATO navies, and the benchmark across the world.
The MIL DTL 16884 M is also called Naval Distillate Fuel and is symbolized as the F-76. In the 1970s, the U.S. Navy used several different types of fuels for use onboard naval ships, submarines, gas turbines, electrical propulsion, and smaller aircraft. They even used JP-5, a variation of jet propulsion fuel JP-4, which further complicated logistics. To simplify the supply chain, a multipurpose fuel was needed which would, along with being more economical financially, also offer the same levels of performance. This led to the creation of a naval distillate fuel called MIL-F-16884 NDF (Naval Distillate Fuel) and was called NATO F-76 by all NATO allies. F-76, when first used in NATO navies had a higher sulfur content than JP-5 and was thicker compared to the fuels used earlier. Over the years, the sulfur and ash content has been reduced, but the fuel is still called F-76 by NATO navies.
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Sources
- https://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/indian-oil-launches-special-nato-class-diesel-for-indian-navy/73240568
- http://www.imo.org/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Documents/Sulphur%202020%20infographic%202%20page.pdf
- https://aspirantworld.in/indian-navy-to-get-upgraded-fuel-hfhsd-in-512/
- https://www.indiastrategic.in/2020/01/14/indian-navy-to-get-upgraded-fuel-hfhsd-in-512/
- https://www.bharatpetroleum.com/our-businesses/industrial-and-commercial/industrial-fuel-products/fuels.aspx
- http://www.irpcpetroleum.com/specification/lowsulfur.pdf
