Catfines sizedistribution http://www.dnv.

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Cat Fines Size llistrihution

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qatalytic fines, or cat fines, have been known to cause abrasive wear in engines. In fact, the first
sample analysed by DNVPSwhen the company started in 1981, representeda fuel containing a high
level of abrasive cat fines.

Catalysts are used in the refinery process for catalytic cracking. They are very hard and cause
abrasive wear, primarily in the two-stroke engines, if not removed in the treatment system onboard
(settling, fi ltration and centrifuging).

-- lf allowedto enter the engine,the result is likely to be high wear rates on cylinderliners and piston
U rings, and in some caseseven the fuel pump performanceis jeopardised.

Studies have indicated that not only the cat fines concentration but also the size of the cat fines
plays a paft in the wear process.

As the fittt commercial method of iB kind, DNVPSCat Fines Size Distribution {CSD) screening tool
specificallylooks at the cat fines size range in a given fuel.

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The method is shown useful for evaluating whether the onboard fuel separation process has been
efficiently in removing cat fines in all size ranges. The CSD adds an extra dimension to the Fuel
system check (Fsc) and has proven especiallyuseful in trouble shooting cases.

Relatedinfo links
Troubleshooting- investigativeanalysis

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