Ensuring superior cold-weather performance in distillate fuels

At about 0 to -20 degrees F, waxy paraffins in distillate fuels start to crystallize. As the crystals enlarge, they form three-dimensional structures, and the fuel solidifies. The resulting particles can plug a fuel filter, starving an engine of fuel. To improve "cold flow" fuel performance, GE Water & Process Technologies offers additives that:

	Lower the temperature at which heavy paraffins begin to form crystals
	Co-crystallize with the heavy paraffins to promote formation of small, independent crystals that remain fluid and can pass through a filter

For any given fuel, two temperatures are critical:

	Cloud point - the temperature at which paraffins begin to form tiny "seed crystals" that develop into two-dimensional crystals (measured by the ASTM D-5771 test method).
	Pour point - the temperature at which a complete crystal lattice forms and the fuel solidifies (measured by the ASTM D-5949 test method).

GE offers two types of cold flow improvers that depress the fuel's cloud point or pour point. Other GE treatments use CFFP (cold filter plug point) additives, and LTFT (low temperature flow test) additives. The test methods used to assess these parameters are ASTM D-6371 and ASTM D-4539, respectively.

Additives from the GE SpecAid product line can help ensure that your fuel products perform as designed in cold weather.