Presentation Profile
Leveraging Automated Distillation & Physical Property Instrumentation to Verify Distillation Curves & Flashpoints of New Bioblends
Currently Scheduled: 10/14/2026 - 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Room: Exhibit Hall Entrance
Main Author
Raj Shah - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
- Varshini Appan Premkumar - Saint Louis University
- Gavin Cunningham - Koehler Instrument Company, Inc.
Abstract:
Sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) are becoming a critical component in reducing carbon emissions from aviation, with the potential to cut lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80% compared to conventional jet fuel. SAF is produced from renewable materials such as used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and municipal solid waste through ASTM D7566-certified pathways, including HEFA, ATJ, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. When bio-based components are blended with conventional Jet A, the resulting mixture can exhibit different volatility and ignition behavior. These property shifts must be measured and verified before any new SAF blend can be approved for commercial aviation use.
Distillation curves and flash points are two of the most important physical properties measured during SAF qualification. The distillation curve, determined per ASTM D86, describes the boiling range and volatility of a fuel across key recovery percentages to confirm that the blend will vaporize and combust correctly under flight conditions. Flash point, a key parameter for safe fuel storage, handling, and transport, is measured using the Pensky-Martens closed-cup method per ASTM D93 and identifies the lowest temperature at which fuel vapors will ignite. Both tests are required under ASTM D7566, and their results must meet the limits specified in ASTM D1655 before a SAF blend can be certified as Jet A fuel for commercial use.
A directly proportional relationship exists between distillation curves and flash points. Flash point is directly influenced by the light hydrocarbons present at the front end of the distillation curve. This makes distillation and flash point testing complementary; together they provide a more complete picture of how a bio-blend's properties compare to conventional Jet A. As SAF production works toward the global target of 80 million metric tons per year by 2050, demand for fast, reliable physical property testing will continue to grow. Automated instrumentation capable of efficiently screening new bio-blend formulations plays an important role in accelerating the qualification pipeline and bringing next-generation sustainable aviation fuels safely to market.
This poster reviews the use of Koehler automated distillation and flash point instrumentation for the evaluation of SAF bio-blends. The automated equipment provides precise temperature control and consistent testing conditions, enabling efficient and repeatable screening of fuel formulations. This review examines how these standardized tests identify property changes introduced by bio-based components, highlighting the value of reliable instrumentation for optimizing blend ratios and SAF qualification.
