Bituminous Fuel Oil

Bituminous Fuel Oil

Bituminous Fuel Oil or BFO (known also as Marine Fuel Oil or MFO) is a low-grade fuel produced from extraction process of Buton natural asphalt rocks used as fuel for fluidized type boilers. As a coal's substitution energy, BFO has calorie rate of 19,000 BTU/lb or 16,000 Kcal/kg.

BFO is said to be low-grade fuel as it has lower quality than the upper grades of conventional oil, but of better quality than the lowest grade of oil produced from conventional oil deposits.

BFO Specification Test from Asbuton Extraction

No.

Test Classification

Test Method

Test Result

Marine Fuel Oil

Pertamina Class M8

1	Specific Gravity at 60/60 ºF	ASTM D1298	0.9411	–
2	Density at 15 ºC, kg/liter	ASTM D1298	0.9406	0.9910
3	Flash Point P.M.c.c., ºF	ASTM D 93	89	60 (min)
4	Flash Point C.O.C., ºC	ASTM D 92	106	–
5	Viscosity Kinematics at 100 ºF, cSt	ASTM D 445	97.44	100.0 (max)
6	Viscosity Kinematics at 50 ºC, cSt	ASTM D 445	55.22	100.0 (max)
7	Viscosity Redwood I/100 ºF, secs	by conversion	451.6	–
8	Pour Point, ºC	ASTM 97	*)	30 (max)
9	Conradson Carbon Residue, % wt	ASTM 189	5.97	22.0 (max)
10	Ash, % wt	ASTM 482	0.89	0.20 (max)
11	Water Content, % vol.	ASTM 95	0.1	1.0 (max)
12	Sediment, % wt	ASTM 473	0.92	–
13	Sulfur Content, % wt	ASTM D 1551	2.7364	5.0 (max)
14	Vanadium, ppm	ASTM D 5863	25.71	600.0 (max)

As shown in the table above, Sulfur content of BFO extracted from Asbuton is still below range required by Class M8 Standard, meaning safe for inside parts of combustion chambers. Moreover, very-less content of Vanadium also gives less effect for boiler's pipes.

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