Fuels and Lubricants

AD Systems specializes in the design, manufacturing, sales, and servicing of testing equipment for evaluating the physical properties and performance of fuels and lubricants according to international standards.
Products developed in response to specific needs have become industry standards in the petroleum sector.
AD Systems is a member of the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) as well as other standardization bodies: the Energy Institute, ISO, and BNPé.
The company also collaborates with government agencies and R&D departments of oil companies for prototype development and subsequent production of various instruments and systems.

Users include: oil refineries, commercial laboratories, fuel distributors, storage terminals, lubricant plants and OCM laboratories, academic and industrial research labs, maritime companies, aviation companies, and the military.
Applications: testing of crude oil, refined oil, gasoline, automotive fuels, aviation fuels, marine fuels, lubricants and oils, distillates, and refineries.

Corrosion Testing of Oils

Corrosion analysis of mineral oils in pipelines according to ASTM / NACE standards is a series of laboratory tests designed to assess the tendency of a mineral oil to cause corrosion (rusting/darkening/metal degradation) when in contact with metals in pipelines, tanks, or industrial equipment. These are internationally recognized standards in the oil, gas, chemical, and transportation industries, intended to ensure that oils do not cause premature damage to systems.

Surface corrosion percentage measurement according to ASTM / NACE standards

Instead of relying only on a visual impression (Pass/Fail), here the degree of damage is quantified numerically:

1. A metal sample is taken after exposure to oil/water/aggressive environments.

2. The sample is cleaned of loose solid layers (rust, deposits) according to a defined protocol.

3. Various methods are used to measure the metal surface area affected by corrosion.

Main ASTM / NACE methods:

• ASTM G46 – Visual Examination of Corrosion Tests
  Describes how to measure corrosion coverage by visual evaluation and comparison with reference images.
  Suitable for measuring pitting, uniform corrosion, cracking, blistering, etc.

• ASTM D610 – Evaluation of Degree of Rusting
  Common in coatings/paints on metals.
  Provides a rating between 0 and 10 based on the percentage of surface rust.
  Rating 10 = 0% rust.
  Rating 0 = more than 50% rust.

• ASTM G1 – Preparing, Cleaning, and Evaluating Corrosion Test Specimens
  Defines how to clean samples after testing, weigh them, and calculate weight loss as an indicator of corrosion.
  Allows calculation of corrosion rate (mm/year or mpy) and not just percentage of surface affected.

• NACE RP0775 / NACE SP0508
  Specify methods for assessing corrosion coverage and severity levels in oil and gas systems.
  Use visual scales and microscopic imaging.

Surface corrosion calculation typically involves:

• Visual assessment: direct observation and comparison with photographic standards.

• Digital methods: surface imaging and software-based image analysis to identify corroded vs. clean areas.

• Mass loss calculation: complements the data—for example, a small surface area may corrode deeply → low area percentage but high corrosion rate.

Soot Dispersion Testing in Oils – ASTM D7899

The soot dispersion test in oils (ASTM D7899) is a dedicated analytical method to evaluate the level of dispersion of soot particles in used engine oils or oil test samples.

Test purpose
The goal of the standard is to determine how well an engine oil can keep soot particles dispersed, preventing them from settling, clumping, or forming sludge.

Reason: During diesel engine operation, soot particles are produced as combustion by-products. High-quality oil should keep them dispersed in its matrix, preventing sludge formation, accelerated wear, or filter blockages.

Method principle
ASTM D7899 uses a spectroscopic technique (usually UV-Visible Spectroscopy) to measure turbidity and rate the oil’s soot dispersion capability.

1. A soot-containing oil sample is taken.

2. The degree of particle dispersion is assessed by measuring light transmittance or absorbance.

3. If soot remains well dispersed → the oil shows characteristic light absorption, indicating effective detergent/dispersant additives.

4. If soot tends to agglomerate and settle → values indicate a failure of the dispersion system.

Main applications

• Oil laboratories: monitoring used oil conditions in engines.

• Oil development: testing the efficiency of dispersant additives.

• Maintenance testing: as part of condition monitoring programs in large diesel engines (generators, ships, heavy equipment).

Importance
ASTM D7899 provides a critical metric for an oil’s ability to extend engine life—since oil that fails to disperse soot will lead to deposits, filter blockages, wear, and increased fuel consumption and emissions.