Nitration

Definition

Nitration indicates excessive "blow-by" from cylinder walls and/or compression rings. It also indicates the presence of nitric acid, which speeds up oxidation. Too much disparity between oxidation and nitration can point to air to fuel ratio problems. As oxidation / nitration increases, so will total acid number and viscosity, while total base number will begin to decrease. Nitration is primarily a problem in natural gas engines.

Standard Test Method Used

FTIR - ASTM E2412

Reporting Measurement

abs/cm (absorbance units per centimeter)

Amount of Sample Needed

40 mL

Test Limitation

Significant contamination of water, glycol, soot or fuel may affect all FTIR results.

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