Water detrimentally impacts the performance of aviation fluids, requiring a use limit for their maximum water content. Traditionally, Karl Fischer (KF) titration is the standard method for the total water content determination in organic solutions. Difficulties associated with this method include lengthy run-times, large sample size, numerous reagents, and the generation of hazardous waste. This requires field collected samples be sent to a dedicated lab space. An alternate method for water-content determination using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy was explored as it eliminates many of these difficulties. Additional benefits to the IR method are lower logistic requirements and the potential for plane-side or on-board testing. Water has O-H absorption bands in the mid-IR that are isolated from absorption bands associated with aviation fluids. Through the use of a fixed path length IR cell, we tested the use of Beer’s Law as an effective alternative for low level water content determination in jet fuel, hydraulic fluid, turbine engine oil, and helicopter gearbox oil.

Testing IR spectroscopy as an alternative method for water content determination in aviation fluids

255th National Meeting (2018)

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