kerosene
Enable an AI agent to recognise a kerosene material or batch, assess its condition and suitability, and determine which handling, storage and use actions its evidence supports.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
Researched by: Codex + Grok
Purpose and description
Enable an AI agent to recognise a kerosene material or batch, assess its condition and suitability, and determine which handling, storage and use actions its evidence supports.
Kerosene (ASTM spelling kerosine) is a refined middle-distillate hydrocarbon mixture, usually from petroleum and typically boiling about 150-300 °C with a C9-C16 alkane/cycloalkane/aromatic slate, sold and specified as illuminating, heating or aviation-turbine fuel by flash point, distillation curve, sulfur and freeze point rather than as a single compound.
It can be Compare identity evidence and measurements with a declared kerosene grade.; Select representative sampling and testing to resolve suspected contamination or uncertain quality.; Release, hold or segregate a batch against explicit requirements for its intended use.; Assess a proposed transfer, storage change or mixing operation using material properties and compatibility evidence.; Route contaminated material for an approved treatment and require reassessment before reuse.; Determine whether a proposed combustion or solvent use is supported by product and equipment requirements..
Distinguishing features
Check the supplier identity and declared grade against the applicable product specification; a trade name or generic fuel label alone does not establish kerosene identity.
Compare a measured distillation profile and flash point with the declared kerosene specification and competing gasoline, diesel or solvent identities; do not classify from a single property.
Use composition, additive declarations and grade evidence to distinguish a kerosene product from a neighbouring middle-distillate product when their physical properties overlap.
Require application-specific qualification evidence before treating kerosene as an aviation turbine fuel; kerosene identity alone does not establish aviation suitability.
Treat colour, odour and apparent clarity as supporting observations rather than decisive identity tests, especially for dyed, deodorised or contaminated products.
Scope
+ Identification of kerosene products, batches and samples, including declared grade and production route
+ Composition, additives and properties relevant to distinguishing and using kerosene
+ Contamination, deterioration and changes caused by storage, transfer or mixing
+ Material-specific handling, storage and exposure constraints
+ Evidence of suitability for a specified combustion or solvent application
- Design, maintenance and operating state of engines, burners, heaters and lamps
- Construction and integrity of tanks, pipelines, packages and containment systems
- Refinery or synthetic-fuel production processes as operating systems
- Transport operations, permits and jurisdiction-wide regulatory models
- Combustion emissions inventories and environmental remediation programmes
- Gasoline, diesel and other neighbouring petroleum-product models
Characteristics
- Declared product identity and grade
- Supplier designation; specification identifier and revision; unverified or unknown Establishes the identity being claimed and the requirements against which evidence should be judged.
- Batch and sample provenance
- Supplier batch, production or receipt record, container, sample location and sampling time Connects observations and certificates to the material actually under consideration.
- Production route and blend identity
- Declared petroleum-derived, synthetic, blended or unspecified; blend components and proportions where known Prevents production route or blend claims from being mistaken for demonstrated product equivalence.
- Distillation profile
- Temperature in °C at specified recovered volume percentages, with test method Helps assess product identity, volatility behaviour and departure from the declared grade.
- Flash point
- °C, with test method and sample identity Supports handling decisions and detection of unexpected volatile contamination.
- Density
- kg/m³ at a stated reference temperature Supports quantity conversion and comparison with expected batch or grade properties.
- Kinematic viscosity
- mm²/s at a stated temperature Helps evaluate flow, atomisation and compatibility with a specified fuel-delivery system.
- Low-temperature behaviour
- Freezing point or other application-required cold-flow result in °C, with method Determines whether evidence supports use at the anticipated minimum material temperature.
- Composition and additive profile
- Constituent or additive identity and concentration in stated units, with analytical or declaration basis Supports grade verification and assessment of combustion, exposure and compatibility constraints.
- Water and particulate contamination
- Water concentration, free-water observation, particulate mass or particle count, with method and sample location Helps determine whether the material requires segregation, treatment or rejection.
- Storage-related condition
- Unassessed; no detected deterioration; suspected deterioration; confirmed deterioration, with evidence Separates elapsed storage time from demonstrated changes in material quality.
- Application qualification
- Specified application, governing requirements, supporting evidence and disposition Makes suitability a conclusion about a particular use rather than a universal property of kerosene.
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Also registered as vr.tr.kerosene
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 6 bundles · 11 layers · 18 findings · 28 questions.
Kerosene identity and grade Establishes what material is being called kerosene and how that claim is supported.
Overlapping fuel names and properties make identity, grade and application qualification separate questions.
Product boundary
Distinguishes the registered material from neighbouring fuels and solvents.
Evidence for kerosene identity
Records the documentary and analytical basis for identifying the material as kerosene.
- What supplier designation, specification or analytical evidence supports identifying this material as kerosene? definition
- Which plausible alternative identity, such as diesel, gasoline-contaminated fuel or another petroleum solvent, remains unresolved? boundary
Grade and batch evidence
Connects grade claims to a particular batch and its history.
Traceable grade claim
Captures the declared grade, production route and evidence linking certificates to the current material.
- Which grade and specification revision are claimed, and which batch-specific records support that claim? provenance
- What production route, blending or subsequent mixing is known, and does the supplied certification still describe the material now present? provenance
Composition and performance properties Records the kerosene properties that govern volatility, flow and application performance.
A kerosene label does not establish the measured behaviour needed to judge a particular batch.
Volatility and flow
Characterises evaporation-related behaviour and delivery across expected temperatures.
Measured property envelope
Associates distillation, density, viscosity and low-temperature results with their methods and conditions.
- What distillation profile, density and viscosity have been measured, at which reference conditions and by which methods? measurement
- Which low-temperature property does the intended application require, and what result supports use at its minimum operating temperature? measurement
Constituents and additives
Captures composition evidence relevant to grade and use.
Composition relevant to use
Records sulfur, aromatic content and additives where applicable requirements make them relevant.
- What sulfur content, aromatic content or other constituent measurements are required for this grade or application, and what results are available? measurement
- Which additives, dyes or treatments are declared, at what concentrations, and with what evidence of acceptance for the intended use? provenance
Contamination and storage condition Assesses whether the current material differs materially from its supplied or certified condition.
Water, particles, foreign products and storage-related changes can invalidate otherwise credible grade evidence.
Foreign material
Investigates water, sediment and unintended fuel or chemical admixture.
Representative contamination assessment
Distinguishes observed contamination from a sampling result that may miss separate phases or tank-bottom material.
- What free water, dissolved water, particles, sediment or foreign-product contamination has been detected, using which methods? measurement
- Where and when were samples taken, and could settled material or stratification make those samples unrepresentative? provenance
Change during storage
Relates storage history to evidence of deterioration or biological contamination.
Condition change and disposition
Captures observed changes and the evidence needed to choose continued use, treatment or rejection.
- What storage exposure and test evidence support or refute suspected oxidation, deposit formation or microbial contamination? measurement
- Which findings require holding, segregating or treating the batch, and which acceptance tests would be required afterwards? action
Handling and hazard constraints Connects the kerosene product's hazard evidence to proposed handling conditions.
Safe handling depends on the actual product, temperature and operation, including ignition, exposure and compatibility concerns.
Ignition and transfer
Assesses ignition-related constraints for storage, pumping and dispensing.
Operation-specific ignition assessment
Keeps flash-point evidence distinct from a complete assessment of ignition conditions.
- What is the measured flash point, by which method, and how does it relate to the proposed material temperature? measurement
- What controls do the applicable handling procedure and product evidence require for vapour or mist generation, static accumulation and ignition sources during this operation? action
Exposure and material contact
Links product hazards and contact compatibility to containment and handling choices.
Supported contact conditions
Records the current product safety information and evidence for contact with equipment materials.
- Which product-specific safety data sheet applies, and what exposure routes and release hazards does it identify? provenance
- What evidence supports contact with the proposed container, seal, hose or coating materials at the intended temperature and duration? boundary
Application fitness and disposition Determines whether the kerosene may be used, mixed or treated for a specified purpose.
Identity and acceptable general condition do not establish interchangeability across aviation, heating, lighting and solvent applications.
Use-specific acceptance
Compares the material evidence with requirements of the intended application.
Qualified use decision
Records a use decision with its governing requirements and unresolved evidence gaps.
- What exact application and equipment requirements govern this batch, and which required properties or approvals remain unverified? boundary
- Does the available evidence support release for that use, or must the batch remain on hold pending named tests or documentation? action
Mixing and recovery
Assesses proposed blending or treatment and the resulting need for renewed qualification.
Post-intervention qualification
Treats mixing or treatment as a potential change to composition, traceability and fitness for use.
- Is the proposed mixing or treatment permitted by the target grade and application requirements, considering additives and known contaminants? action
- What sampling, testing and documentation would establish the resulting material's identity and fitness before release? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
A model that cannot be lined up against existing standards, identifiers and practice cannot be adopted by anyone who already uses them.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- ASTM D3699 1-K (low-sulfur indoor-heater kerosene)
- ASTM D3699 2-K (higher-sulfur kerosene, not for unvented indoor heaters)
- Jet A (US civil kerosene-type aviation turbine fuel)
- Jet A-1 (international civil kerosene-type aviation turbine fuel)
- JP-8 / NATO F-34 (military kerosene-type jet fuel with additive package)
- RP-1 (highly refined rocket-grade kerosene)
- Illuminating / dual-purpose kerosene (lamp oil, DPK, SKO)
- Heating kerosene / BS 2869 Class C2 paraffin
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Wikidata - Q102403 - Item for kerosene as a fuel/substance class
- CAS Registry Number - 8008-20-6 - Kerosine (petroleum); UVCB, not a single molecule
- EC number - 232-366-4 - EINECS entry matching CAS 8008-20-6
- UN number - UN 1223 - Dangerous-goods identification; Class 3 flammable liquid
- Harmonized System - 2710.19* - Kerosene and related middle distillates under petroleum oils, not crude; national tails differ
- ASTM grade - 1-K | 2-K - Product grades in ASTM D3699
- NATO fuel code - F-34 | F-35 - F-35 is Jet A-1; F-34 is JP-8 (Jet A-1 plus military additives)
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- ASTM D3699 Standard Specification for Kerosine - ASTM International
- ASTM D1655 Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels - ASTM International
- DEF STAN 91-091 Turbine Fuel, Kerosene Type, Jet A-1 - UK Ministry of Defence
- BS 2869 Class C2 (kerosene/paraffin heating fuel) - BSI
- GOST 10227 (TS-1 and related kerosene-type jet fuels) - Rosstandart
- UN Model Regulations, UN 1223 Class 3 - UN Committee of Experts on TDG
- NFPA 30 Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code - NFPA (storage and handling)
- REACH registration as kerosine (petroleum), EC 232-366-4 - ECHA
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Civil jet engines burn Jet A (mainly US) or Jet A-1 as the default turbine fuel
- Military turbine aircraft and some diesel engines in theatre use JP-8 (F-34)
- RP-1 with liquid oxygen as a first-stage rocket propellant
- Unvented or flued portable kerosene heaters for domestic space heat (notably Japan and parts of North America)
- Off-grid lighting and cooking with wick or pressure stoves where LPG or electricity is scarce
- UK domestic heating boilers and cookers specified on Class C2 paraffin (heating kerosene)
- Historical and remaining lamp use; refined deodorized lamp oil in decorative lamps
- Winter blendstock to cut diesel cloud/pour point; solvent and insecticide-carrier uses
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Closed-cup flash point (civil kerosene and Jet A-1 min.) - ≥38 - °C
- Distillation range (typical kerosene cut) - 150-300 - °C
- Density at 15 °C (Jet A/A-1 specification window) - 775-840 - kg/m³
- Sulfur, ASTM 1-K - ≤0.04 - mass %
- Sulfur, ASTM 2-K / older jet specs - ≤0.30 - mass %
- Freeze point, Jet A vs Jet A-1 - ≤ −40 (Jet A); ≤ −47 (Jet A-1) - °C
- Net specific energy - 42.8-43.5 - MJ/kg
- Kinematic viscosity at 40 °C (typical liquid kerosene) - 1.0-2.5 - mm²/s
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Class 3 pool fire and vapour flash fire once liquid is above flash point or is aerosolized
- Carbon monoxide and incomplete-combustion poisoning from unvented kerosene heaters in tight rooms
- Gasoline or naphtha contamination of heater kerosene, collapsing flash point and causing heater explosions
- Aspiration hydrocarbon pneumonitis after ingestion (children drinking lamp oil is a documented pattern)
- Water, ice and microbial growth in aviation fuel tanks and filters, causing flameout or gauge errors
- Skin irritation and dermatitis from repeated dermal contact; vapour irritation in poorly ventilated stores
- Leaking tanks and spills contaminating soil and groundwater with a mobile middle-distillate plume
- Soot, sulfur oxides and indoor PM from wick lamps and unflued burners
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- In the UK, Ireland, South Africa and New Zealand, domestic heating kerosene is commonly called paraffin (not paraffin wax)
- US retail and heater practice distinguishes K-1 from K-2; No. 1 fuel oil overlaps kerosene in ASTM D396
- US airports typically supply Jet A (freeze −40 °C); most of the rest of the world supplies Jet A-1 (−47 °C)
- Japan treats tōyu (灯油) as a bulk winter household heating commodity delivered by tanker
- India still treats SKO (superior kerosene oil) as a distinct household/PDS product, historically subsidized and dye-marked
- CIS civil/military practice centres on TS-1 (GOST) rather than Jet A-1 freeze and additive conventions
- West and East Africa dual-purpose kerosene (DPK) is sold for both lamps/stoves and as a diesel extender
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Gasoline / petrol - Gasoline flash point is typically well below 0 °C and vapour pressure is specified (RVP); kerosene closed-cup flash point is specified ≥38 °C and it is a middle distillate, not a light naphtha blend
- Diesel fuel / gas oil (EN 590, No. 2 fuel oil) - Diesel is a heavier cut with a cetane/cloud-point spec and, in EN 590, a higher minimum flash point (typically 55 °C); kerosene distils lighter and is specified on freeze/smoke/sulfur for lamps, heaters or turbines, not on cetane
- Wide-cut jet fuel (Jet B / JP-4) - Jet B is a naphtha-kerosene blend with much higher volatility; kerosene-type Jet A/A-1 lacks that light front end
- White spirit / Stoddard solvent / mineral spirits - Overlapping C9-C16 boiling range, but solvent grades are specified on evaporation, aromatic content and residue for coating/cleaning use, not on freeze point or turbine smoke
- Naphtha - Naphtha is the lighter straight-run or cracked cut below the kerosene window, with a much lower flash point
- Paraffin wax - Solid long-chain n-alkanes; English "paraffin" for liquid heating fuel is kerosene, separated by physical state and carbon number
- No. 1 fuel oil - Functionally a heating kerosene in ASTM D396; tell them apart by the specification invoked (D396 burner fuel vs D3699 1-K/2-K) and by sulfur/indoor-heater labelling, not by chemistry
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of kerosene this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Sources
- ASTM D3699 Standard Specification for Kerosine - ASTM International - Civil kerosene grades 1-K and 2-K, flash-point and sulfur limits, indoor-heater distinction
- ASTM D1655 Standard Specification for Aviation Turbine Fuels - ASTM International - Jet A / Jet A-1 as kerosene-type turbine fuels, freeze point, density and distillation windows
- DEF STAN 91-091 Turbine Fuel, Kerosene Type, Jet A-1 - UK Ministry of Defence - International Jet A-1 specification used with ASTM D1655 in civil supply
- BS 2869 Fuel oils for agricultural, domestic and industrial engines and boilers - BSI - UK Class C2 heating kerosene (paraffin) as a named product grade
- UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations - United Nations - UN 1223, Class 3 identification for kerosene in transport
- Toxicological Profile for JP-5, JP-8, and Jet A Fuels - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (CDC) - Composition of kerosene-type jet fuels, exposure routes, and health hazards
- IARC Monographs Volume 45: Occupational Exposures in Petroleum Refining; Crude Oil and Major Petroleum Fuels - IARC/WHO - Kerosene as a petroleum fuel evaluated as a UVCB mixture
- Wikidata item Q102403 (kerosene) - Wikimedia Foundation - Stable item identifier and crosswalks (CAS, UN number) for this substance class
What the second pass must settle
- Which existing Vercy models already own kerosene, aviation turbine fuel or overlapping petroleum-distillate concepts, and where should this entry link rather than duplicate them?
- Which regional meanings and product specifications should define the boundary of this registry entry, given its missing definition?
- How should synthetic kerosene, renewable blending components and finished blends be represented without implying qualification from production route alone?
- Which authoritative test methods and acceptance criteria apply to each supported grade and intended application?
- What evidence and sampling rules are sufficient to requalify stored, mixed or treated material for each intended use?