It is estimated that eight out of every ten diesel engine failures have been directly related to contaminated fuel. The build up of contaminates in the fuel storage tanks can quickly clog filters resulting in engine shut down, fuel pump wear and diesel engine damage. These situations are both time consuming and costly.
Hidden Costs For Contaminated Diesel Fuel Tanks:
- Time bomb on liability
- Equipment replacement
- Unrecoverable people hours
- Good will reputation
- Attorney fees?
There is no good time to find out your engine won't operate because of contaminated diesel fuel. A sudden need for diesel fuel that has been stored to run back up systems and generators can create another disaster after the 3 to 5 minutes. Those systems usually run until stagnant fuel clogs and "kill" engines. Boats and ships can be stranded until the filters are changed (if they have some with them). Worse life support and evacuation systems can quit in commercial buildings, financial institutions, hospitals and communication facilities. Since no one can predict an emergency, the only safe method is to stop the problem before it starts.
Problems That Occur With Stored Diesel Fuel:
- Water condensation and separation
- Algae formation
- Catalytic fines, dirt & rustic silicates
- Fungi Growth
- Clouding and gel formation
- Gums and resins due to oxidation
Other Areas of Concern:
- Unreliable quality of fuel supply due to reduced refinery quality control
- Fouled injectors produce more exhaust emissions - EPA standards?
- High yearly maintenance cost (fuel injector replacement for a "3516" would be approximately $7500)
- Fuel tank polishing for a 20,000 gallon tank @ 0.50 to $2.00 per gallon (some hospitals polish their fuel twice a year) Your engine manufacturers recommend your fuel not be stored for more than one year.
*
CATERPILLAR
(see publication #SEBD 0717-01 Diesel Fuels and Your Engine)
* JOHN DEERE(see
publication #ISBNO - 86691-143 X)
* AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (see publication Standard Certification for Diesel Fuel Oils 1)
Diesel Fuel
Quality and Selection
Your engine manufacturers design diesel engines to operate, in general,
on fuels meeting the properties of ASTM designation D975 (grades
1-D and 2-D)
*
CATERPILLAR (see publication #SEBD 0717-01 Diesel Fuels and
Your Engine)
* DETROIT DIESEL (see publications Engine Requirements, Lubricating
Oil Fuel, and ...Filters)
* JOHN DEERE (see publication #ISBNO - 86691-143 X)
You can buy the most expensive, state of the art equipment, but without clean, good grade fuel it cannot do it's job. Storing diesel or other distillate fuel for later use (or fuel in tanks of vehicles not used immediately) will quickly begin to degrade because of living microbial (bacteria) and fungi which thrive on impurities in the fuel, air, moisture, and dust. Factors such as climate, weather, tank conditions or tank design influence on how quickly these "bugs" develop into solids and sludge that clog fuel lines, damage engines, and effect our environment. As the particulates develop, the slime they create sticks to the walls of the tanks and begin a corrosion process that can also lead to tank damage and possible fuel leakage into the ground.
Additives are biocides and are similar to "antibiotics" that kill fuel bacteria. But like human antibiotics, the right one must be used for each microbial, in the right amounts, and at the right intervals. Improper application is like stopping a human antibiotic treatment after 3-4 days. The germs are still there, and will increase immediately. In addition, some biocides are water-soluble and actually breakdown with contact, which can also be a problem. If successful, the effect of the additives alone is only temporary and will not eliminate the sludge problem.
Contaminated fuels must sometimes be removed for tank repairs and fuel replacement. Besides being very expensive, this "bad" fuel must be dumped somewhere as hazardous material. Clean fuel is more efficient, burns safely and is kinder to the environment.
Why the decline? Mainly, it's due to the increased popularity of diesel power and the accompanying increased demand for more diesel fuel. There was a time when diesel fuel remained in the refinery storage tanks long enough to naturally separate and settle, allowing it to be drawn off. Now with increased demand, diesel fuel never remains stationary long enough for settling, and the suspended water is passed on to the user.
The change in refinery techniques is another problem. In order to get more products per dollar; diesel fuel is now being refined from more marginal portions of the crude oil barrel. This results in lower-grade product that is inherently thicker and more susceptible to acute water contamination.
Understanding the threat that water poses to a diesel engine means realizing the added burden placed upon diesel fuel as opposed to gasoline. Gasoline acts as a fuel only. Diesel fuel, on the other hand, also must cool and lubricate injection system parts. These parts are engineered to incredible tolerances - up to 0.0002 of an inch - and any contamination means rapid wear or seizure. Water not only displaces the diesel fuel; it acts as a cutting agent, scoring these parts.
Water that enters the combustion chamber results in even more serious damage. When it comes in contact with the heat of the combustion chamber (in excess of 2000 degrees F), it immediately turns to steam and often literally explodes the tip of the injector. Water causes corrosion of tanks, lines, injectors, and greatly reduces combustibility.
Bacteria also presents a serious problem. Bacteria feed on nitrogen, sulfur, and iron oxides. Therefore, compounds of these elements should be excluded from fuel storage tanks.
Diesel fuel begins to deteriorate as soon as it is produced. This deterioration does not present a major problem if the fuel is consumed relatively quickly. However, fuel may be stored for years in a standby power system: "It's deterioration not only affects pumpability and combustibility, but it will most likely cause engine damage.
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