Whether the tank is an on-site day tank, a combined storage and day tank or a terminal facility, they all face the same problem with diesel. Diesel is rarely delivered to site at a quality suitable to dispense straight into the equipment forcing operators to filter the diesel before use.
Water is often present in diesel – either delivered with the supply or as a result of condensation. Presence of water means diesel deteriorates after only a few weeks in the tanks.
The diesel in storage tanks goes through a lot of steps from the refinery to the storage tanks and along the way particle content increases, water content increases and traces from sludge and bacteria can be found in the diesel.
If the diesel is not maintained during storage you will consume inline filters on a daily basis and still struggle to keep diesel within specifications.
Failure to keep the diesel sufficiently clean and dry will result in failure in fuel pumps, injectors, corrosion and poor fuel economy. High consumption of inline filters and clogging of inline filters will be common.
For some generator applications, e.g. back-up generators in Data Centres, critical assets may be compromised if the diesel is too contaminated to keep the generator running.
Typical diesel contamination
Water & particles
Water and particles/dirt cause the main problems in diesel systems. While both will have a direct negative impact on the engine; water found during storage will also lead to bacteria growth which will quickly clog fuel valves, injectors and in-line pressure filters causing engine stop/ failure.
Common problems caused by water and particles in the diesel are: rust/ corrosion, cavitation, microbial contamination and abrasive wear. There is a direct correlation between the water and particle level in diesel and the lifetime of critical components such as injectors, fuel pumps and filters.
Asphaltenes, paraffins & resin
As a by-product of the refining process and a natural consequence of fuel degradation processes, modern diesel contains asphaltenes, paraffins and resin. These are commonly known as organic debris but in daily language are referred to as tar/asphalt, wax, sludge and diesel bugs.
Most of the organic debris are acidic and will cause corrosion of injectors, pumps and tanks. They will plug your injectors, affect combustion and eventually clog in-line filters. In short, they will ruin your engine.
Solution
Installation of permanent/temporary fuel filtration and polishing systems
Filtration/polishing systems are the first line of defence in ensuring the efficiency and longevity of your mission critical systems.
Filter systems are mission critical in almost every industry, including the agriculture, petrochemical industries, critical data and telecommunications storage, utilities, process industries, marine and power generation.