Fuel Contamination
All you need to know about fuel contamination and how to prevent it
The discussion of fuel contamination, especially water contamination in diesel, is a hot topic in the fuel industry. Whilst all fuel can suffer from water contamination, the hygroscopic nature of today’s bio means it attracts and holds onto water, making diesel an even more likely victim of such contamination.
You probably already know that water in fuel is bad news, but it can also cause serious issues that can cost money and time. If water is left untreated in the fuel tank, there are several costly problems that you can encounter, including blocked filters and damaged fuel transfer pumps, engine failure, fuel system corrosion and poor fuel efficiency. To help you fight fuel contamination, we have prepared a range of product guides, useful articles and offer a range of products to tackle the issue.
Free Water vs Suspended and Emulsified
Diesel should appear clear and bright, but once contaminated with water, this can change. What you may not know is that water contamination in diesel fuel can appear differently by manifesting in a number of ways: free, suspended and emulsified water. So what is the difference?
- Free water – water you can see as a separate layer at the bottom of the tank. It is here that diesel bug often grows, which puts your equipment, vehicles and engines at risk.
- Suspended water – water bound to the fuel molecules making it appear cloudy. As the diesel becomes so full of water that it can hold no more, it starts dropping free water out to the bottom of the tank.
- Emulsified water - Under pressure changes, agitation and heavy cavitation, often experienced as the fuel passes through pumps and filters, the water content becomes fully emulsified with almost no separation between the fuel and water, making the fuel appear milky
Aquafighter: The complete solution to water in your diesel fuel tank
Aquafighter is the only fuel tank water absorber that removes free, suspended and emulsified water, providing a complete water contamination solution. Whilst other water absorbers only remove the free water layer from the fuel, Aquafighter is "not just a tank dryer" as it removes the water you can't easily see, leaving the fuel bright and clear.
Here is what makes Aquafighter different:
- Other models only remove the free water, leaving half of the problem (see the amazing results in the image below)
- Add to the machinery or bulk fuel tank - no fuel removal required
- Prevents diesel bug from forming and gelling in cold temperatures
- Eliminates the need for most additives
- Reduces filter replacement by around 60%
- Protects the tank and machinery engine from corrosion
- Exceeds EN590 – 7000 lab tests show 100% efficiency at reducing water to <70ppm
Preventing stagnant fuel in low usage tanks
Unlike other fuel tanks that get used daily, the fuel in generator back up tanks can sit for months or even years, allowing the water to settle and the diesel bugs to grow and create nasty sludge. This presents a greater risk of generator failure and results in expensive repairs and downtime. To prevent the fuel from going stagnated, generator back up tanks require proper maintenance, including regularly turning over and filtering the fuel to prevent the costly risks associated with water contamination. Our CTS Fuel Recirculation Unit does just that!
The CTS recirculation system turns over 1.5 times the tank capacity every 28 days and does not allow the “diesel bugs” in your fuel to fester. The system tackles the root cause issue, ensuring that the generator is free from the damage and downtime caused by fuel contamination.
Related Products
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